A MapInfo writer destination path set to $(FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA) will write to the FME Flow resources Data folder even when run from FME Workbench.

A MapInfo writer destination path set to $(FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA) will write to the FME Flow resources Data folder even when run from FME Workbench.

• A. True
• B. Not applicable
• C. Not sure
• D. False

Answer: (D)

The key idea is how FME expands the macro $(FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA) to a physical path at run time. This variable points to the SharedResources/Data folder that the active FME installation is using. When you run a workspace in FME Workbench, that active installation is your local workstation’s FME, so the path resolves to the local SharedResources/Data folder. When you run on FME Flow (the server), it would resolve to the Flow’s shared resources location, which could be a different, server-side folder. Because the destination path is tied to where the workspace is running, using $(FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA) in Workbench will typically write to the local machine’s SharedResources/Data, not to the Flow’s central Data folder. Therefore the statement that it will always write to the FME Flow resources Data folder even from Workbench is false.

The key idea is how FME expands the macro $(FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA) to a physical path at run time. This variable points to the SharedResources/Data folder that the active FME installation is using. When you run a workspace in FME Workbench, that active installation is your local workstation’s FME, so the path resolves to the local SharedResources/Data folder. When you run on FME Flow (the server), it would resolve to the Flow’s shared resources location, which could be a different, server-side folder.

Because the destination path is tied to where the workspace is running, using $(FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA) in Workbench will typically write to the local machine’s SharedResources/Data, not to the Flow’s central Data folder. Therefore the statement that it will always write to the FME Flow resources Data folder even from Workbench is false.