Applications Manager 9.4.

Copyright © 2005-2019 Broadcom. All Rights Reserved. The term 'Broadcom' refers to Broadcom Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
Contents

Release Information................................................................................................................... 11
Release Notes................................................................................................................... 11
Third-Party Licenses and Notices..................................................................................... 14

Applications Manager Objects................................................................................................... 15

Contacting Technical Support.................................................................................................... 16

Getting Started Guide................................................................................................................ 16

About This Guide.............................................................................................................. 17
Introduction to Applications Manager................................................................................17
How Do I Get Started?............................................................................................ 19
Applications Manager Architecture.......................................................................... 19
Configuring Applications Manager for Your Enterprise............................................ 21
Objects Reduce Development and Maintenance.....................................................23
Overview of Applications Manager Objects............................................................. 24
Moving Around in the Applications Manager Client................................................. 25
Administration.................................................................................................................... 27
Installing the Automation Engine, Agent, and Web Server......................................27
Controlling Access to Applications Manager and its Objects...................................29
Controlling Access to Hosts and Databases........................................................... 31
Managing Output...................................................................................................... 32
Retaining Output Files and Operations Records..................................................... 34
Setting Automation Engine Options......................................................................... 35
Moving Objects from One System to Another......................................................... 36
Development......................................................................................................................38
Creating Jobs to Run Programs and Scripts........................................................... 39
Creating Process Flows to Run a Series of Jobs....................................................41
Adding Dependencies to Jobs................................................................................. 42
Passing Parameters to Programs and Scripts.........................................................44
Adding IF - THEN Logic to Jobs and Process Flows.............................................. 46
Retrieving Values from Databases...........................................................................47
Scheduling Jobs and Process Flows....................................................................... 50
Running a Custom or Third-Party Application......................................................... 53
Getting Notified when a Task Fails.......................................................................... 55
Detecting Failed Tasks by Scanning Output............................................................ 57
Operations......................................................................................................................... 58
Monitoring the System............................................................................................. 59
Finding Out Which Tasks Will Run During Your Shift.............................................. 60
Troubleshooting Failed Tasks...................................................................................62
Handling Task Exceptions........................................................................................ 66
Taking Actions on Tasks.......................................................................................... 66
Viewing/Editing Task Details.................................................................................... 68
Running Tasks Outside the Batch Cycle................................................................. 69
Viewing and Printing Task Output............................................................................71
Controlling Task Priority and Load on the System...................................................73
 Preventing Applications Manager from Launching Tasks........................................ 73
Gantt View Windows................................................................................................ 75

Installation Guide........................................................................................................................76
About This Guide.............................................................................................................. 77
Applications Manager Installation for UNIX and Windows................................................77
Creating the UNIX Account (UNIX Only)................................................................. 78
Assigning Rights and Permissions to the Windows User (Windows Only).............. 79
Creating the Database Account............................................................................... 80
System Information Required for the Installation.....................................................82
Running the Installation Script................................................................................. 84
Starting and Stopping the Applications Manager Processes in UNIX......................85
Starting and Stopping the Applications Manager Processes in Windows................ 86
Opening the Applications Manager Client and Logging In.......................................87
Verifying the Installation........................................................................................... 90
Applications Manager Installation—Advanced Topics.......................................................93
Configuring the Applications Manager Client...........................................................93
Function of the Operating System User.................................................................. 93
Configuring Applications Manager for Oracle RAC................................................. 95
Installing Multiple Automation Engines on One Host...............................................97
Configuration for Machines with Multiple IP Addresses...........................................98
Automation Engine, Agent, and Client Firewall Connections.................................100
Overview of Firewall Settings.................................................................................102
Configuring Agents to Validate Multiple Automation Engine Configurations.......... 102
Using Custom SSL Certificates for Connection Authentication..............................103
Uninstalling Applications Manager......................................................................... 104
Installing a Second RMI Server for Failover.......................................................... 105
Installing a UNIX Remote Agent.....................................................................................107
Defining the UNIX Remote Agent in Applications Manager...................................108
Installing the Remote Agent...................................................................................109
Installing a Windows Remote Agent............................................................................... 110
Defining the Windows Remote Agent in Applications Manager.............................111
Creating the Windows User................................................................................... 113
Running the Installation Program...........................................................................114
Upgrading Applications Manager.................................................................................... 115
Upgrading or updating Tomcat...............................................................................115
Upgrading an Automation Engine and Local Agent...............................................116
Upgrading Remote Agents.....................................................................................118
Verifying the Upgrade.............................................................................................119
Loading Rapid Automation Component .jar Files into Applications Manager................. 120

User Guide............................................................................................................................... 122

