CReW Macro Support

[MichaelAd]

CReW Macro Support

The CReW macros are a useful collection of tools built by a third party that enhance the functionality of Alteryx Designer.

The CReW Runner macros (Runner, Conditional Runner and List Runner) are the only CReW macros supported by Alteryx, but for Alteryx Designer ONLY. These macros are not supported when used on Alteryx Server, Alteryx Designer + Scheduler or AAH.

Prerequisites

• Product - Alteryx Designer
  • Version 10.0+
• Product - CReW macro package(third party)
  • Please note that only the Runner macros are supported by Alteryx on Alteryx Designer only. The other macros that are part of the package are Community supported.

Known Issue

There is a "known" issue with workflows using CReW Runner macros on Designer 2019.3.2.15763 causing the Runner macro to crash.

This issue was resolved in 2019.3.5.17947.

Additional Resources

• Blog article -CReW macro pack 2016 Q2 release

[aehrenwo]

It's mid-October, is the realistic update not for a little while longer? 

[jeffery0906]

A lot of our users desperately need this fix. 

[dthiessen]

Version 2019.3.5.17947 is available for download.

I installed the patch and the Listrunner CREW macro is now working again for my workflows.

[levell_x_dunn]

Thanks for testing @dthiessen, we weren't going to let anyone upgrade to 2019.3 until that issue was fixed. We use Crew Macros on both desktop and gallery consistently and not having the ability to have a standard workflow kickoff another workflow would cause major problems.

[dthiessen]

---

@MichaelAd  schrieb:

CReW Macro Support

The CReW macros are a useful collection of tools built by a third party that enhance the functionality of Alteryx Designer.

The CReW Runner macros (Runner, Conditional Runner and List Runner) are the only CReW macros supported by Alteryx, but for Alteryx Designer ONLY. These macros are not supported when used on Alteryx Server or Alteryx Designer + Scheduler.

Prerequisites

• Product - Alteryx Designer
  • Version 10.0+
• Product - CReW macro package (third party)
  • Please note that only the Runner macros are supported by Alteryx on Alteryx Designer only. The other macros that are part of the package are Community supported.

Known Issue

There is a "known" issue with workflows using CReW Runner macros on Designer 2019.3.2.15763 causing the Runner macro to crash.

This issue was resolved in 2019.3.5.17947.

Additional Resources

• Blog article - CReW macro pack 2016 Q2 release

---

As posted by @MichaelAd the runner macros are supported by Alteryx. So I assume there will be more serious testing before releasing the next version.

However, Thank you Alteryx for fixing this issue meanwhile!

[MargaritaW]

Thanks, @dthiessen !

The fix for the issue with the CReW Runner macros was released yesterday with the 2019.3.5 Stable update, you can access this version at licenses.alteryx.com.

Per Michael's post, the only CReW macros supported by Alteryx are the Runner macros: Runner, Conditional Runner & List Runner and for the Designer only.

[thedr9wningman]

Question for the CReW team: 
I'm trying to create a list runner using workflows in my local company Gallery. 

When I put the URL in there, the fullpath generated was my root directory for the workflow originally (I'll call that ./) with the url appended to it. So, as an example: "C:/documents/Alteryx/Workflows/http://<blah blah>". 

That was obviously not my intent. 

This is a low-priority item for me--I can always develop these on local drives. But I'm trying to be better about using Server and Gallery since I have it. But without being able to run the things I develop on this platform, I pretty much can't use the platform. 

Will there be an updated CReW macro set with list/conditional runners that may allow Gallery URLs, or is the login criteria too strict/<insert other issues here that I can't foresee that you may have>? 

Thanks!

-Cedric Justice

[MichaelAd]

Hi @thedr9wningman,

As per the above article CReW Runner Macros are not supported in Gallery.

Thanks.

[thedr9wningman]

@MichaelAd I read that, I'm just wondering if that is a permanent thing, or is there maybe more on the horizon that may allow list runners to run on Server--is that a consideration? Should I put it in as an idea? 

