Run Command Tool Powershell - Error Code: 1

Hello,

I'm trying to run .bat files in Alteryx Designer and am running into errors. I'm able to run the .bat command in a powershell window outside of Alteryx so I know the command is accurate and without typos. I checked where Alteryx was downloaded on my machine and it's where it's supposed to be which is here C:\Users\[User]\AppData\Local\Alteryx.

There's plenty of articles on the community about Powershell issues but I still haven't come across a solution that worked for me. I attached my workflow if anyone is able to replicate my issues. You'll just have to put your file path where it says "[Your File Path Here]" in the formula tool.

System Setup:

Version: 2022.1.1.42725

Type: Non-Admin

AMP Engine: Off

Operating System: Windows

Run Command Tool Setup.png

Run Command Workflow.yxmd

Run Command

Accepted answers

apathetichell

All good - we all do - just a minor clarification.

2 - save the workflow to a new location in downloads - re try those steps. engine workflow shoudl show the new location.

You usually can't write to that location while Alteryx is running - and once you save a workflow it should put it in a normal editable directory.

All comments

Hsandness

The Run Command tool works on the gallery but not in Designer.

Gaurav_Dhama_

I just ran the flow, and it worked without errors. Can you put up a screenshot of the error you are getting?

Hsandness

@Gaurav_Dhama_

Attached is the error code I'm receiving. I asked others at my company to run this workflow and they received the same error as me. They were running version 2021.4 but I don't think the version of Alteryx is the issue.

For the workflows on Gallery that can use the Run Command tool the temp folder is being created here "D:\ProgramData\Alteryx\Service\Staging\". When I run it in Designer the temp folder is "C:\Users\[User]\AppData\Local\Temp\". The AlteryxEngineCMD.exe file is present in the binaries folder under ...\Local\Alteryx\bin so I threw that out as a possibility for the error.

I also don't think it's an IT issue otherwise I wouldn't be able to run the command in CMD window outside of Alteryx.

Error Code.png

Gaurav_Dhama_

This error means that CMD was not able to locate the file or directory. I checked the workflow and i noticed that the path needs to be updated in two places.

Inside formula (2) tool, did you update your location path in both the following columns?

1. Make Directory

2. Directory w/o Quotations

I tested by not updating one and got the error you posted. So my guess is that the location was not correct in one of the two columns mentioned above.

Hsandness

Both file paths are updated on my end and I still see the same error but if I run the full path that's in Make Directory in CDM window outside of Alteryx it works. What's odd is when I run this in Alteryx, the "CreateInputFolderCommand1.txt" does not get written to a temp folder but when this is run outside of Alteryx, it does.

Screenshot 2024-05-16 090825.png

apathetichell

Are you sure your worker bot has the ability to make directories on your server? security issues can create these kinds of problems. I have also seen situations where security didn't allow the server to execute .bat files.

Hsandness

@apathetichell , Scheduled workflows on the gallery are able to make new directories so I want to say it's not a security issue. But, I'm not sure if the worker bot is different on gallery than it is in designer.

I don't believe it is, I've read before that Alteryx designer runs workflows using the credentials of the currently logged in user. If that's the case, it makes no sense that I could run .bat files in a CMD window but not in Alteryx.

I'm gonna go talk to my IT department about the securities just in case though. If they provide any useful information I'll follow up on this post.

apathetichell

you can on server - but not locally on designer? Do you have an admin installl of designer or non-admin?

Hsandness

Correct, server is able to create new directories because it's run under a different user account that all our scheduled workflows run under. I have a non-admin install that was working fine up until recently. I should point out that I did have to get a new laptop at the beginning of May and that's when these errors started. I don't see how a new laptop would cause issues with the Run Command tool though.

My IT department wasn't any help, they don't deal with Alteryx and weren't able to confirm if it's a security issue. We have a designated Alteryx colleague here that I'll work with once they're back next week and see if it's a non-admin vs. admin issue.

apathetichell

two things:

1) check your tempfilepath in variables under engine under workflow - does this look o.k.?

2) write your .bat file to engineworkflowdirectory instead of temp. run you workflow. open your command prompt. navigate to workflow director. run your .bat file in terminal. see the error message.

my hunch is maybe it's still looking for your old username?

ChrisTX

I recently had a problem where I couldn't call a Powershell script when I created it in the Temp folder, using Desktop.

I think server runs workflows as a designated "run as" user, not the credentials of the submitting users. I may be wrong. But our groups that are already using server created a service account to use as the "run as" account.

apathetichell

fyi - minor clarification - this is a .bat file - not a powershell script. Powershell would be a .ps1 file.

Hsandness

@apathetichell

1. Tempfilepath is correct, it's C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Temp

2. It won't let me write to the Engine WorkflowDirectory, it says "Access Denied". The directory is ...AppData\Local\bin

3. Yes, this is for a .bat file not powershell. I mistakenly used them interchangeably. I'm gonna try edit the title of this topic once it's resolved.

@ChrisTX , I tried writing the .bat file to a non-temp folder but that didn't work with the Run Command tool but still worked within the CMD window.

apathetichell

All good - we all do - just a minor clarification.

2 - save the workflow to a new location in downloads - re try those steps. engine workflow shoudl show the new location.

You usually can't write to that location while Alteryx is running - and once you save a workflow it should put it in a normal editable directory.

Hsandness

I saved my workflow to my Downloads folder and ran the .bat file via the CMD terminal and got the following error message "This program is blocked by group policy. For more information, contact your system administrator."

Sounds like an IT issue.

apathetichell

Yup - can you mark my suggestion that it might be a lockdown on executing .bat files as the solution?

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