Wait Tool

[DigitalRay]

It would be nice to have the ability to have a workflow wait/pause tool that would pause the workflow for a given amount of time before proceeding to the next step (i.e. wait 300 seconds). 

I have a workflow that uses the Run Command to run a batch file that kicks of a terminal emulator that cycles through steps the ultimately result in an exported text file that I use in an Alteryx workflow for further processing. The generation of the text file can take a few minutes. A delay could be placed in the batch file or terminal emulator script, but I think having a tool in the Alteryx workflow might be useful for other processes as well.

[KaneG]

Hi @DigitalRay,

Just a note here, @danielbrun2 created a Macro that does this and it is available in the Inviso Macro Pack & the CReW Macro Pack. Although not included in Alteryx out of the box, this might help you until it is...

[DigitalRay]

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.

[danielbrun2]

Hi @DigitalRay

Please let me know if it works out for you.

Best,

Daniel

[DigitalRay]

Thanks for creating and sharing the macro. It works for what it is intended for, waiting between reading records. It will come in handy.

What I am looking for, at least for the workflow I am currently working on, is a tool that would pause processing of the workflow for a given amount of time before moving on to the next step, with out any requirements of prior steps. As an example: The Run Command kicks off a batch file that sends commands to a terminal emulator that ultimately results in several text files be generated and saved to a network folder. Generation of the files can take anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the amount of data being returned. The processing of those files happens on another system. Once the commands are successfully sent to kick of generation of those files, I want to return control to my Alteryx workflow and be able to use a tool that will wait a set amount of time before moving on to the next step, to give the other system enough time to generate and post the files before I pick them up in the subsequent steps of the workflow.

[mattamidus]

Im using this wait a second tool and It seems to be working strangely.  When I type in 1 second it takes about 1.2 minutes to run through, and 2 seconds takes over 3 min.  Anybody else have this issue or a work around?

[danielbrun2]

Hi Matt, I just tried it myself and it works as it should. It waits X seconds between each row of data. How many rows are you processing through the tool? Best regards, Daniel

[mattamidus]

I think I figured out the problem, I was using the email tool and by design the email tool has to be the last tool that executes.  So the the wait  a second tool doesnt quite work for my use case.

[tonypreece]

This would be a really useful feature for me. I have an iterative macro that looks for the presence of an input file before running, I want it to wait x minutes before looping around and looking again if the file isn't there yet.

The idea was posted in 2016 but still shows as new. Could someone at alteryx give it some thought?

[Nalle]

I agree with tonyp, I have the same requirement and the Crew Macro won't do for me. 

[danielbrun2]

What do you miss in the Crew Macro?