[MichaelAd]

Hi @thedr9wningman,

Feel free to put it in as an idea.

Thanks,

Michael

[naterusso]

Hello, 

I have a question about the macros.  For some reason, they keep disappearing from the Alteryx toolbar every other day or sometimes every day and I have to keep reinstalling them.  Has anyone else had this problem? Do you know what's causing it and how I can fix it? I thought it was the anti malware program that my company uses, but they added the filepath as an exclusion and this is still happening.  They also told my that if the antivirus or anti malware program was blocking any files, I wouldn't have been able to install it in the first place.  So, if anyone has an idea of why the macros keep disappearing, I would greatly appreciate your help with this frustrating issue!

[ups366]

Hi, @MichaelAd  @MargaritaW @MarqueeCrew 

In trial process of designer v2019.4.6.21113, I have a trouble with use the 'Runner' macro. 

***ENV***

OS: Win7sp1 or  Win10 (Language : Chinese)

***********

Case: A main workflow named is Main.yxmd, it used only a runner macro with a sub workflow sub.yxmd . both the Main.yxmd and sub.yxmd are located in same folder like path ' D:\下载\ABC\ ' or  ' D:\Download\ABC\ '.

1- If start Alteryx designer with Chinese GUI, show below error prompt after click 'RUN' button to running Main.yxmd :  (path ' D:\下载\ABC\ ')

######

2 Field Conversion Errors
Runner(1) Tool #31: Fidld_11: Started running D:\ is not a number.
Runner(1) Tool #23: ModuleFullPath: "D:\下载\ABC\sub.yxmd" could not be fully converted from a WString to a String.

######

2- If start Alteryx designer with English GUI, show success prompt after click 'RUN' button to running Main.yxmd :  (path ' D:\Download\ABC\ ')

+++++++++++++++

therefore, I guess the fail cause is Chinese character.  so, how can i fix the error point and maybe you will improve the CReW_Runner.yxmc to compatible non Unicode language version ? 

[FM-UoM]

Hi,

I'm having the same problem as naterusso - my CReW Macros and CReW Test tools keep disappearing.  It has only happened since my PC was upgraded to Windows 10.  A colleague in the office has also upgraded to Windows 10 and appears to be unaffected.  Until today it was only happening overnight, but today I used Alteryx with the tools installed and they worked fine, but I came back to Alteryx a while later and although I could see the tools Alteryx said it couldn't find them, and I have had to reinstall again.

Any ideas from anyone would be much appreciated as it is incredibly frustrating!

[naterusso]

I found the solution. You need to copy the install files to a directory on your PC and then do the install.

Nathan Russo, CMI
Vertex Inc.
2301 Renaissance Blvd.
King of Prussia, PA, 19406
T: 484-595-9524
nathan.russo@vertexinc.com
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[FM-UoM]

Thanks, but I have done that several times in different locations on the PC/network, and they still disappear.

[afinzerillo]

Will none of the CReW Macros work with Alteryx Server, or just the Runners won't work?  The message is not very clear.  We use the Dynamic Metadata tool in a workflow and I need it to work in the Gallery. 

[MichaelAd]

Hi @afinzerillo,

Great question.

The Runner macros will run on Server, but as they have not been developed for Server, but rather specially for a desktop Designer environment they are very likely to cause issues on Server. It is therefore strongly discouraged to use them on a Production Server. 

[afinzerillo]

Hi @MichaelAd ,

Thank you for the reply.  Being "strongly discouraged" is wholly different than "won't work".  Many of us have employed CReW Marcors because as good as Alteryx is, there are certain things is simply can't do.  And Alteryx is unable or unwilling to fix them.  So, the community is forced to use a 3rd party tool.  Which interestingly enough is created by an employee of Alteryx.  Weird.

