Locking an excel file

[GIS_User01]

I am trying to do a simple output to another sheet in excel.  I am getting this error message stating that "The process cannot access the file because another process has locked a portion of the file."  I cannot imagine how this is happening given it is performing the same task multiple times in the workflow.  Just this last output is causing issues.  Any ideas?

[atcodedog05]

Hi @GIS_User01 

Make sure the file is not open anywhere. Delete the output file and try rerunning the workflow.

[mst3k · Accepted solution]

i'm thinking you need to use block until done tools before your outputs. alteryx is stepping over itself trying to open the file multiple times at the same time to create a new worksheet.

you have to stream them all through the same block until done (not just 1 block until done inserted before each output tool). this gets tricky if you have different fields you want to output for each result, but there are slick solutions to that if that's an issue.

[GIS_User01]

Thanks for that attempt, however, the file is not open anywhere.  If it were, I would have received the error in one of the other output tools shown above in the screenshot.  All of those outputs shown are writing to the same excel file, just in different worksheets (tabs).

[RolandSchubert]

Hi @GIS_User01 ,

I guess, you try to write to different sheets of the same workbook? You could either use a Block Until Done tool to prevent parallel writing or merge all output streams to one and differentiate by an additional "sheetname" field.

Best,

Roland

[GIS_User01]

Thanks!  The blocking worked!!

[atcodedog05]

Hi @GIS_User01 

I was wondering how you solved it 🙂 and where did you use the block until done. Thank you for sharing your solution.

Cheers and have a nice day!

[GIS_User01]

I basically put a block on every line where I was creating an output.  See diagram I attached above to locate where the blocks are inserted.  Pretty easy to spot the blocks since they have a big hand on them - lol!  Have a great day, as well!

[atcodedog05]

Hi @GIS_User01 

Got it thats why I was thanking you for sharing the snapshot 🙂

Cheers and have a nice day!