Is there a way to create some type of cache for when changes to a node are made?
For example Table Creator, When a new users inputs information, when this is executed this information is sent to a file (say located in SharePoint). This is on the basis multiple users would be using this workflow.
There is no clean solution for doing this in KNIME AP, as this is one of the main selling points of KNIME Business Hub / Server. However there are a few somewhat clunky options if Business Hub is out of your price range.
You can place the entire KNIME Workspace in a locally synced filesharing location. I do this via Dropbox to keep my Desktop and Laptop work synced in real time. I definitely do not recommend going this route for a multi-user / multi-location scenario. Dropbox itself should be installed in the same Drive Location and Folder on all computers. Ideally all computers will use the same windows user name to match file addresses. (Changing User Names can be a painful process on an already in use PC). All devices should be updated at the same time, share the same preferences, and have the same extensions installed. This is a strictly one user / one computer working in KNIME at a time solution in my book.
You can store your workflow data entry points on a fileshare solution or server (as long as a connector exists for your platform). That way users could make edits directly in the fileshare folders, and KNIME AP would pull the info into everyone’s workflows during the next execution.
You can share a workflow in the hub and embed your data change points into the workflow’s relative path “data” folder. I created a component that acts as a shortcut to open excel docs for easy access / editing directly from the workflow. However, at this point there is not direct workflow execution from the Hub workflows, so the workflows would still be run locally and then users would overwrite changes back to the Hub.
With any of these solutions you also run into the same fileshare overwrite problems when multiple users are working in the same workflow or data entry point at the same time.
Thank you for you’re response, much appreciated. I know in the new update (not sure if its available now) that there is a way to get email notifications perhaps if a workflow is re-ran. Perhaps that might be the most appropriate if possible. I really appreciate your response but i think perhaps the method you purposed may be a little over my head.
You can definitely use the Send Email node to send email summary messages and attachments that you generate within your workflow using basic ATL nodes. I have done this on some projects. I recommend that you create a component that requires the user to trigger the email manually (or place it in a separate workflow) instead of trying to automate it to run on every execution.
You might also be able to generate a zip file of the updated contents within a node folder, and attach them to an email. Never tried to manually replace the internals of a node file though so you would have to play with that.