Important Note

To execute a workflow using the Test Run tool, open the workflow so that is displayed in the design canvas. Click the Test Run icon in the toolbar to initiate processing.

A new window is displayed at the bottom of the canvas area. This window contains functions to manage the execution cycle, view the workflow steps as they execute, and view variables as they become available.

1. Execute the current step.
2. Automatically step through the workflow.
3. Pause automatic execution.
4. Click the + or – buttons, or use the slider, to control the speed of automatic execution.
5. Examine variable values (described below).
6. Display area showing the current step, steps that have been executed, any variable values viewed, and any error messages that may occur. This information is also displayed in the block at the bottom of the canvas.

Click button [>] to move from step to step. Or click button [»] to automatically move through the workflow. The current step is highlighted in red as the processing progresses through the workflow. In the following image, the ‘current step” is “Loop_ProcessRecords.”

One of the key features of the Test Run tool is the ability to examine values during the workflow execution. This is done in the ‘Examine Variables” area at the top of the test run window.

There are two drop-down list windows in this area. The drop-down on the left lists workflow steps that have been executed. These are the steps from which values can be viewed

The drop-down on the right shows the values (variables) that can be viewed for the selected workflow step. In the following image the “SQLCommand_getData” step has been selected.

When a variable is selected, its value is displayed in the field to the right. This is the value that will be available to subsequent steps.

Multiple values from multiple steps can be viewed at any time.

Note that some variables are affected by the Bizweaver looping function. See the section named “Special Note for Step Variables and Loops” in the “Bizweaver – Using Variables” document for more information. In these cases, the value displayed does not automatically change with each loop instance. The value must be refreshed by clicking the [»} button for the desired variable.

The Test Run tool executes each step of the workflow. If the workflow contains a loop, the tool will cycle through every record passed into the loop. For example, if the input list has 100 records, you will see the tool process the steps within the loop 100 times. In these cases, the “automatic” execution and execution speed tools are helpful. Or. as noted earlier, limit the number of input records during the testing process.

Test run information is written to text files during the processing cycle. These files are available at the end of the run via icons at the far-right end of the display area below the design canvas.

Access these options before clicking on the test run display area, since this ends the test run cycle and the icons are no longer available.

• The top icon closes the test run display to end the execution cycle. Click in the test run display area does the same thing.
• The middle icon displays the steps that were executed. This is a text file and can be saved to another location if desired.
• The bottom icon displays additional information about execution of various components such as SQL connections, SQL commands, etc. This is a text file and can be save to another location if desired.

These results are helpful when troubleshooting a workflow. Third Wave support may request that you send these logs if you report an issue. The log files can also be found in C:\Program Data\Bizweaver.

A test run cycle can be terminated at any time by clicking the red “X” in the Test Run Tool display box.

A dialog to confirm that you want to end the test run is displayed. Click [Yes] to end the test run or [No] to continue with the test run.

An “error” message is displayed in the test run listing. This is normal and can be disregarded.

Click the red “X” again to end the test run processing.