If they will run, albeit strongly discouraged, how do I install and configure them to do so?  I'm willing to take the risk because going back and reengineering all of our workflows to run in gallery without the 3rd party tool is too time consuming.  

Thanks!!

Andy

[thedr9wningman]

@afinzerillo In MY environment, there are some things I have had to use to ensure success in using the runner macros in the Server environment. 1. The linkage between your macros directory on Designer and the macros directory on Server have to match exactly. For my environment, that means I have to use the URI version for both (instead of a networked drive, I use a Uniform Resource Indicator (? is that what the I is?). 2. In Server, all data sources and aliases to databases also have to match the names/URI paths perfectly with Designer. 3. The path within the runner also must tow this line. For the past 3 months, I have successfully employed a conditional runner in Gallery. It works flawlessly. But it was a uphill climb. And a nightmare to troubleshoot because of the black-box nature of Gallery.

[thedr9wningman]

None of my formatting worked and I can't edit. Curios.

[KenMoorhead]

@thedr9wningmanglad to hear you have the runners working on Gallery. We're investigating it for our own usage.

Do you know whether the normal Gallery logs automatically pick up the logs generated when a workflow executes within a runner macro? I'm a bit concerned that even with the macros working, we'll lose some logging in the Gallery and need to establish our own logging to monitor execution within the runners.

[thedr9wningman]

As far as I know and have experienced, macros are black-box with respect to logs. I haven't experienced any sub-macro visability from the logging standpoint. It sort of defeats the whole concept of macro-tising a chunk of code. Technically, the Count tool is an altered third-party macro, and we will never see that in our logs, so I highly doubt that you're going to be able to see anything within a macro short of expanding it into your workflow. 

[NeilR]

@thedr9wningman, Try checking the Show All Macro Messages box in your workflow. For the Decision Tree macro in the sample file, it increases the logging from 1 to 43 messages, see below...

[psyrio]

Hello,

In the version 2020.2.3.27789, the Wildcard XLSX Input not working I have the message "Detour tools in macros must terminate within that macro". Can you help me please ?

Regards,

Bruno

[seven]

Hi @psyrio 

for you and anyone experiencing difficulties with the Wildcard XLSX Input macro, you can use a different solution to pull data and sheets dynamically from ANY Excel type, not just xlsx.

Alteryx can dynamically pull Excel sheet names! 

[psyrio]

Hi @seven ,

Thanks a lot for your post, I have do my own macro but your post is very interresting too.

Have a good day.

Regards,

Bruno

[wtahir]

@thedr9wningman how do you set URI instead of drive path and make sure that all URI of data scourses in the server match perfectly? I am struggling with the problem of running crew macros on the server as it does not find the app and always fail. Locally however, it works a charm as all the paths are correctly set. The idea is to create a log report everytime the main workflow is executed on the server.

[janety0127]

Hi,

I install and reopen alteryx and nothing happens. I tried this multiple time. Please help.

[thedr9wningman]

@wtahir You do it in workflow dependencies: Options>Advanced>workflow dependencies.

You can configure all your inputs/outputs from there in one interface. It's brilliant. 

[wtahir]

@thedr9wningman thank you for getting back to me. Didn't know it could be that simple :D. Thanks a bunch!

[JeremyN]

Has there been a fix or update to address @psyrio detour issue?  

[akashmundada]

I find these macros very useful and I want to use these macros in server and Gallery and Local designer and I see as these are the third party macros I am not able download and install in the server ? as a organizational system setup and restrictions. 

can Alteryx product support team provide these macro package so that if I receive from Alteryx then I will be able to download and install it on the server and the local designer. I assume ?

or let me know any alternative way to do it ? or to whom I reach in my organization who can be able to download and install these package ?

