Procedure "Background execution" doesn't let me navigate the application while Wait is running

Krisztina Zappert

Hi,

I am confused about the "Notify execution" feature when creating a new procedure.

My goal is to make sure that a cube is cleared after 10 minutes of a client entering a screen. I was hoping to achieve this by creating the following procedure:

All the messages are set up the same, only the time and the icon is different as time moves on.

And I used "Background execution" for my procedure, which promised that the user would be able to navigate the application without waiting for the procedure to end.

This, however, doesn't seem to be the case. As soon as I enter the screen and this procedure is called (and it doesn't matter if the procedure is called by a trigger or by a button that first leads to this screen and then executes this), I get a loading sign in the middle of the screen, and I am unable to do anything.

I cannot scroll, I cannot click the home button, I cannot click any layers on the screen that execute other procedures, nothing works. (The message disappears as usual after a few seconds, but I cannot use the application)

Did I misunderstand how "Background execution" works? Is this a bug, or is this how it's supposed to be? If the latter, I feel the description needs updating, because I am not able to navigate the application at all. Maybe I made a mistake somewhere? I tried running the steps from a capsule procedure and from a data model, both with the same results. I tried using a trigger and a button to call this, still the same result. I tried using it on a screen with no smart import tool and just a simple data layout, didn't help.

Any insight is greatly appreciated! (Also, if you have a different solution to clearing out a cube within 10 minutes of entering a screen, and also letting the client know how much time they have left to work in the screen in an auto-update way, I am also all ears, I am not opposed to dropping the "wait" idea!)

Bettina Clausen

Hi Krisztina,

please note that a "wait"-procedure step freezes also the screen. This will not be prevented with the "background execution".

What is your use case that this cube needs to cleared within this time? I suggest redesigning your process and not use a procedure running for 10min.

Kind regards,
Bettina

Leone Scaburri

Hello @Krisztina Zappert,

as per the "Wait" step definition:

Wait. This step will pause the execution of the current Procedure for an amount of time that you can specify in minutes and seconds, in their respective fields.
The Screen where this Procedure step is executed will be paused, a loading icon will appear and no action will be possible until the specified waiting time has passed.

You could include the clear cube process within another procedure executed in a subsequent aplication's step. Be aware we usually suggest to aviod the execution on a clear cube without the use current selection.

Krisztina Zappert

Thank you very much for your quick and helpful answers, Bettina and Leone! I have modified the title of this question, so anyone else doing this can find it later.

Learning from this lesson, I went back and re-read the entire documentation for Smart Import object, and I believe I have found a solution ("Client filters") to my original use case that sparked this roundabout solution. I am finishing up testing it now, and if I find any issues, I will respond again, but otherwise please consider this question answered.

If you don't mind, I am still curious about having some kind of a countdown on a screen. Is there a way to make that happen? We don't need it anymore, this is just pure curiosity.

Best Regards,

Krisztina