Add 'Override' checkbox to variables in Task Properties to allow viewing/editing the Mod attribute

[Michael A. Lowry]

Anyone who has worked with Automation Engine for a while may have run into a situation wherein two variables that look exactly the same in the AWI mysteriously behave completely differently when the workflow is executed.

The root cause of this problem is that there's a hidden setting, called the modification flag, that controls this behavior of workflow task variables on a variable-by-variable basis. There is currently no way to view or change the value of the flag in the JUI or AWI. The flag is visible only in the DB or XML.

This afternoon I submitted a new idea today for a simple fix to the problem:
Add 'Override' checkbox to variables in Task Properties to allow viewing/editing the Mod attribute

I am cross-posting here because newly submitted ideas no longer automatically appear in the relevant communities. Please vote for the idea if you like it.

[Tim Quakulinsky]

Hi Michael,

Thank you very much for your (and @Carsten Schmitz?) analysis, this post and the creation of the idea.

To me, this behavior sounds, at least in the current implementation, more like a bug than a feature.

Best regards,
Tim
​​

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Automation Evangelist
Fiducia & GAD IT AG
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Mitglied des deutschsprachigen Automic-Anwendervereins FOKUS e.V.
Member of the German speaking Automic user association FOKUS e.V.
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[Michael A. Lowry]

@Tim Quakulinsky: The more I think about it, the more I agree that it's a real problem and not the intended design. I opened support ticket 20141029 about this.
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[Michael A. Lowry]

Broadcom Support has declined to treat this behavior as a bug.

One way of interpreting this is that the product's current inconsistent and inscrutable behavior is the intended behavior. Obviously this makes no sense; no reasonable person would design an application to work this way.

A more realistic interpretation is that Broadcom simply considers the problem too costly (or too risky) to fix via a service pack.

Because modifying XML is not supported by Broadcom, the only officially supported work-around for this problem is:

1. Remove the impacted task from the workflow.
2. Save the workflow.
3. Add the task again.
4. Redefine all of the task-level properties like overridden variable values and pre- or post-conditions.
5. Save the workflow again.

The unsupported work-around is obviously much quicker, easier, and less error-prone:

1. Export the workflow to XML.
2. Change all instances of:
   
   Mod="1"
   to
   Mod="0"
3. Import the XML file.

Let's hope the enhancement is delivered soon.

Ping: @Tim Quakulinsky, @Carsten Schmitz

[Carsten Schmitz]

I am simultaneously very sad, and I lol'ed.

Thanks @Michael A. Lowry !

I really needed this after reading more of them disheartening responses from Automic to my own support tickets this morning. Never should have taken the blue pill (that's a Matrix reference, not a Viagra one).​​

:)

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I will not respond to PM asking for help unless there's an actual reason to keep the discussion off of the public forums.
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[Michael A. Lowry]

The idea is missing. I opened support ticket 33191969 about this.

[Michael A. Lowry]

Evidently, Broadcom removed a large number of ideas without warning. This was in accordance with what Broadcom calls best practice.