There appears to have been some kind of regression with how Automation Snippets are handled from TDP 3.4/3.5 and 3.6.
I have a large, complicated WHILE loop with an IF/THEN sub container - the purpose of which is to check and determine if some tables are ready before executing the actual report. Because the only thing that changes when I used this in other automations is the tables that I’m checking and the quantity, I created a snippet with the loop - including the SQL Script in the Execute Script activity inside the WHILE loop.
Previously when I would ‘insert’ this snipped into a new automation in 3.4 or 3.5, the SQL Script would be there in the Execute Script activity. Starting with 3.6, it is now putting the contents of the SQL Script in the File Path box, causing TDP to throw an error about illegal characters in the Path…
I’ve examined the XML that represents the snippet from the previous version of TDP and 3.6, and I can’t find any structural differences - in all version, the SQL itself is contained with the tags - but in TDP 3.6, apparently this is being interpreted as the Path, rather than the content of the script. I can only assume that TDP 3.6 is ignoring the null filename tag () and interpreting anything that follows as the path instead.
While I can work around it, it does seem like an unnecessary bug and a regression, since there wasn’t an issue with this previously.
On the subject of Automation Snippets, I would really, REALLY appreciate it if the snippets would retain the connection specification, and the Activity Name, instead of resetting them every single time. This particular one that I use is a fantastic example - I only ever use it for one database, and for maintenance sake having all the activity names be exactly the same would be useful. Instead I have to reset everything every time I use the snippet - which is very aggravating.
Easiest thing to do is probably just take this snippet (I had to add the .txt on the end - wouldn't let me upload it otherwise) and drop it in your Automation Snippets folder in 3.6 and then add it - you should get this: