Chained apps - Cannot get data to flow from app 1 to app 2

[Paulomi]

I am building a chained app, and this is how it operates - 

App 1 - Takes in file input from the user, reads it, and outputs it to a .yxdb file. 

App 2 -  Uses the .yxdb file in a File Input to build a list of filters values, based on the input data. 

The issue I am facing is this - I can take in file input in App 1, but the filter list does not get updated on App 2. It uses the same filter values as the one that was used to build the app. 

But if I run App 1 separately, and then App 2 separately, then the correct list gets populated, but not while the apps are chained to run one after the other. It does not work on Designer or Gallery. 

Any idea where I could be going wrong? Thanks in advance. 

[CharlieS]

Hi @Paulomi 

It sounds like you have the difficult part figured out: writing a file that app 2 references to provide the desired interface. What you need to do differently is where/how that file is saved. When you run the apps separately the first app finishes and write the file, then the second app starts by reading the file. When apps are chained, the subsequent apps are queued up and don't have a chance to go back and read that file before they begin, so what you need to do is write the file so that it's accessible to the subsequent apps. This is done by writing the file to the relative temporary/working directory.

Instead of writing the file to:
C:\Folder\Folder\Folder\File.yxdb

Just use:
File.yxdb

When you don't specify a path, the file will be written to the working directory of the workflow. In the case of chained apps, this directory is shared so the Interface tools in your second app can point to just "File.yxdb" (again without the path) and it will find the file in the working directory that was written by the first app. 

If this all makes sense, give it a shot and share your results here. 

[Paulomi]

Hi @CharlieS You're right, writing to the working directory does help. But, that is exactly how my workflow is configured right now. I should have added this point in my original question. But, it writes the first app output to the existing directory where the workflow is present. The second app references from the same directory. Yet, I get the issue. 

[NISHA_373]

Did you get the solution? I am facing similar issue. I have saved all chained app and its output in the same share drive directory yet the output is not flowing from first app to second app and to third app. But if I a running the app workflow individually data get stored in the output