Unable to Set Reference Flow Variable from Subflow Output

[Smashley]

In Washington DC Patch 4 Hotfix 1b I have a Subflow that outputs a sys_user table reference. When I use that output in the "Set Flow Variables" action, it shows as blank (see FlowExecution.png).

I have configured the Flow Variable correctly (see FlowVariable.png).

Any ideas why this isn't working?

[-O- · Accepted solution]

It is hard to be sure about how the Flow is actually designed (do include action no. next time into the screenshots), but if the subflow is called inside a loop and the Set Variable flow logic is outside the loop, then most likely that is the problem. You could try moving the Set Variable action inside the loop.

[Smashley]

Action numbers are not shown in the Flow Execution Context, that is why they are not included in the screen shots.

Everything I have seen/read says to NOT set flow variable inside a Do Until loop. But worth a try I guess.

[-O-]

Indeed I'm sure there is a better way to skin that cat; when you are setting a variable in a loop you are basically discarding as many values as there were loops - 1. Only keeping the last. Usually this hints to the fact that that loop shouldn't even exist. But I can't say how it should be optimized in this case, not knowing the whole picture.

[Peter26]

I suppose if you could create a Flow Variable within the Main Flow that was an array/list of some kind, after each sub-flow instance execution has completed, you could "push" the sub-flow output value(s) into a unique element on that array (within the loop as mentioned above), thus preserving the exit state of each sub-flow run. This is something I plan to try soon, as I have a need for this.