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"This Workflow References Macros ... that are missing or inaccessible" and XML file path

Scott_Snowman
10 - Fireball

Hi all,

 

I have several workflows including macros I've designed. Both the workflows and macros are files on a shared drive.

 

I added the directory that contains the macros to my Palette using the 'User Settings' dialog box in order to access these macros more easily. So far, so good.

 

However, if someone else opens the workflow, they get the error message "This Workflow References Macros ... that are missing or inaccessible."

 

If I disable adding the folder to my Palette, re-open the workflow, and then delete and re-add the macro via right-click > Insert > Macro... then all is well again for both myself and the other person.


Based on the solution to Challenge 105 I found that there is a different file path for the macro saved in the workflow if the Macro folder is added to my Palette or not. (This was determined via viewing the workflow's .xml in Notepad++.) If the folder is added to my Palette, the 'file path' is aliased when the workflow is saved. I can edit the aliased path to include the full UNC location for the macro to resolve the issue and let others open the workflow at that point.

 

This seems... clunky!

 

Do I really have to choose between having quick access to macros I use frequently, and allowing others to open and run those workflows? Or is there some setting / configuration I can set inside the workflow (rather than after the fact, in the XML) to get around this? For what it's worth, if I've added the macro folder to my Palette, the tool disappears from the Workflow Dependencies dialog. So there's not even a way to reach it with that method at that point.

 

Note: I'm aware that repackaging/exporting the workflow would 'fix' this, but it effectively creates a local copy on everyone's machine which leads to version control issues.)

 

(This is for Designer 11.7)

2 REPLIES 2
CharlieS
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@Scott_Snowman wrote:

Do I really have to choose between having quick access to macros I use frequently, and allowing others to open and run those workflows?


This has always been my understanding. It is for this reason that users in my organization do not utilize any alias features (macros, database connections, etc).

 

Since these macros are probably in a shared folder on a network drive alreadyhave your users set this folder as a "Favorite" in Windows.

Scott_Snowman
10 - Fireball

@CharlieS Thanks for the reply, that is quite unfortunate if true.

 

The Windows Explorer workaround will have to suffice.

 

 

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