About This Guide............................................................................................................ 122
Applications Manager Operations................................................................................... 122
Using the Applications Manager Desktop.............................................................. 124
Working in the Applications Manager Windows.....................................................126
Editing General Desktop and ToolBar Settings......................................................128
Setting Alerts.......................................................................................................... 130
Viewing Operations Reports...................................................................................131
Customizing Tables................................................................................................ 134
Changing Status Colors......................................................................................... 136
 Viewing the About Applications Manager Window.................................................137
Opening the Applications Manager Client and Logging In.....................................138
Requesting and Submitting Jobs and Process Flows.................................................... 141
Requesting Jobs and Process Flows.....................................................................144
Submitting Jobs and Process Flows......................................................................145
Viewing and Printing Output........................................................................................... 148
Working with the Output Window...........................................................................150
Querying the Output Window.................................................................................151
Viewing Output Files with the File Viewer............................................................. 155
Printing, FTPing, and Emailing Output Files..........................................................157
Opening Output Files with Other Applications....................................................... 160
Sharing File Associations with All Applications Manager Users............................ 162
Monitoring and Managing Tasks in Explorer...................................................................163
Using the Explorer Window....................................................................................165
Working with the Backlog.......................................................................................167
Working with History.............................................................................................. 169
Backlog and History Column Descriptions.............................................................170
Focusing the Backlog Display with Explorer..........................................................173
Monitoring with the Status Bar and Object Icons.................................................. 176
Troubleshooting Failed Tasks.................................................................................178
Taking Actions on Tasks in the Backlog................................................................ 180
Viewing and Editing Task Details...........................................................................192
Unsatisfying Tasks as External Predecessors in History....................................... 208
Viewing History in a Gantt Chart........................................................................... 210
How Applications Manager Handles System Failures........................................... 215
Querying and Filtering Explorer...................................................................................... 217
Querying for Tasks in History.................................................................................219
Filtering the Backlog and History........................................................................... 223
Staging Tasks in the Backlog..........................................................................................227
Staging Tasks......................................................................................................... 229
Managing Staged Tasks.........................................................................................231
Working with Agents and Queues.................................................................................. 232
Monitoring Agents...................................................................................................234
Managing Agents....................................................................................................236
Viewing and Printing Automation Engine and Agent Logs.................................... 238
Monitoring Queues................................................................................................. 240
Changing Queue Settings...................................................................................... 242
Administering Queues............................................................................................ 244
Removing External Predecessors by Queue......................................................... 248
Forecasting Jobs and Process Flows............................................................................. 248
Viewing Forecasts.................................................................................................. 250
Viewing Graphical Forecasts..................................................................................252
Setting the FORECAST Job Parameters...............................................................253
Generating Production Schedules......................................................................... 256
Monitoring and Managing Tasks with the Gantt View.....................................................257
Reading the Gantt View Window........................................................................... 259
Interpreting Adjusted Start and End Times............................................................260
Finding Tasks in the Gantt View Window.............................................................. 261
Setting the Gantt View Preferences.......................................................................262
Printing from the Gantt View..................................................................................263
Automation Engine/Agent Status Values........................................................................ 266
Task Status Values..........................................................................................................268
Development Guide..................................................................................................................279
About This Guide............................................................................................................ 279
Applications Manager Development............................................................................... 279
Guidelines for Starting Out in Applications Manager Development....................... 280
Starting Out with Existing Scripts...........................................................................281
Naming Convention Guidelines..............................................................................282
Adding, Editing, and Deleting Applications Manager Objects................................282
Copying Applications Manager Objects................................................................. 284
Viewing Object Reports..........................................................................................286
Viewing Object References.................................................................................... 288
Updating Unsaved Changes.................................................................................. 289
Creating Jobs.................................................................................................................. 290
Defining Jobs..........................................................................................................292
Using the Tabs of the Jobs Window...................................................................... 294
Example: Creating a Job to Run an Existing Script...............................................295
Entering General Information for Jobs...................................................................298
Entering Execution Options for Jobs..................................................................... 304
Specifying Output Options for Jobs....................................................................... 319
Adding Job Documentation.................................................................................... 321
Assigning User Groups to Jobs............................................................................. 324
Troubleshooting Newly Created Jobs.................................................................... 326
Updating Job/Process Flow Characteristics with BULK_CHANGES..................... 329
What Are Process Flow Requestor Jobs?.............................................................331
Creating Process Flows.................................................................................................. 333
Defining Process Flows..........................................................................................335
Using the Tabs of the Process Flows Window...................................................... 336
Entering Execution Options for Process Flows......................................................337
Specifying Output Options for Process Flows....................................................... 339
Introduction to Process Flow Building....................................................................341
Working with Process Flows.................................................................................. 343
Adding Process Flow Components........................................................................350
Arranging Components in a Process Flow............................................................ 355
Creating Component Groups................................................................................. 357
Navigating Large Process Flows........................................................................... 360
Implementing Process Flow Component Change Revisions................................. 361
Viewing a Gantt Chart of the Process Flow...........................................................363
Calculating Process Flow Average Run Times......................................................364
Editing Process Flow Component Information................................................................366
Specifying Calendars and Eligible Run Days........................................................ 368
