I don’t understand why “Reset workflows before export” is checked by default on the Export Workflows tab. From my standpoint, it only causes problems with new users attempting to do exports for the forum and I have to remember to uncheck it every time I do an export as I never have a need for a “Reset” export…
Shouldn’t the default be to leave this setting unchecked? What is the typical user doing with exports that makes the default “Reset” setting appropriate? I haven’t found a way to change out the default setting for this in preferences myself. Has anyone else been able to change the default setting for their own installation?
While we are at it… Why can’t we set a default folder location for our exports? It keeps the prior location from exports while KNIME remains open, but loses every time your restart the program.
Proposed Solution: Have the program remember our last export location and log it for use as the new default export location going forward, and also log the last “reset” setting and use it as the default moving forward. This adapts the export window to our individual typical use with only occasional adjustments before and after special cases and maintains it when the program is closed and re-opened.
Hi @iCFO , you have many good points there, though I would argue for the “Rest workflows before export” part.
Data is usually sensitive, and it’s usually safer to not export with data by default. That, of course, is my point of view, and I don’t know if it’s for the same reason why Knime does it this way. Another reason is that exporting with data can be quite huge, so by default, it’s not exporting with data.
But I do understand your point about the problems with new users attempting to do exports for the forum. I guess in the end it’s a matter of weighing which “problems” are more critical and which ones are less. Alternatively, there could be a setting to choose what the default behaviour that the user wants, whether to reset or not by default.
For the rest, I agree. The export location is frustrating indeed, I can totally relate to what you are saying.
@bruno29a - I get the abstract idea that it is safer to export and share a workflow without data if you are sending a workflow to an outside party with no data privileges, but is anyone doing this in real world practice?
If I am just sharing the “construction” of a workflow with an outside party who shouldn’t have access to the data, then I replace the data with dummy data every single time anyway. I wouldn’t just send them a data-less export which is difficult to review and utilize in a solution.
If I am sharing a “functioning” workflow with someone who will be the end user, then I would have built the workflow for them based on their own data and the end user would require permission to access that data in order to manage the process. In this case, I also opt to include the data in the export and transfer it securely so that it can be easily reviewed.