Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

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Posted on 10 Aug 2020 21:46:01 by vllanso

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I have created a very simple flow with a very simple Do Until loop, and is taking around 0.2 sec per loop, what I consider too much.

Is normal this duration, when the only thing done in the loop is increase the loop control variable (tmpcounter in the example).

See blow sample flow and sample ran time.

Thanks, Victor.

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manuelstgomes 6,625 on 11 Aug 2020 at 09:32:37

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Re: Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

Hi @vllanso

You have the option of parallelizing the operation. It may speed-up your processing.

To enable it:

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Manuel

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vllanso 127 on 11 Aug 2020 at 09:50:46

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Re: Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

Manuel, thanks for your answer, but I have tried and it looks like the Do-Until settings doesn't include the parallel option.

I see in your sample screen that the "Apply to each" control does have the parallel option ... but the Do-Until doesn't, at least for me it doesn't show.

Any other option you can think of to speed the loop execution time ?

Thanks.

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manuelstgomes 6,625 on 11 Aug 2020 at 10:02:38

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Re: Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

Hi @vllanso

Indeed, sorry, I read it as Apply to each instead of "Do Until."

To be honest, I never recommend a "Do Until" for pretty much anything. You never know when it will end, and it may trigger issues like the ones you have. The Power Automate should always be the trigger, process, and end. The only exceptions are the Approval actions where they hold until a defined timeout until the Power Automate ends, but you always know when it ends. Makes sense?

Can you please explain a little bit further so that we can try to remove it and use another component that ends in a deterministic way?

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Cheers
Manuel

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vllanso 127 on 11 Aug 2020 at 11:35:17

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Re: Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

Hello,

Here is a high level description of what I am trying to accomplish:
* I have a string variable of 50 characters
* I want to loop through each character in sequence, and depending on each value, translate it to a new char (based on an internal translation table)

This process is supposed to be triggered by a user from a PowerApp, so the response time should be "quick".

But as explained at the beginning of this thread, a very simple loop without any calculation already takes around 10 seconds, so that is not "acceptable" from the user point of view.

I have also done a test changing the "Do-Until" with an "Apply to Each" control, but the time to loop through a very simple "Apply to Each" is also "high" and equivalent to a "Do-Until".

Thanks.

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manuelstgomes 6,625 on 11 Aug 2020 at 11:57:51

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Re: Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

HI @vllanso

Indeed this is too slow for a user UI.

The only way I can see to speed up is to do an "Apply to each" with a parallel option.

How are you doing the transformation? Probably we can try to optimize there.

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Cheers
Manuel

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vllanso 127 on 11 Aug 2020 at 16:38:48

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Re: Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

Hello,

I have replace the Do-Until with 2 consecutive "Select" controls and now the execution time is around 1 sec for the complete process.

I was 'inspired' by the following solution/thread: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Flows/Split-string-into-array-of-characters-empty-delimiter-not/td-p/189153

- in the first "Select" control I convert my 50 character string to a 50 items array
- in the second "Select" control, I use as input the outpot from the first "Select", and configure the "Map" function of the form: if( equals( item(), 'a' ), 'x' ), if( equals( item(), 'b' ), 'y', .......
- finally I join all the items from the second "Select" output in a new 50 character string

and as mentioned, the combined time is around 1 sec.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

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manuelstgomes 6,625 on 12 Aug 2020 at 10:31:53

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Re: Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

Hi @vllanso

The combined time is already with the parallel option enabled?

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Cheers
Manuel

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vllanso 127 on 12 Aug 2020 at 11:11:27

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Re: Very simple Do Until loop taking around 0.2 sec per loop

Hello Manuel,

as far as I know, the "Select" action does not have the option to enable parallel execution, so to answer your question, the aprox. 1 sec run time is without parallel execution, not in the "Select" action, neither in any other actions of my flow.

So it looks like in some circumstances, "Select" is a plausible alternative for "Do-Until" or to "Apply to each".

Thanks, Victor.

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