Looking for tricks about CSV export

[CHRISTOPHE_CHAN]

Hi,

I’m looking for a trick to “mix” the behavior of direct CSV view export action, and the customisation option of a “save file” workflow rule. I think something is possible with 2 or 3 steps.

What I really want from user perspective is a button that will trigger an action that somehow download the CSV of the view. But I want to have the ability to manage the file name and separator definition like in a workflow rule.

Any idea ?

Chris

[Aleksi]

For doing that, you need to do that with the Workflow/Action. You are not able to control the CSV file name with direct action button. And then it means that the CSV file is sent by email.

[CHRISTOPHE_CHAN]

Hi Aleksi,

So I plan something like :

• button/action on the table view of what I want CSV for, adding for example +1 in an update column for all rows
• workflow looking for update in that same table and sending CSV by mail.

Does it look clever to you ?

Thanks

Chris

[Aleksi]

Yes something like that. I normally use a DateTime column with an action NOW(). Every time when you click that action, it will have different value.

[CHRISTOPHE_CHAN]

Hi Aleksi,

Thanks for your reply. Would you mind being more specific about the whole process you would follow ? The aim is simply to get a CSV file of the complete table, by clicking on a button directly from a table view, with the possibility to manage CSV column and name.

Chris

[Aleksi]

First of all… you can trigger the Workflow rule from what ever table, that doesn’t matter because you can read data with a Start: & End expression. You need one normal DateTme column that your action can trigger.

That action then writes the value with the NOW() expression and then you need to trigger an “Updates_Only” Workflow. Good condition rule would be…
AND(
ISNOTBLANK([DateTime]),[_THISROW_BEFORE].[DateTime]<>[_THISROW_AFTER].[DateTime])

[CHRISTOPHE_CHAN]

Hi ALeksi,

I tried something more familiar to me, with a “request table” and workflow on it looking for new record. I use a CONCATENATE expression in a File type virtual column in order to access directly to the CSV file (like I usually do for pdf report). I use the same concatenation in the workflow, to name the csv file it generates.

It works as expected. However in that case, when I click on the file icon

, it downloads the csv but with this common name and unknown type :

Is there any reason for it ? I’d like to get the file as it is named in the Google Drive file.

Chris