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Alteryx Server Knowledge Base

Definitive answers from Server experts.

"Unable to Translate Alias" When Migrating Workflows From One Server to Another With a Gallery Data Connection

miteshnarottam
Alteryx
Alteryx
Created

‎12-21-2020 06:44 AM - edited ‎07-23-2021 04:33 PM

Environment Details


Alteryx Server
  • 2020.1.6 and below


Cause


What is the user attempting to do:
Migrate workflows with gallery data connections from Server A (existing Alteryx server) to Server B (new Alteryx server) using a script or migration workflow. 

For this to work the same gallery data connections must be created on both Server A and Server B. The XML for each Workflow being migrated contains a data connection ID provided by MongoDB. This needs to be updated in each workflow with the data connection ID of the matching connection on the target server (Server B). The customer is using a workflow which unpackages each workflow, changes the data connection ID to the residing server and repackages the workflow again. This still fails during runtime with the following error: 
"Unable to translate alias"

Why does this fail?
The __TemporaryAlias.xml file is not created during runtime for workflows directly downloaded and uploaded to the gallery (in other words without designer intervention). The __TemporaryAlias.xml contains data connection information used to translate the alias against the gallery data connection on the target server (Server B). For more information on Gallery data connections please click here

Important: There are many scenario's where "Unable to translate alias" errors can occur. This article is specific to migrating workflows with gallery data connections. 

 

Resolution


Workaround

If for any reason the __TemporaryAlias.xml file is not available, Alteryx will try to use the GalleryAlias.xml file on the target server to validate the connection. The GalleryAlias.xml file resides in the windows user profile which must have an active connection to this resource (data connection). The following instructions should be completed on Server B (target server) to overcome the "Unable to Translate Alias" error.

1. Create a windows service account and assign in Alteryx System Settings (If a Run As account already exists please move to step two). Assign the service account with the appropriate Run as permissions. The customer may need to liaise with their IT Administrator for this task.
*Please note: The Alteryx service will restart once saved.


2. Create an account in Gallery and share gallery data connections with this service account. If you are using Window Authentication, simply log into the gallery as the service account to create the user.
3. Log into the target server to create a windows users profile for the service account.

4. From Designer, connect to the Gallery. A galleryalias.xml file will be created under C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Alteryx\Engine\GalleryAlias.xml
  • Open Designer
  • Click on File, Open Workflow, Add New Gallery
  • Enter the base gallery URL. example: https://mygallery.extendthereach.com/gallery
  • Enter the Username and Password of the service account created in gallery from step 2 and click OK
  • Once validated, check the gallery data connections are visible in designer by clicking on Options, Advanced Options, Manage Data Connection.
  • Confirm the gallery connection in created gallery is visible here:
Note: If you don't see the gallery data connection, confirm the data connection has been shared with the service account in gallery (Link: How to share a data connection with a user. )

5.Once complete the customer should then modify data connection id's in the workflows XML to match the new server (Server B). You can manually modify this in the XML however customers in the past have used migration workflows or scripts to automate this process. Please see sample snippet of the workflow XML showing the connection id. This may appear multiple times so be sure to change all references.



You can use MongoDB input tool to find the all data connection ID. You will need this information when replacing the values above. Please query the "AlteryxGallery" Database and "DataConnections" collections.Be sure to check "include Mongo_Id field" to display connection in the results pane. See configuration below:


 
6. Once completed the error message will not appear when the workflow is migrated and run on Server B

*Please note that if your customer has a multi-node environment, these steps should be repeated on all worker nodes.


Referenced Articles