I have an actor that first scrapes raw

Louis Deconinck · 2025-11-27T18:52:05.031Z

I have an actor that first scrapes raw results and then processes these results. I want to make both of those data collections (before and after processing) available to the end user. This is for a PPE actor. How to best do this?

A

azzouzana•11/27/25, 8:55 PM

Probably use named datasets?

A

azzouzana•11/27/25, 8:57 PM

The default dataset would store the processed data, and a separate dataset called "raw" would store the original data. You could also let users choose whether the default dataset should contain the raw or processed data, and save the other data in the named dataset

L

Louis DeconinckOP•11/27/25, 10:16 PM

We have to clear named datasets manually at the start of each run, right?

Is a named dataset separate for each user or shared across all users?

LLouis Deconinck We have to clear named datasets manually at the start of each run, right? Is a ...

A

azzouzana•11/27/25, 10:33 PM

They're unique to each user

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azzouzana•11/27/25, 10:35 PM

And you cannot delete from a dataset afaik (unlike KV store), a potential solution is to try to drop & recreate it, or better try use a prefix plus _ plus some unique string (run ID or hash of the input etc), depending on your usecase..

S

Strijdhagen•11/28/25, 3:26 AM

If one of the datasets is always returned, you could also return the second dataset as a json within the first dataset

L

Louis DeconinckOP•11/28/25, 7:42 AM

Is it possible to have both show up in the output tab?

Only the analysis overview shows up in the output tab, which is stored in the default dataset. How do I make the other dataset show up there. It also doesn't show under 'storage'. When I run it locally, they both show up.

My setup for the named dataset is like this:

const reviewsDataset = await Actor.openDataset('reviews');
await reviewsDataset.drop();
const newReviewsDataset = await Actor.openDataset('reviews');

const reviewsDataset = await Actor.openDataset('reviews');
await reviewsDataset.drop();
const newReviewsDataset = await Actor.openDataset('reviews');

const reviewsDataset = await Actor.openDataset('reviews');
await reviewsDataset.drop();
const newReviewsDataset = await Actor.openDataset('reviews');

const reviewsDataset = await Actor.openDataset('reviews');
await reviewsDataset.drop();
const newReviewsDataset = await Actor.openDataset('reviews');

I have this as my output_schema.json:

{
    "actorOutputSchemaVersion": 1,
    "title": "Analysis Results",
    "description": "Scraped reviews and analysis results.",
    "properties": {
        "analysis": {
            "type": "string",
            "title": "Analysis Overview",
            "description": "AI analysis of the reviews.",
            "template": "{{links.apiDefaultDatasetUrl}}/items?view=overview"
        },
        "reviews": {
            "type": "string",
            "title": "Scraped Reviews",
            "description": "Raw reviews in named dataset 'reviews'.",
            "template": "{{links.apiBaseUrl}}/datasets/reviews/items"
        }
    }
}

{
    "actorOutputSchemaVersion": 1,
    "title": "Analysis Results",
    "description": "Scraped reviews and analysis results.",
    "properties": {
        "analysis": {
            "type": "string",
            "title": "Analysis Overview",
            "description": "AI analysis of the reviews.",
            "template": "{{links.apiDefaultDatasetUrl}}/items?view=overview"
        },
        "reviews": {
            "type": "string",
            "title": "Scraped Reviews",
            "description": "Raw reviews in named dataset 'reviews'.",
            "template": "{{links.apiBaseUrl}}/datasets/reviews/items"
        }
    }
}

{
    "actorOutputSchemaVersion": 1,
    "title": "Analysis Results",
    "description": "Scraped reviews and analysis results.",
    "properties": {
        "analysis": {
            "type": "string",
            "title": "Analysis Overview",
            "description": "AI analysis of the reviews.",
            "template": "{{links.apiDefaultDatasetUrl}}/items?view=overview"
        },
        "reviews": {
            "type": "string",
            "title": "Scraped Reviews",
            "description": "Raw reviews in named dataset 'reviews'.",
            "template": "{{links.apiBaseUrl}}/datasets/reviews/items"
        }
    }
}

{
    "actorOutputSchemaVersion": 1,
    "title": "Analysis Results",
    "description": "Scraped reviews and analysis results.",
    "properties": {
        "analysis": {
            "type": "string",
            "title": "Analysis Overview",
            "description": "AI analysis of the reviews.",
            "template": "{{links.apiDefaultDatasetUrl}}/items?view=overview"
        },
        "reviews": {
            "type": "string",
            "title": "Scraped Reviews",
            "description": "Raw reviews in named dataset 'reviews'.",
            "template": "{{links.apiBaseUrl}}/datasets/reviews/items"
        }
    }
}

A

azzouzana•11/28/25, 8:12 AM

When you go to the storage tab, how many datasets are there? (When you click on the Default)

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azzouzana•11/28/25, 8:18 AM

I think you have two already since there seems to be the option to select

A

azzouzana•11/28/25, 8:19 AM

If that's the case then this is something with the output schema https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/actor-definition/output-schema (which I don't have much experience with, never had to)

Actor output schema | Platform | Apify Documentation

Learn how to define and present output of your Actor.

A

azzouzana•11/28/25, 8:20 AM

Let me know when you figure this out please

V

verbal-lime•11/28/25, 8:50 AM

Me too

. I'm interested in the best way to show more than one dataset on the UI.

E

ellativity•11/28/25, 9:28 AM

This should be doable using output schema. I shared a quick summary of schemas last week: 🌐apify-announcements

If you're interested, this is a great question for the Actor scheme webinar on 9 December - more details to follow very soon (today)

S

Saurav Jain•12/9/25, 9:15 AM

folks the webinar is going live right now, if you want to ask question, please drop it in comment section: https://www.youtube.com/live/xEhR_VLtOTU?si=DPSu_-Wjt7H-8Tfm

YouTubeApify

Webinar: Actor schemas

If you are an Actor developer who wants to learn more about the Actor schemas, this is the webinar you've been waiting for. Find out more about how you can u...