Broken? Output Tool

[PeteLacz]

Just moved to Version: 2022.1.1.30961 (Previously on 2021)

Workflow originally built in v.2021, rolled over into 2022 then started encountering issues.

1) Is it just me, or is the Output Tool dynamic file name functionality broken? The only feature I am able to manipulate into working is the "Change Entire File Path" configuration. This requires that append a column with my file name and tab name to the data and rely on the output tool to remove it upon saving.

1.a) the key thing being here that a tab name is required to be input, and that seems to be the underlying cause of the issue when using other configurations like change or append file name from field. 

2) Is it just me, or is anyone else's designer and/or gallery stepping on itself when trying to save multiple tabs to a single excel workbook? Block until Done is not resolving it, parallel block until done is not resolving it, and time delay macro's sort of work but I have seen them fail. 

I am unable to post the underlying data and workflow due to it containing sensitive information. I continue to test for a reliable solution. 

[ChrisTX · Accepted solution]

@PeteLacz for write-contention issues, see if this helps...

This is the process that I use to write out to multiple Excel sheets, in order, while avoiding write-contention errors:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Discussions/Clear-the-output-file-before-running-a...

Please consider adding a like to this related Idea:

Enhance options for Excel output - Alteryx Community

Chris

[PeteLacz]

Thank you Chris. I will definitely check this out and let you know. Cheers!

[PeteLacz]

@ChrisTX 
Alright Chris, this... so far... has been the best stop gap solution. When running the workflow off of the designer, I have no issues. But when I run it in the Gallery, I continue to get the same error "Being used by another process".

Now, I did add in a time delay macro between each of your macros - but perhaps you could point me to a better one... I noticed that some of the time delay macros prematurely activated. Judging from what I know about Alteryx's goal of being efficient and prioritizing any tasks that may be able to run EVEN IF they are not next in the sequence, I'm guessing Alteryx is choosing to run these before they are ready to be run. So a 5 second delay is negated to 0 by the time the flow reaches that point.

That said, Kudo's to you for making this macro. I tried to make something similar but would not have thought to take this route.

Cheers!

[ChrisTX]

@PeteLacz I didn't create the macro, I just refined it.

If you structure the macro and the Parallel Block Until Done tools correctly (as shown in the post linked above), you shouldn't need to add a time delay macro.  The Parallel Block Until Done tools take care of the sequential ordering.

Are you using the CReW macros for Parallel Block Until Done?

Chris

[PeteLacz]

@ChrisTX Even using the crew macro it doesn't work on the Gallery. The Gallery hates me. 😅

[ChrisTX]

I'm not using the server yet, so I can't help much with the Gallery.

Consider creating a new post with a question about running CReW macros from a workflow running on the server, and post any errors you're getting.

We store our CReW macros in a shared network folder, so I'm hoping our workflows will work the same from the server, as long as the server Run As user has security permission to the macro folder.

Chris