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Control Containers not letting workflow write

zachritter00

I have created a workflow that needs to write to an excel workbook on 19 different tabs. To make this work, I have control containers in a row, with each container filtering the dataset for that tab data, then outputting to that tab in the workbook, before the next control container should run and write. 6 of the containers are failing to write by saying that the file is in use by another process.

Currently running on desktop before uploading to gallery. Input and output files are on an Alteryx server.

Workflow

Output

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Qiu

@zachritter00
How about trying another tool "Block Until Done Tool"?

OllieClarke

Hi @zachritter00

Which 6 containers are having the issue in your screenshot?

zachritter00

It actually varies on each run. I've had 7 fail, and I've had 1 fail. This most recent run only had 1 failure

Chaoued

Have each branch prepare its data for one sheet:
- Branch 1 → data for Tab1
- Branch 2 → data for Tab2
- ….
Just before each Output Data, use Block Until Done so they run strictly one after another:

Connect your branches in series via Block Until Done:
- Branch A → BUD → Output Sheet1 → BUD → Branch B → Output Sheet2 → BUD → Branch C → Output Sheet3 → …

The key is: each Output Data runs only after the previous one has fully finished.

OllieClarke

@Chaoued, that's not technically how the Block until done tool works, it will not put any records through an output until all the records have gone through the previous output. But that's not necessarily the same as until all downstream tools have finished running (https://help.alteryx.com/current/en/designer/tools/developer/block-until-done-tool.html)

For this reason, control containers are the preferred solution (although you can't combine control containers with the BUD tool).

OllieClarke

@zachritter00
The fact it's inconsistent is interesting. Can you try removing the non-output tools from the control containers, so each control container only has an output data tool in it, and see if that makes a difference?
This simplifies things a little bit, as it's only the writing of the data that requires the orchestration

alexnajm

Another thought - Are you writing to a network drive? It's possible that if you are writing to a location that is lagging behind in saving, it could be erroring - I might put down a Wait a Second Macro between each container to see if just delaying each container slightly helps: Chaos Reigns Within: Alteryx CReW Macros

zachritter00

I am writing to a network drive, this makes sense. Let me try the wait a second macros

MinhLO

@zachritter00 can you please share a workflow that fails? would be interesting to test on our side and see if we have the same error. This should help narrowing if it's a network issue or different.

I also encourage using CC instead of Block until done, unless there is a restriction not to use AMP (bug or other).

Thanks!

zachritter00

Right, learned earlier once I had the control containers in that BUD was no longer an option. Will try the wait a second macros first, will have to prepare dummy data to upload the failing workflow

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