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Issue with the Api.GoToItem method

Hi,

I am creating a visual process that uses the Api.GoToItem methods. I can't get the process to work the way I want. The problem can be illustrated with the simple example below. Script element "0" can contain either Api.GoToItem("1") or Api.GoToItem("2"). Elements "1", "2", and "3" are empty. After executing script element "1" or "2", I would like script element "3" to be executed. However, the process execution ends at element "1" or "2". Duplicating element "3" for each branch is not an option, because in the real case, I would have to duplicate dozens of elements.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how I could achieve what I want? We are running version 2024.1. I would really appreciate the help, thanks!

-Lasse

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Accepted answers

Nicholas_21406

I'm afraid the only workaround that has been suggested is the one that you are trying to avoid, which would be to make a duplicate of node "3".

In the Product and Field teams, there is differing opinions on whether this would be a bug fix or an enhancement request - Product sees our sample process as a "loop", which is apparently not supported.

At any rate I will proceed with the enhancement request and let you know what feedback we receive from that.

All comments

Nicholas_21406

Hi @Lasse,

Thank you for your interesting question. I am not so familiar with the GoToItem() function. Could you please export your test process to a json file and attach it here?

Lasse

Hi @Nicholas_21406 ,

Please see the attachment. And thank you for looking this 😊

Api.GoToItem test process.zip

Nicholas_21406

You're quite welcome, @Lasse. I'm afraid I get the following error trying to run your test process.

'GoToItem' is not a member of 'Datawatch.Services.DataPump.Common.Scripting.IScriptApi'.

May I ask if you have some sort of external library which you are referencing some external libraries? If so, I would need those as well.

Lasse

Oh…based on the documentation, GoToItem should be the member of Datawatch.Services.DataPump.Common.Scripting namespace.

I don't know if the error could be caused by a different namespace version?

Nicholas_21406

Good question! Can you send me the link to that documentation? Or did you find it within the Automator GUI?

Lasse

Yeah, I find it within the GUI:

Nicholas_21406

My colleague has pointed me to the doc - I was using an old Automator before the functionality was implemented - let me upgrade and get back to you shortly.

Nicholas_21406

Yup - I have been able to reproduce what you are running into. Specifically

If I run the following process, it runs through to node 3:

But if I add a path from node 1 to 3, without making any other changes, Automator now stops at Node 2, and does not proceed to node 3

I have also tried inserting a hub element before Node "3", which does not help.

I am running this by the Product team to confirm it is indeed a bug and to see what workarounds are possible.

Lasse

It's good to hear that you were able to replicate the issue. And thank you for testing and escalating the issue to the product team🙏 Let's hope there's a workaround.

Nicholas_21406

I'm afraid the only workaround that has been suggested is the one that you are trying to avoid, which would be to make a duplicate of node "3".

At any rate I will proceed with the enhancement request and let you know what feedback we receive from that.

Lasse

I'm sorry to hear that duplicating is the only option. In some situations, it can be a valid workaround, but when there are more paths than in our example, duplication can no longer solve the issue. I'm surprised that this can be seen as a feature and a loop. I only see paths from left to right.

That's great to hear that you're making the enhancement request. I really appreciate it! Let's keep fingers crossed 🤞

Nicholas_21406

Yes - I don't disagree with you.

We will be discussing it internally on a meeting tomorrow morning.

Nicholas_21406

Hi again @Lasse,

We had a lengthy discussion with the Product Team about this issue.

It appears the issue is not so much with the Api.GoToItem() call, but rather that Node "3" will not run until it has received input from each of its parents, which it will of course not receive since Node "2" does not run.

Product is willing to entertain pursuing an enhancement to allow nodes to run before all of their parent nodes have run, but they first had some clarifying questions for you.

#1) Can you provide an actual process showing how you are attempting to use the GoToItem() in a way that runs into the reported behavior? Once we see exactly what you are doing, we may also see a suitable workaround. You may not want to post your actual process here, in which case I can email you a secure link you can use to send us the process directly.

#2) Can you show that the motivation is not to get around any license limitation you may have for total number of processes? For example, if you could show that your license allows 50 visual processes and you are currently using only seven. Again, if you would prefer not to expose that information here, I can give you my direct email address and you can send it to me there.

Thanks!

Lasse

"Node "3" will not run until it has received input from each of its parents, which it will of course not receive since Node "2" does not run." really make sense. Now I understand the logic, even if it doesn't quite hold up in every case. If we add a path from node 1 to 2 and set 0 to Api.GoToItem("1") we can see that node 3 runs even if node 2 doesn't run. But that's not a workaround for the issue because it only works with Api.GoToItem("1").

The real case is as follows. A person saves one or two files to a folder. They can save either file A or file B, or both files A and B. An Automator process monitors the folder and the process starts when it detects either file A or file B. The process:

Api.GoToItem-methods are used in "Is there File A" and "Is There File B" components. If the folder contains file A, "Hub A" component runs. If there isn't file A, "No file A" component runs. This is done so that the "DataPrep export A" element doesn't fail if file A doesn't exist.

In other processes, I've had to duplicate elements, which is not a good solution for the maintenance:

This has nothing to do with the license. The main reason for using Api.GoTo method is to bypass the DataPrep Export component because it fails with some workspaces for no apparent reason (that's the another topic).

Thank you and the product team for investigating this, really happy about it!

Nicholas_21406

Thanks for sending the explanations, @Lasse . I agree that your example seems to show that sometimes a node will run despite not all of its parents running.

I will put this response into the Feature Request.

No promises, but I will let you know what responses we receive.