Upstream tools before Block Until Done

[daryllj]

Hi,

I'm currently working on a workflow that output multiple sheets (Excel) in one file. The sheets differ in size significantly and I'm using Block Until Done (BUD) and count-append combo to make the workflow output sheets in sequential order (Sheet1, Sheet2 and so on). AMP engine is (strictly) enabled.

My understanding with BUD is that it will wait for the incoming data to be completely done first before sending out the data to downstream, one stream at a time. And it doesn't wait for the downstream tools to be completed before sending out the data to the next stream based on these articles Block Until Done Tool,

Solved: Block until done - Alteryx Community and Solved: Block Until Done not working as expected - Alteryx Community.

The question is: Will the BUD wait for the tools that are in upper stream (True stream) but not directly connected to its incoming stream (False stream)?

Note:

Say the larger sheet will write for 30 seconds and smaller sheets for 2 seconds (applicable for all screenshots).

"Parallel Block Until Done" macro is not an option.

"Control Container" is not available yet on my Designer version.

Time-counting macros/programming are also not considered.

[Bren_Spill2]

Hi @daryllj - Have you tried this approach?

 

[Bren_Spill2]

@daryllj - For Filters, this approach has worked for me in the past (given you can't use parallel bud) 

 

[daryllj]

Hi @brendan_spillane, yes. Unfortunately, that's the reason why I had to use count-append combo since the data stream (for Sheet1, largest sheet) should be completed first as the other sheets' streams are depended on it. Your suggestion could be interpreted as putting the Sheet1 output on the very end of the workflow, but I need it to be executed first before proceeding to the other data stream/output.

[daryllj]

Also, I could use your suggestion to explain further my question. Will the middle BUD wait for the Output tools in red to be completed first and the bottom BUD wait for the outputs in yellow, given the writing time of the sheets?

[Bren_Spill2]

@daryllj - Yes, that is my understanding. Screenshot below is from the Block Until Done tool example workflow:

 

[Deano478]

@daryllj I know you said it's not an option for  some reason but the parallel BUD would fix this whole issue here and tidy up the flow

[daryllj]

Yeah, I think PBUD would be the better solution here. But as far as I know PBUD doesn't check the connected downstream tools if they are completely executed. So, there's a possibility that my first stream writing 30-sec on the file will be caught up by the second stream writing on the same file.

[Bren_Spill2]

@daryllj - Take a look at this if you haven't already: How to Control the Order of Operations in Alteryx » The Analytics Corner (bigmountainanalytics.com).