Setting Execution Options......................................................................................370
How Agent Assignments Are Handled for Process Flow Components..................372
Specifying Output Devices..................................................................................... 374
Specifying Prompt Values...................................................................................... 376
Working with Predecessors.............................................................................................378
Understanding Predecessor Terminology.............................................................. 380
Understanding Predecessor Execution Rules........................................................381
Predecessor Requirement Table............................................................................ 383
Working with Internal Predecessors.......................................................................385
Working with External Predecessors..................................................................... 393
Editing Predecessor Links......................................................................................405
Using the Predecessor Editor Box.........................................................................406
 Changing the AND/OR Logic................................................................................. 408
Saving Preferences for Creating Predecessors.....................................................410
Using Predecessor Links to Accomplish Specialized Tasks.................................. 411
Adding Prompts to Jobs and Process Flows..................................................................418
Deciding which Prompts to Use.............................................................................419
Prompt Formats for Ad Hoc Jobs and Process Flows...........................................421
Adding, Updating, and Deleting Prompts...............................................................426
Setting Minimum and Maximum Values for Prompts............................................. 428
Defining Data Types...............................................................................................428
Copying Prompts from Another Job or Process Flow............................................437
How Multi Select Prompts Work............................................................................ 438
Working with Substitution Variables and Replacement Values....................................... 441
Defining Static Substitution Variables.................................................................... 443
Defining Dynamic Substitution Variables............................................................... 445
Executing Procedures in Dynamic Substitution Variables......................................447
Adding Subvars and Replacement Values to Applications Manager Objects........ 449
Replacement Value Descriptions........................................................................... 450
Creating Local Substitution Variables Using Replacement Values........................ 453
Using Subvars and Replacement Values in Job and Component Prompts........... 454
Passing Values Through a Process Flow with Numeric Subvars.......................... 454
Working with Conditions..................................................................................................465
How Applications Manager Processes Conditions................................................ 467
Adding, Editing, and Deleting Conditions.............................................................. 469
Selecting Condition Values.................................................................................... 472
Copying Conditions from Another Job, Process Flow, or Component................... 484
Using Conditions to Accomplish Common Tasks.................................................. 485
Scheduling Jobs and Process Flows.............................................................................. 504
Adding, Editing, and Deleting Schedules...............................................................506
Entering General Information for Schedules..........................................................508
Entering Schedule Frequencies............................................................................. 510
Creating Workday Schedules.................................................................................513
Creating Fiscal Calendar Schedules......................................................................514
Entering Schedule Exceptions............................................................................... 518
Specifying Prompt Values for Schedules............................................................... 519
Defining Calendars................................................................................................. 520
Displaying Run Dates for Schedules..................................................................... 523
Example Schedules................................................................................................525
Skipping Scheduled Tasks While the Automation Engine Is Stopped....................533
Scheduling for Daylight Saving Time..................................................................... 534
Exporting and Importing Objects.....................................................................................535
Export/Import Flowchart......................................................................................... 537
Export/Import Terms............................................................................................... 540
Building Export Lists...............................................................................................540
Saving Export Lists and Exporting Objects........................................................... 543
Opening Imports and Mapping Objects................................................................. 544
Performing Import Audits....................................................................................... 546
Adding, Editing, and Deleting Map File Entries..................................................... 548
Example: Exporting a Job to Another Applications Manager Instance.................. 550
File Transferring...............................................................................................................553
FTP_JAVA Job....................................................................................................... 554
SFTP_JAVA Job..................................................................................................... 557
FTP Job.................................................................................................................. 558
 Defining Host Logins.............................................................................................. 563
LOADER Job.......................................................................................................... 565
Running Custom Applications from Applications Manager............................................. 567
Understanding Program Type Objects................................................................... 569
Understanding Program Type Scripts.................................................................... 571
Program Execution................................................................................................. 573
Parameter Passing................................................................................................. 577
Output Registration.................................................................................................579
Error Trapping........................................................................................................ 582
DEBUG/Administration and Termination................................................................ 584
Installed Program Types and Program Type Scripts............................................. 585
Run-Time Extensions and Environment Variables..........................................................586
How Run-Time Extensions Work........................................................................... 587
UNIX Run-Time Extension Examples.................................................................... 588
Using Applications Manager System Environment Variables................................ 590
Applications Manager Reserved Words.................................................................592
SURUN - Running UNIX Tasks Under Other Host Logins..............................................595
Three SURUN Program Types.............................................................................. 595
Creating an authoriz.lis File................................................................................... 598
Capturing Output.................................................................................................... 599
SURUN Error Messages and SURUN Debugging................................................ 599
Applications Manager Command Line Utilities............................................................... 600
awrun - The Command Line API for Requesting Tasks.........................................601
awexe - Accessing Applications Manager Capabilities..........................................606
Common awexe Commands You Can Use in Your Scripts................................... 607
AppWorx Command Line Interface - Accessing Explorer Functionality................. 614
Program Type Descriptions.............................................................................................627
AWSQLP.................................................................................................................628
SOCOBOL.............................................................................................................. 631
SHUTDOWN...........................................................................................................636
AWJAVA.................................................................................................................. 638
Sending and Retrieving JMS Messages.........................................................................638
Creating JMS Logins..............................................................................................639
Defining JMS Messages with Conditions...............................................................641
Assigning the JMS Login to the Automation Engine..............................................643
Appendix A: Regular Expression Tables.........................................................................644
Appendix B: awop_api.awrun - Requesting Tasks Through Oracle................................647
Appendix C: Task Action Order...................................................................................... 648

