Run Command Improvement Ideas

[JohnJPS]

I find the Run Command tool to be counter-intuitive: rather than supplying a required I/O parameter (in at least one of "Write Source" and/or "Read Results"), I would rather just use a "Block Until Done" approach to 1. write file, 2. issue custom system command, 3. read file.  An even simpler example is the case where I don't need I/O to/from the system command... in that case, I just want to issue the command, nothing more.  But the current tool will require me to specify a dummy file, which is counter-intuitive and also leaves that unnecessary file somewhere.

To fix this up without breaking existing user implementations, the "idea" is:

• Do not require either "Write Source" or "Read Result" ... allow both to be blank.
• Allow (but don't require) any of "Command," "Command Arguments," and "Working Directory" to be dynamically populated from fields in the data streamed into the tool.

So... any existing user implementation should be unnaffected... but these changes would allow users to implement system commands in a more intuitive manner, and even allow for very dynamic system commands based on the workflow.

Thanks!

[jack_shurtz]

I would like to see functionality in the Run Command Tool like what is found within the Dynamic Input Tool with making changes to an SQL Query based on updates / replacements of variables with incoming field data.  That way the Run Command Tool will become far more useful, and more powerful when it comes to using things like Powershell to move files around etc.

[patrick_digan]

+1 This would make the run command tool much better!

[hroderick-thr]

Both suggestions are great! I came for the Input/Output requirement elimination and applaud the substitution template loudly. Figuring out how to use this wonky tool in the first place was an unnecessary struggle. Dynamically building command files to run through it takes a lot of finesse to get the output just right and a dynamic data-driven template would go a long way toward better.

[pantusot]

Yes. We just want to execute a command, not create unnecessary files.