Powerapp Timing Out - Due to Long Running Flow

[smithmrk]

I have a long running flow...that there is NOTHING I can do about it (as far as I know)...why you ask.

Because I'm using an Excel Online Office Script...once the script is done running, I delete/remove the Excel File.

Now, that is where the problem comes in...because it takes almost 5 minutes or more for the Excel File to delete.

I need the PowerApp to Wait until that file is deleted, so that the user can't upload the same file again causing it to fail trying to overwrite the one that is already there and is locked.

I need to wait until the file is deleted...how can I make the PowerApp WAIT until that file is gone?

Because right now I get the message = "Request to the backend service timed out"

Thanks,
Mark

[smithmrk]

FileExisits does NOT work??

 

[cwebb365]

I guess the real question is why do you have to wait on the file to delete? Seems like should have different logic there to handle that whole scenario? 

[smithmrk]

I'm already doing that...the problem is it takes so long to delete the file the PowerApp times out before the file is deleted.  The flow doesn't respond in time.

[smithmrk]

That is a GREAT Question!

It appears that when you run an Excel Online Office Script there is NO WAY to close the file when you are done.

So you have to wait until it gets unlocked on it's own...before you can delete it.

So I have a Do Until Loop that keeps trying to delete the file...waits 1 minute and tries again.

It normally takes about 5 to 6 minutes to get unlocked, so that you can delete it.

There should be a way using Office Excel for Business to allow you to close the file and then delete it instead of having to wait and wait and wait until you can remove it.

[cwebb365 · Accepted solution]

Well I guess, why wait for the file to get deleted, what is it doing that you can't just generate a new file for the app to use with a different name etc.? 

[smithmrk]

You just gave me an idea...The users are uploading an Excel Template that I need them to always use, so when the upload it from the app, I'm validating the name of the template matches what I'm expecting...therefore that is why I was waiting for it to be deleted so they couldn't upload another one before the first one was gone...BUT once I save the file I could just re-name it and use the renamed copy to do my work...then I just delete the renamed version and if they upload another one it won't conflict with the first one.

Let me try that approach and see how it works.

Thanks,
Mark