Administration Guide................................................................................................................ 648

About This Guide............................................................................................................ 649
Applications Manager Administration.............................................................................. 649
Configure SMTP Authentication............................................................................. 649
Viewing User Connection Information and Sending Broadcasts............................650
Viewing Server and Agent Connection Information............................................... 652
Viewing Assigned Objects......................................................................................653
Applications Manager Directory Structure..............................................................654
Defining Output Devices................................................................................................. 656
Defining Single Output Devices............................................................................. 657
Defining Distribution Lists.......................................................................................659
Defining Output Groups......................................................................................... 661
Defining Output Interfaces..................................................................................... 663
 Adding Output Options to Output Interface Definitions..........................................666
LP Print Output Interface....................................................................................... 668
Emailing Output...................................................................................................... 673
Faxing Output......................................................................................................... 676
Troubleshooting Output Device Problems............................................................. 678
Applications Manager Security........................................................................................680
Defining Users........................................................................................................ 681
Working with User Groups..................................................................................... 689
Sample User Groups and Users............................................................................698
Defining Database Logins...................................................................................... 701
Working with the Automation Engine and Agents.......................................................... 709
Defining Remote Agents........................................................................................ 711
Specifying Output File Names............................................................................... 714
Setting Automation Engine Options....................................................................... 716
Specifying LDAP Settings...................................................................................... 720
Enabling Applications Manager Auditing............................................................... 723
Specifying Email Settings for the Automation Engine............................................724
Defining Agent Groups...........................................................................................725
Setting the Priorities and Load Factors for Agents in a Regular Agent Group....... 727
Managing System Records.................................................................................... 728
Creating Reports and Browsing the Database............................................................... 730
Steps for Creating Reports.................................................................................... 732
Selecting Tables and Views................................................................................... 733
Adding Report Columns......................................................................................... 736
Editing Report Columns......................................................................................... 738
Example: Creating a Report from Existing SQL.................................................... 741
Example: Adding a Prompt to a Report.................................................................744
Example: Using Prompted NO_SQL Columns...................................................... 749
Example: Finding Components by Alias Name..................................................... 751
Showing Reports and Their SQL from the Reports Window................................. 757
Creating Jobs from Reports................................................................................... 760
Retrieving Historical Data for Applications Manager Historical Analysis Reports...763
Browsing the Applications Manager Database...................................................... 765
Event Logging..................................................................................................................768
Logging Task Events.............................................................................................. 769
Logging Agent Events............................................................................................ 771
Formatting Task and Agent Event Files.................................................................772
Applications Manager Processes.................................................................................... 774
Starting and Stopping Automation Engine and Agent Processes.......................... 775
The watchworx Process......................................................................................... 778
The awcomm Process............................................................................................782
The AgentService Process.....................................................................................783
The RmiServer Process......................................................................................... 783
Task and Program Execution................................................................................. 785
The awexe Process................................................................................................786
How a Task Runs............................................................................................................787
Request to the Automation Engine........................................................................ 788
pm File....................................................................................................................789
BODY......................................................................................................................790
Program Type (before program execution)............................................................ 791
Program.................................................................................................................. 792
Program Type (after program execution)............................................................... 793
 BODY (after return from Program Type script)...................................................... 793
Automation Engine................................................................................................. 793
Troubleshooting with Log Files and Debug.................................................................... 794
Applications Manager Standard Out Log Files and Program Debug..................... 794
Background Process Logs..................................................................................... 796
Setting Client, Server, Oracle Trace, and All Agent Debug................................... 797
Setting startso Debug in UNIX...............................................................................804
Debugging the awcomm and awnetex C Processes............................................. 804
Copying and Moving Applications Manager Instances................................................... 805
Before You Begin................................................................................................... 806
Three-tiered Methodology...................................................................................... 807
Stopping and Starting Applications Manager Processes....................................... 809
Copying or Moving an Automation Engine/Database to a New Machine...............810
Copying or Moving an Automation Engine/Database to an Existing Machine........811
Copying or Moving an Automation Engine to a New Machine...............................813
Copying or Moving an Applications Manager Database........................................815
Host and Client Customization........................................................................................818
Background Manager and WatchWorx Variables.................................................. 818
awenv.ini Environment Initialization File.................................................................819
Options.properties File........................................................................................... 825
Masters.properties File........................................................................................... 828
Setting Up SSH Shared Keys................................................................................829
Preinstalled Job and Process Flow Descriptions............................................................831
Customizable Columns....................................................................................................833

