Output file error

[sofiewillmott]

Hi

I am using a workflow that we have had in place for over a year, with around 30 outputs to different tabs in the same excel file. For the last few weeks there has been an error with the majority of the outputs and the data is not being output to the excel file.

The error message is:

Error opening connect string: Microsoft Access Database Engine: The Mircrosoft Access database engine cannot open or write to the file. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view and write its data,.\3051 = -67568648

I have checked and the excel file is definitely not open or in use. The settings for all outputs are to an excel legacy file, 'delete data and append' and by field name.

I'd be really grateful if someone is able to help with this.

Thanks

Sofie

[mcarrico · Accepted solution]

Sofie - the issue is that Alteryx is trying to simultaneously write to two sheets within the same Excel file, and thus is locking itself out.  To solve this, utilize Block Until Done tools to control writing out to each of the sheets.  An example is shown below.

Error:

Resolution:

If you have data coming from different streams within your workflow, I would recommend using the Parallel Block Until Done tool within the Crew Macro Pack.  

Not sure what changed within your environment that you are suddenly getting this error, but any number of things (network speeds, processing power, data sizes, etc.) could contribute to simultaneous writes popping up.  Hopefully this helps.

[sofiewillmott]

Hi

Thanks very much for your reply. I do already have the Block until done tool in place in my workflows... before every single output. They have been in place since I have been using the workflow so at least a year.  

As far as I know nothing has changed with these tools recently. Any other ideas why these may not be working as they were previously?

Thanks

Sofie

[mcarrico]

Sofie - to use the block until done tool, you need to have whatever you wish to write first coming out of the 1 output, followed by whatever you would like to write second coming out of the 2 output and so on.  If you have more than 3 (which is pretty typical), you can put a second block until done after output 3 and then cascade these down as necessary.  Please see this knowledge base article for an explanation about writing to multiple tabs and this one for a more general overview of block until done.  

As I mentioned in the previous post, if your data for the multiple tabs is coming from two different paths, you will need to utilize the parallel block until done to properly set order of execution.

[kkhan003]

Hi 

Were you able to find an answer to this?