@NeilR 

[jmulholland]

When where the  Crew macros last updated at http://www.chaosreignswithin.com/p/macros.html - when I download the zip file it looks like the macros where updated in 2016

I found this github https://github.com/AdRiley/ChaosReignsWithin-Alteryx-Macros/tree/master/Macros that looks like macros have been updated (looking at the modified dates) especially the CReW_Runner.yxmc - will the github updates be released through http://www.chaosreignswithin.com/p/macros.html 

[psyrio]

Hi,

I have a problem with the List Runner since a few weeks : 

The external program "SupportingExes\AlteryxRunner.exe" returned an error code: -1 it's during until :  Error - ToolId 202: Tool #3: Iteration limit of 10000 was reached..

Can you help me please ?

Regards,

Psyrio

[kduong1]

Hi,

I am having the same issues as @naterusso and @FM-UoM regarding the CReW macros disappearing and then Alteryx not being able to find them even though I have installed it. I have to keep reinstalling it on a daily basis for it to work. 

Has there been a fix for this? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

[deepika_durvasula]

It is mentioned like Crew macros are not supported in server. But if we use private gallery can we use crew macros in the workflow and run in server? 

Will crew macros help in parallel processing the workflows at a time ?

In Alteryx Designer all the workflows are executed one after the other. SO is there any way to execute the workflows parallelly at a time for saving the run time of workflows.

Thank you.

[LisaL]

@deepika_durvasula 

It might be helpful to you if I clarify what is meant by "The CReW Runner macros (Runner, Conditional Runner, and List Runner) are the only CReW macros supported by Alteryx, but for Alteryx Designer ONLY. These macros are not supported when used on Alteryx Server, Alteryx Designer + Scheduler, or AAH."

This means that the Alteryx Customer Support team and Alteryx as a whole do not consider ourselves authorities on the CReW macros as a whole.  It does not mean that we think they're a poor choice, but rather that we will refer questions about use, suitability, compatibility, and so on to those who author, test, and publish them. 

We recommend that users never use CReW Runner macros when running the AlteryxService, the software that controls scheduling workflows.  (The AlteryxService is the basis for Server, Desktop Automation (Designer + Scheduler), and AAH.)  The reason is that the CReW Runner macros spawn independent processes that the AlteryxService does not observe or control, so using the CReW Runner macros on machines running the AlteryxService may induce instability.  Part of the reason that Alteryx can run workflows quickly and efficiently is that it uses substantially all of the resources on a machine.  If the recommendations for simultaneous workflows (with the "legacy" or E1 engine) are exceeded, the entire system may become unstable and work will not proceed with maximal efficiency.  Similarly, with the AMP (Alteryx Multithreaded Processing) engine, if multiple workflows are attempted simultaneously on a single (worker) machine, then each workflow and the system as a whole will all compete for resources undermining the control necessary for stable efficiency.

So, the summary here is that you can use CReW macros for many things and their authors are generally willing to help you if you contact them directly through http://www.chaosreignswithin.com/p/macros.html.  Using the Runner macros to "augment" processing, particularly with the aim of increasing parallelization will be counterproductive to the point of undermining Alteryx's strengths and usefulness.  Please be assured that Alteryx products have been optimized already for the best speed and efficiency consistent with reliability and stability.

There are many resources, both in the Help documentation and on the Community as a whole that you can refer to for guidance in optimizing your workflows' performance.  The particulars will vary depending on the sorts of tasks you undertake, but some good rules of thumb (not unique to Alteryx) are to

1. Use diagnostic indicators (such as performance profiling) while you are developing your workflows and then turn them off when you move the workflows into production.
2. Minimize transitions, either from AMP engine to E1 and vice-versa or through I/O processes between your Alteryx instance and remote data sources.
3. Avoid running anything else when you're running workflows (especially on local Designer this can have a gargantuan impact).
4. Use the various products you have to maximize the efficiencies of each; if your databases are optimized for certain kinds of searches or processing, do those kinds of searches or processing within those databases preferentially, then combine the results of multiple data sources within Alteryx, blending, mapping, modeling, and otherwise including information that is not as easy to process elsewhere.