Oracle Applications Extension Guide.......................................................................................846

About This Guide............................................................................................................ 847
Introduction to the Applications Manager Oracle Applications Extension....................... 847
What's New in the Applications Manager Oracle Applications Extension.............. 848
Installing and Upgrading the OAE Extension................................................................. 849
Setting Up Oracle Advanced Queuing...................................................................849
Setting Up an OAE Oracle User Account..............................................................851
Creating OAE Login Objects..................................................................................852
Defining the OAE Agent.........................................................................................854
Importing the Oracle Applications Extension Objects............................................ 855
Upgrading the OAE Extension............................................................................... 857
Using OAE Auxiliary Agent Functions............................................................................ 859
Querying Oracle E-Business Suite Programs........................................................861
Creating OAE Jobs................................................................................................ 863
Creating OAE Process Flows................................................................................ 864
Intercepting OAE Jobs........................................................................................... 866
Working with Oracle Applications Extension...................................................................867
Description of the Generic CONCSUB Job........................................................... 868
Managing OEBS programs through Applications Manager................................... 870
Monitoring OAE Jobs............................................................................................. 871
Storing Values for Variables with OUTPUT_FILE.................................................. 874
Values Available for the OUTPUT_FILE Environment Variable............................. 876
Implications of Changing Database Account Passwords.......................................878
Applications Manager Environment Variables for OAE...................................................878
Additions Made to the Oracle E-Business Suite Database............................................ 879
PeopleSoft Extension Guide.................................................................................................... 879
About This Guide............................................................................................................ 880
Introduction to the Applications Manager PeopleSoft Extension.................................... 880
What's New in the Applications Manager PeopleSoft Extension........................... 881
Installing the Applications Manager PeopleSoft Extension.............................................881
Defining the PeopleSoft Login and User............................................................... 882
Installing the PeopleSoft Agent in Applications Manager...................................... 883
Specifying PeopleSoft Parameters for a PeopleSoft Agent................................... 886
Importing the PeopleSoft Objects.......................................................................... 887
Importing the Component Interface for PeopleTools 8.43 - 8.48............................888
Importing the Component Interface for PeopleTools 8.22......................................889
Defining Permissions for the Applications Manager PeopleSoft User................... 891
Using the Inline Bind Variables.............................................................................. 893
Running Jobs as Other Users............................................................................... 898
Upgrading the PeopleSoft Extension..................................................................... 902
Defining PeopleSoft Jobs................................................................................................902
Querying PeopleSoft Programs............................................................................. 904
Creating PeopleSoft Jobs...................................................................................... 905
Editing PeopleSoft Jobs......................................................................................... 906
Using Applications Manager PSE Variables in Output Paths................................ 908
Creating Subvars and Data Types.........................................................................909
Defining PeopleSoft Reports..................................................................................911
Running and Monitoring PeopleSoft Tasks and Processes............................................ 913
Requesting PeopleSoft Jobs..................................................................................914
Scheduling PeopleSoft Jobs and Process Flows.................................................. 916
Monitoring PeopleSoft Jobs................................................................................... 917
Reviewing PeopleSoft Job Details......................................................................... 920
Taking Actions on PeopleSoft Jobs....................................................................... 922
Troubleshooting the Applications Manager PeopleSoft Extension..................................924
Agent Goes to Error...............................................................................................924
PSProperties not loaded from file.......................................................................... 925
5007 : Component Interface APWRX_SELECT must be installed........................ 925
Job Aborts.............................................................................................................. 926
(0,0) : DOWNbea.jolt.ServiceException: Invalid Session....................................... 927
(90,6) : Not Authorized (90,6)................................................................................ 927
8. (65,8) : You are not authorized to run................................................................927
Caused by: 5504 : (2,116) : Invalid parameter 1 for function CreateRowset..........928
AwE-9999 Internal Error - index out of range........................................................ 928
<User name> is an Invalid User typed the wrong password................................. 928
A Job Errors in PeopleSoft, but Completes Successfully in Applications
Manager..............................................................................................................929
Troubleshooting Difficult PeopleSoft Job and Process Launch Errors................... 929

