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Dry-run mode for workspaces

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  • June 27, 2017
  • 6 replies
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ottadini
Supporter
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In the same vein as some tools like 'make', and the APT (aptitude / apt-get) ecosystem of Debian, I think it would be useful to have a dry-run mode for workbenches. It would have to be really simplistic, and would probably only be useful in simple workspaces (i.e., without workspacerunners, etc).

I imagine in the most basic implementation a system that when activated, replaces any Writers with inspectors.

The idea is to assist with gaining a more rapid understanding of how a workspace works. Many times I am presented with something made by someone else, and want to run it, but first have to spend a bit of time disabling parts of the workspace, or attaching a few inspectors, etc etc.

Instead, with dry-run mode, I could safely hit F5, and be confident that no files or geodbs would be overwritten, hidden output files clobbered, and so on.

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6 replies

david_r
Celebrity
  • david_rCelebrity
  • June 27, 2017

Have you tried the option of redirecting output to the Data Inspector?

'

Unfortunately this has some restrictions, e.g. I suspect that FeatureWriters aren't supported. But otherwise it's very handy and it's been around for a long time.

samisnunu
Contributor
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  • samisnunuContributor
  • Contributor
  • June 27, 2017

A great option: Writers > Redirect to FME Data Inspector

It's my best option to test templates, sample workbenches, and externally received workbenches, plus I use it in my demos.

The missing part here is that FME Desktop has no keyboard shortcut for this menu command (F6 for example).

Or your idea's implementation still different?

ottadini
Supporter
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  • ottadiniSupporter
  • Author
  • Supporter
  • June 29, 2017
Ahhh, I didn't know about that. Yes, that's probably exactly what I need.

 

 

ottadini
Supporter
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  • ottadiniSupporter
  • Author
  • Supporter
  • June 29, 2017
Thanks. I should have posted a question first instead of an idea!

 

 

fmelizard
Safer
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  • fmelizardSafer
  • Safer
  • June 30, 2017

Thanks for chiming in @david_r & @sami_snunu -- I'll mark this one as "released" but will take note that we do have additional work to do here. FeatureWriters should get "the treatment" at some point, and arguably also things that hit external services. We may not be able to completely win to have a total "dry run" but we can get closer.

mgg_beca
Enthusiast
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  • mgg_becaEnthusiast
  • Enthusiast
  • November 5, 2019

Hi, I'd like an option under the "Run" menu to "Run to Inspectors". That way you can have multiple inspectors in your workbench, and when you want to do a quick test you can enable them and choose run to inspectors. This means you don't have to search the workbench for them, select them and then run to selected. This also allows arbitrary inspectors to be placed throughout the transformation, rather than just relying on redirecting the writers to the data inspector.

Thanks :-)

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