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Best answer

Javascript code action - is it possible to throw a HaltException?

  • 23 February 2023
  • 11 replies
  • 259 views
Jason G.

If I have a javascript code step in a Zap, can I throw an exception to get the Zap to halt? I found there was a  HaltException and/or HaltError in the CLI, but wasn’t sure if it was available in the WebUI code steps.

Here’s my scenario - I have a javascript code block that maps inputs to a location ID. Works great, when the location is found. When the location isn’t found, I can return -1 or something that causes an error in one of the later steps… but I know at the current step that I have a problem - and I’d like to just stop the Zap at that point so I can investigate or fix the location ID mapping.

Oh - I guess I could get the Zap to stop processing by doing something silly like this:

if( locationID == null ) {

  someObviousSyntaxException();

}

It will cause the execution to fail because the method isn’t found, but I hope there is a better way to stop the Zap from continuing.

icon

Best answer by Troy Tessalone 23 February 2023, 22:34

View original
This post has been closed for comments. Please create a new post if you need help or have a question about this topic.

11 replies

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @Jason G. 

Good question.

Try adding a Filter step after the Code step: https://zapier.com/apps/filter/help

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
Jason G.

Thanks - I had considered that. But I actually want the Zap to halt.

If it halts at that step, I can change the code (to add a new location mapping) and re-run that step with auto-replay.

I can also more easily find it in the Zap History. If it’s filtered out, it might be easier to overlook it as an error condition.

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@Jason G. 

Perhaps add a following Formatter > Text > Default Value step instead.

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@Jason G.

Otherwise you may want to look into using Zapier Tables: https://zapier.com/early-access

Help article about how to manually approve Zap Runs: https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496295323277

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
Jason G.

Thanks for all the ideas of working around this, but I’m actually still trying to figure out if I can do a Halt or not from within my javascript code. There are benefits to Halting - I can change code and re-run with auto-replay, among others.

 

I would not use the Formatter > Text > Default Value -- I can just set a default value in my code if I wanted that.

I would not use a Zapier Tables - I already have the equivalent of a table in my code.

I would not use Manual Approval - I want this to run automatically the 99% of the time that the location mapping works just fine.

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@Jason G.

A Code step will either result in a success or error.

You can’t Halt a Zap from continuing to run via a Code step.

If the Zap Code step results in an error, only Zap steps that rely on the output from the Code step will not try to run.

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@Jason G.

Maybe have Paths in your Zap that act as a success path and a halt path.

Paths (and the Steps within a Path) can be duplicated.

 

Or a possible workaround, is to have a duplicate Zap, then you can take the data from the Zap Run and paste it into the alternative Zap to rerun.

 

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
Jason G.

Ok, thanks for the answer - there is no way to Halt in a Code step.

 

Todd Harper
Userlevel 6
Badge +8

Hi @Jason G.,

Have you tried throwing an error in your code? I haven’t tested this, so not sure it would do what you need, but it could be one way of effectively using your code to halt the Zap (though, I suppose it would actually result in a Stopped/Errored status instead of a Stopped/Halted status...)

Jason G.

Yes @Todd Harper, I thought of that, it does show up at Stopped/Errored status.

It looks like stopped/errored is a problem for the Zap if it exceeds 95% of runs, which I would be way way below… but I’m not thrilled with that approach. I wouldn’t want the Zap to be disabled if I missed the error notifications...

What I decided on was to make it easier to run the subsequent steps in my zap, so I wouldn’t have such a strong desire to re-run from the code step. 

Todd Harper
Userlevel 6
Badge +8

@Jason G. Sounds like you’ve come up with a fine solution :)

Still, one way around the auto-shutoff issue is to set up a second Zap with a Zapier Manager trigger for a “Zap Turned Off” event and a subsequent action to toggle it back on (as long as the error it’s hitting is the one you created and not an authentication issue accessing one of your connected apps).

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