Disaster Recovery.................................................................................................................... 933

Usage Data (Telemetry)........................................................................................................... 934

Documentation Legal Notice.................................................................................................... 935

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

1 Release Information
Release highlights for Applications Manager 9.x

Warning: Broadcom highly recommends that you back up your Oracle data and Applications Manager file
system before upgrading due to table changes in this release. There is no rollback procedure for Oracle
data and the upgrade process does not back up your data or file system.
New Features Only in Major and Minor Versions of All Automic Software
Aways install the latest Service Pack or Hotfix. Both contain valuable corrections and bug fixes between Major and
Minor Releases, where new features and enhancements are introduced.
The software version information consists of the following identifiers, as shown in this example:
12.2.1 HF 1
• Major Release: 12
This is the main version of a software release. It is identified by the first segment of the entire version number.
• Minor Release: 2
This includes new features, modifications, and corrections that may contain major changes such as database
modifications. It is identified by the second segment of the entire version number.
Major and Minor releases for Automation Engine are feature releases supplied at 9-month intervals.
• Service Pack: 1
This is a patch for a release and contains corrections for errors. New features or modifications are not included.
Service packs are identified by the third segment of the entire version number.
• Hotfix: HF1
This is a minor sub-release to remove malfunctions and defects. Hotfixes are indicated by an HF number after
the version number.
Service Packs and Hotfixes are maintenance releases supplied at 4-month intervals.
Getting the Latest Information
Documentation, release notes, and other information is often updated after software is released. The table below
shows where to find the most recent information for Automic software releases.

To find the most recent: Go to the:

Bug fixes, known issues, and workarounds Automic Download Center

Product documentation • Applications Manager Documentation

• The Banner Rapid Automation Agent for Local
Clients Documentation
• The Banner Rapid Automation Agent for the Automic
Web Interface Documentation
• All other Automic Hosted Documentation
• Broadcom Technical Documentation

Compatibility for Automic software components, Automic Compatibility Checker

versions, and sub-components
Broadcom product support Broadcom Support

Upgrading an Existing Automation Engine

Warning: It is necessary that you back up your database and export the Applications Manager instance
before upgrading.

Release Notes
Applications Manager V9.4.1
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

What's New?
Applications Manager 9.4.1 addresses major vulnerabilities reported with Log4j libraries. It also includes several
bug fixes.
Applications Manager V9.4.0
What's New?
• Applications Manager 9.4.0 comes with improved disaster recovery management. For more information, refer to
Disaster Recovery.
• Apache Tomcat is now the default HTTP server. For more information refer to Upgrading or updating Tomcat.
• Starting from Applications Manager 9.4.0, Perl is no longer being shipped with the product image for UNIX-
based operating systems.
• New fields are introduced for Banner Output.
• Three new grants are added for the Banner database SYS user. For more information refer to, Issuing Grants to
Create the BANWORX Banner User.
• The product help will now be available online only.
Applications Manager V9.3.5
What's New?
• SMTP Authentication: You can now configure SMTP authentication for the master agent. For more information,
refer to Configure SMTP Authentication.
• Custom SSL certificates for Connection Authentication: Improvements have been made for use SSL certificates.
For more information, refer to Using Custom SSL Certificates for Connection Authentication.
• Notifications: You can now attach a PDF to the notification in the portrait or landscape format with size limit
option. For more information, refer to Defining Notifications.
Applications Manager V9.3.4
What's New?
• Broadcom may request you for the telemetry report as and when required. For more information, refer to
Applications Manager Telemetry data.
• You can now add a component with a right-click to an existing job or process flow and also retain the
component's configuration. For more information, refer to Add components and retain the existing configuration.
• You can now have different colors for Applications Manager main window for different deployments of
Applications Manager. For example, you may want to have a Brown color for the development environment and
Green color for the production environment. For more information, refer to Configure Applications Manager Main
Window Color.
• Applications Manager 9.3.4 now supports RedHat Enterprise Linux 8.
Applications Manager v9.3
What's New
Oracle 18c Now Supported
In Applications Manager 9.3, Oracle 18c databases are supported. For special instructions, see Creating the
Database Account in the Installation Guide.
Specifying a Unique Location for Multiple Keystore Files in v9.3.1
Starting with v9.3.1, you can specify a unique location for multiple keystore files. To do this, you create a C:\Users
\<user name>\AppWorx\<master name> folder for each master in the connections.properties file on each
user's client machine where <user name> is the actual user's name and <master name> is the name of the
master. Then put copies of the user_keystore and user_keystore_config files for each master the sub-directory
for that master.
RunClient.jar Error Messages Now in the startClient.log file in v9.3.1
When starting the local client by double clicking on RunClient.jar (or a shortcut to it) in version 9.3.1 or above, if it
fails to start the error will now be in the startClient.log file.
Changes in Behavior
Executable .jar File for the Client Must Be Downloaded and Configured
You must now download the Applications Manager client from the URL set during installation. To get this URL,
see your Applications Manager administrator. Before logging in the first time, you need to configure the client for
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

