Block Until Done Tool

[VaishnaviGinni]

Hi,

Can you please help me to understand how blcok until tool works.

Because even though I have use block until it is still running parallelly and giving an error unable to access the file to write because some other tool is using.

[ShankerV]

Hi @VaishnaviGinni 

You can find more information below.

https://help.alteryx.com/2018.2/BlockUntilDone.htm#:~:text=The%20Block%20Until%20Done%20tool,receive....

Many thanks

Shanker V

[ShankerV]

Hi @VaishnaviGinni 

To add one more important point, it needs to be added at the right place to get the expected result.

Can you attach the workflow, so could check where it went wrong.

Many thanks

Shanker V

[DavidSkaife]

Hi @VaishnaviGinni 

It will run all data through output 1 first, then output 2, and finally output 3. If you have other streams within your workflow that are not an outcome of the block Until Done tool then they will still run.

Do you want to share your workflow and/or screenshots and we can help further?

[ShankerV]

Hi @VaishnaviGinni 

Just now resolved one query related to Block Until Done.

Hope you are also encountering the same issue.

Please have a look on the below. Will help you to resolve.

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Discussions/Unable-to-open-file-for-write/m-p/1047...

Hope it helps to resolve your issue. Feel free to mark helpful answers as a solution, so that future users with the same issue can find them easier!!!!

Many thanks

Shanker V

[TonyaS]

If you are using AMP Engine and your workflow has multiple branches with multiple inputs, you need to put the BUD in the branch with the lowest numbered input tool ID. 

Here is the documentation page that talks about that: https://help.alteryx.com/current/designer/alteryx-engine-and-amp-main-differences 

It is toward the bottom of the page:

Parallel Branch Execution and Tool Run Order

Some workflows read from a file and then write back to it. This requires sequencing to ensure that the read is complete before the write can start. Similarly, a workflow that wants to write several sheets in one XLSX file needs to write the sheets one at a time. Alteryx Designer provides a Block Until Done (BUD) tool to help partition the work into phases that won’t get in each other’s way.
Same workaround is applicable for Email tool when you use output file(s) from previous branch(es) as attachment. You need to wait once data processing is complete and then add as attachment to the Email tool.

When you work on a workflow with multiple branches (largely separate streams from inputs to outputs), place the BUD tool in the workflow branch with the lowest numbered Input tool ID. This ensures every subsequent branch waits to run until the previous branch is done and the tool works as expected.

[EdP]

Additional suggestions can be found here:  

• https://knowledge.alteryx.com/index/s/article/Error-writing-Excel-file-to-Shared-Drive