Block until done alternative solution?

Hi,

In my workflow I have 4 outputs to 4 different Excel tabs, all in the same Excel workbook.

Often it works fine and all my 4 tabs are filled as it should be, but sometimes 1 output is written to another file. I think the option of using 'Block Until Done' doesn't work here, as all of my main 4 inputs have data that flow into 3 of the Excel tabs, see also the attached picture.

Is there a 'Block Until Done' alternative/solution available here?

Thanks!

Workflow.GIF

Workflow

Developer

Accepted answers

cgoodman

If I understand it correctly the error you are getting is a conflict in writing to an Excel file while another part of your workflow already has it open?

If the schema of the files is the same, then you could add a formula tool to each stream with a new field called filename and write "C:\EnterTheRestOfTheFilePathHere\ExcelWorkbookname.xlsx|||TabName"

Then union the results together and then in the output tool select this at the bottom?

I tend to find that works if you get conflict issues writing to Excel.

cgoodman

Hi @TomNL

The interface tools you have updating the input files can also be used to rename the files in the formula tool to write the output. Just connect action tools from the interface tool to the formula tool.

Chris

All comments

cgoodman

If I understand it correctly the error you are getting is a conflict in writing to an Excel file while another part of your workflow already has it open?

If the schema of the files is the same, then you could add a formula tool to each stream with a new field called filename and write "C:\EnterTheRestOfTheFilePathHere\ExcelWorkbookname.xlsx|||TabName"

Then union the results together and then in the output tool select this at the bottom?

I tend to find that works if you get conflict issues writing to Excel.

echuong1

You can "stack" multiple block until done tools to further slow down the processing (shown below). You can stack as many as you'd like.

Alternatively, you can use the parallel block until done or wait a second tool available through the crew macros:

http://www.chaosreignswithin.com/p/macros.html

TomNL

Hi cgoodman3,

Thanks for your solution. I indeed had a conflict in writing to Excel while another part of my workflow already had it open. I tried your solution and a came pretty far and understand the bottom part of the output tool better now. The thing I didnt describe yet is that the new file name also is varable. I use an Action tool at the start for the imput files and also they direct to the output files, so that year and month are in my output name. As this is not in my initial question, I will mark your alternative as a solution. Thanks!

For my workflow I made a sort of Dummy text input. Then I use the Block Until Don's. I add my dummies to the Join Multilpes and immediately uncheck the joined dummy. Last step is to clean null row it (somehow) created.

Regards,

TomNL

Workflow2.GIF

James01

Is there a way that you can show us small example? I'm currently having the same issue and I tried to follow your instruction and at the end Union the all and gave the file path in output tool and its not working for me.

Update: I did figure out how to do it using Formula tool and Union tool as mentioned above in the comments.

cv819

Hi Chris,

I am trying your work around to output different streams of a workflow to different tabs within the same excel file. Using your formula then union method. When I run the workflow my error states "Unable to Open archive for zipping"

Any idea why I would get that error?

Is error stemming from using shared directories and Alteryx not being able to locate that shared drive?

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