the Automation Engine(s) you will be logging into. Once configured, you open an executable .jar file. For more
information, see Opening the Applications Manager Client and Logging In in the User Guide.
Custom SSL Certificates for Connection Authentication Now Required
You must use a custom SSL certificate for connection authentication by creating user_keystore and
user_keystore_config files on the Automation Engine and client machines. For more information, see Using
Custom SSL Certificates for Connection Authentication in the Installation Guide.
Keyfiles No Longer Required
Starting with Applications Manager 9.3, license checking with keyfiles is no longer required for Automation Engines
or agents.

Applications Manager v9.2

What's New
Requesting a Job or Process Flow from its Definition
You can now request a Job or Process Flow from it's definition. This opens the Submit window, like the Request
window does. This is beneficial for testing changes you make to the object.
Using Retention Days for Notification Log Files
When you define a Job, you can set the number of days the output will be retained by Applications Manager in the
Retention days setting on each Job's Output tab. When a Notification is assigned to the Job, it will use that Job's
retention days to determine when to delete the Notification's log files.The SODELETE Job (alias DELDEFAULT)
deletes the output files that have exceeded their retention settings.
Changing Database Login Passwords without Restarting
You can now change Database Login passwords used for Subvars and conditions without restarting.Ignoring Max
Length Prompt Validation within Process Flow Component Prompt Overrides when { } Are UsedAny component
prompt value beginning with { ignores field limitations in order to allow Subvar overrides.This functions the same
regardless of whether Upper Case is checked at any level.
Using Oracle Advanced Queuing for OAE
Removed DBMS_PIPE from OAE-related code and replaced the functionality with Oracle Advanced Queuing (AQ).
This change requires a dedicated AQ admin account to manage the AQ tables and Queues.
All OAE related database schema objects can now be created in a dedicated OAE Oracle User, instead of using
APPS User. The existing OAE User can continue to use APPS account to deploy OAE objects or migrate the OAE
setup to the dedicated Oracle User through some easy steps.
Running an RA Oracle EBS Agent and Applications Manager OAE Agent in same EBS database
You can now running an RA Oracle EBS Agent and Applications Manager OAE Agent in same EBS database. This
is beneficial when you are moving from the Applications Manager with the OAE Agent to Applications Manager or
Automation Engine with the OEBS Agent.
Applications Manager v9.1
What's New
Auto-logout Client Setting in Options.properties
You can now set the number of minutes of inactivity before an auto-logout of the Java client by adding
IdleLogoffTime=<number of minutes> to the Options.properties file. To unset this options, set
IdleLogoffTime=0.
Support for Stronger Strength Ephemeral DH keys in the SunJSSE Provider
We set jdk.tls.ephemeralDHKeySize to Java version-specific values: 2048 for Java 1.8 and above. If you want
to use 2048 bit certificate keys, both the server (rmiserver) and the client (UI or AgentService) need to be running
Java 1.8 or above. For more information, see your Java documentation.
Applications Manager v9.0
What's New
Active-Passive Failover
The Applications Manager Automation Engine now supports active-passive failover. A secondary Applications
Manager RMI server can be setup and run in stand-by mode (active-passive), so that in the event that the primary
Applications Manager Automation Engine goes down, the stand-by RMI server will become the active Automation
Engine. When the stand-by RMI server becomes active, the Agents will reconnect to it automatically; with the
exception of the Local Agent. That is because the Local Agent is part of the Automation Engine installation, and
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

