Lost Ability to Open Multiple Copies of Same Workflow

[natej]

Prior to updating to Designer 2019.4 I frequently made use of the ability to have multiple copies of the same workflow open in the same Alteryx session in different tabs. After updating this no longer seems to be an option.

For example, if I had a saved workflow 'Workflow1.yxmd', I would open the workflow and begin to make some changes. Then, (before saving) I would open another copy, either by reopening the workflow from File Explorer or by selecting the workflow via File > Open Recent. This way I could have open both the original (saved) version as well as my modified (unsaved) version without prematurely cluttering a drive with various saved copies.

Now, when re-opening a workflow the Designer window pops up with the same copy of the workflow I already had open. In other words, I can no longer have two tabs open using the same workflow file/name.

Does anyone know any way around this? Of course I could save the workflow with a new name, or open a whole new session of Alteryx, but both these options are quite inconvenient. Also, if I right click on the workflow name on the tab there is a 'Duplicate' option, but this duplicates the workflow in its current state (modified), rather than the original, saved state.

I'm not sure whether this is a bug or an intentional change in behavior, but it has proven rather annoying for my team and me.

Thanks,

Nate

[natej]

@jpoz I like it.

[gboland]

This kills my productivity as I run several of the same WF at the same time.  I just update the things in the filter that change and just keep them going.   Now I have to create several WF's under different names to multithread.  I thought that was one of the best features this App had.   Why change it.  Make a custom setting or something.

[jpoz]

@RithiS 

[jwartman]

PREACH SISTA!! @gboland 

 

[gboland]

I have found a work around for this.   There is a right click option called Duplicate that creates a new workflow containing everything in the current WF and appends "Copy of"  to the name.   Better than using "save as"  I guess.

[collin_pace]

This is a terrible change.  Please revert it back or add in a solution (holding shift key, pop-up box, or whatever).

As others have mentioned, opening multiple workflows with the same name happens all the time.  It's extremely helpful when running multiple processes in parallel, simply having to build a flow once, then update a filter tool or whatever in each open flow to run multiple flows concurrently.  Having to save out multiple versions of workflows is a time waste and unnecessary.

Please provide a fix for this.

[jpoz]

Thank you for the feedback.

We have added user setting that you can enable to always allow the opening of multiple files. Additionally, if the user setting is not enabled, you can hold shift to temporary enable this functionality on a per file basis.

[collin_pace]

@jpoz - thanks for the quick response.

What version is this fixed?  We are running, 2019.4.4.20206 and I do not see a user setting.  Maybe I'm missing it?

[jpoz]

The user setting will be available in an upcoming release, it's still being tested.

[DavidLane]

I am in exactly the same position.

I used to run multiple instances of the same workflow as Alteryx does not make use of all the CPU cores available, but this update has killed this functionality so now processing take roughly four times as long as it did before when I could fully load up the CPU. I can use the different file name workaround, but it would be much better if this was an option that could be deselected in the settings.