Results - Workflows - Messages list inexplicable file

[mathias_schnoor]

Hi!

For example I have build an macro.

Inside the macro has one Input Macro Tool an three Output Macro Tools.

Within the macro I have put some Browse Tools to display the intermediate results during my develop.

Now I build a new workflow and connect my macro with an Text Input Tool. Each macro output get his own Browse Tool (three tools). After run the workflow I hava a look to the result overview from my workflow. The result overview show four Files.

For each output Browse Tool, O.K.

But there is an output from inside my macro, too. Because why? I have seven Browse Tools insinde my macro, and in the result overview is displaying only one of them.

This pattern, which has often been described in my constructed macros.

What happend? Bug or feature?

Mathias

[KevinP]

@mathias_schnoor The results information you are receiving is as expected. This is because the internal workings of a macro included in a workflow are not visible to that workflow. The main workflow treats the macro just as if it were any other tool. As such the only thing the main workflow knows about is the input and output of the macro. Because of this the results will only list the output of the macro as if it was just another tool, and all of the browse tools inside the macro will not be displayed in the results as the main worklow doesn't know anything about them.

If you are trying to test/troubleshoot an issue internal to the macro you would need to run the workflow containing the macro directly. You can supply sample data in the macro input tool that can help you test your macro. Running the macro directly with sample data will let you see the results relevent to the inner workings of the macro.

[mathias_schnoor]

Hi @KevinP,

I am not sure you understand my question.

When I run my workflow witch connecting my macro  I would expect that I get an output file for each Macro Otuput Tool, that will be listed in the Results - Workflows - Messages list at my Workflow too.

Three outputs -> three files

But my case I get four files that will be listed in the Results - Workflows - Messages.

One file belong to Browse Tool result inside my macro, not to the Macro Output Tools.

Why do I get these file?

And why get I only one of them an not all. I have seven Browse Tools in my macro.

I hope it will to be better explained.

Workarround to get only three files in the Results - Workflows - Messages is to delete each Browse Tool in my macro.

Mathias

[KevinP · Accepted solution]

 @mathias_schnoor Thank you for the clarification and the copy of your workflow. I can see what you are refering to. The output file message occurs because the macro has atleast one tool that results in an output file message. In your case this is the multiple browse tools. However, as I stated before the main workflow only sees the messages passed to it by the macro which is being considered a tool in its own right. With browse tools the file ouptut goes to cache and since the message isn't unique for each browse the macro only passes the information for one of the browse tools to the main workflow even though there are multiple browse tools. As you can't view the browse tools inside the macro anyway they are unnecessary except in troubleshooting the macro. If you don't want this output message from the macro I would recommend removing all of the browse tools as you did in your sample for testing.

[mathias_schnoor]

Hi!

Thank you of your support.

I have realized that!

Best regards