integrated with the specific Automation Engine system. Therefore, in systems that require RMI server failover, it is
recommended that all Jobs be setup to run on Remote Agents.
Platform and Oracle Support
Version 9 is the first Applications Manager release that supports Oracle 12c databases. When using Oracle 12c
database and you have an Oracle Enterprise Edition multi-tenant system or Oracle Standard Edition single tenant
system, you must install Applications Manager into a pluggable database (PDB) within a container. Your DBA is
responsible for creating the pluggable database.
Enabling/Disabling RMI Server Debug with the RMI_DEBUG Job
You can now enable or disable RMI server debug by running the RMI_DEBUG Job. Like all Applications Manager
Jobs, you can request and submit RMI_DEBUG to run it ad hoc, or schedule it. Activate or deactivate RMI server
debug by setting the Enable prompt to Yes or No. The RMI_DEBUG Job is included in the RMI_DEBUG import file.
Desupported Features
The following features are desupported for Applications Manager v9:
• The Dashboard
• AppMaster
• Remote Method Extension Agents
• VMS Agents
• OS400 Agents
• ZOS (mainframe bridge) Agents
The supported platforms for the Automation Engine and its Agents change between releases. For a list of
supported platforms for the Automation Engine and Agents in this release, see the Matrix below.
Known Issue: You Cannot Retrieve a Local WSDL File for a SOAP Login Object
You cannot retrieve a local WSDL file for a SOAP Login object using the Web Service Agent. This will be fixed in
Applications Manager v9.0 Service Pack 1 and a patch is available from Broadcom Support.

Third-Party Licenses and Notices

Third Party Licensees and Notices
The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
Copyright (c) 1999 The Apache Software Foundation. All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the
following conditions are met:
1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
disclaimer.
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
3. The end-user documentation included with the redistribution, if any, must include the following acknowledgment:
"This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/)."
Alternately, this acknowledgement may appear in the software itself, if and wherever such third-party
acknowledgements normally appear.
4. The names "The Jakarta Project", "Jakarta-Regexp", and "Apache Software Foundation" must not be used to
endorse or promote products derived from this software without prior written permission. For written permission,
please contact [email protected].
5. Products derived from this software may not be called "Apache" nor may "Apache" appear in their names without
prior written permission of the Apache Group.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE APACHE SOFTWARE FOUNDATION
OR ITS CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY,
OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER

CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE,
EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
============================================================
This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many individuals on behalf of the Apache Software
Foundation.
Code Licensed from RSA Data Security
This product includes code licensed from RSA Data Security.

2 Applications Manager Objects

Objects are presented in the order they are listed in the sub-menus under Object Admin on the
Applications Manager Desktop.
The objects are presented below in the same order they are listed in the sub-menus under Object Admin on the
Applications Manager Desktop. Their organization is based on the users who are most likely to create each object
type.
Administration
• Agent Groups: balance the load between Agents on one or more machines. For more information, see Defining
Agent Groups.
• Agents: are instances of Applications Manager. An Agent is installed on each machine where tasks are
executed. An Agent can be an Automation Engine's Local Agent, a Remote Agent, or an application-specific
Agent such as Oracle Applications or PeopleSoft. For more information, see Defining Remote Agents.
• Logins: allow operators and programmers to run programs that access a database or host without having to
know the login and password. For more information, see Defining Database Logins and Defining Host Logins.
• Output Devices: define any Output Device including printers, faxes, and email. You can print to a single Output
Device, or, through the use of distribution lists, multiple Output Devices. For more information, see Defining
Output Devices.
• Output Groups: define organizational classes of Output Devices. When you define Applications Manager
Output Devices, you assign them to one or more Output Groups. For more information, see Defining Output
Groups.
• Output Interfaces: interface between Applications Manager and an Output Device. For more information, see
Defining Output Interfaces.
• User Authorities: control User access to Applications Manager windows and can give Users add privileges
for objects. You assign User Authorities to your User Groups. For more information, see Understanding User
Authorities.
• User Groups: control access to all areas of Applications Manager. In a traditional system, you create groups of
Users, Output Devices, and Applications. User Groups can contain any combination of objects, and objects can
be assigned to any number of User Groups. For more information, see Defining User Groups.
• User Options: are the same options assigned to Users, but as objects, they are assigned to a User Group.
When User Options are assigned to a User Group, all Users in that User Group will have that User Option set to
true for them. You cannot add, edit, or delete User Option objects like other Applications Manager objects. You
can only assign them to User Groups. For more information, see Setting User Options.
• Users: control access to Applications Manager. You can assign names, access permissions, User Options, and
User Groups to Users. For more information, see Defining Users.
Development
• Applications: logically group Jobs and Process Flows. Used to filter lists of Jobs and Process Flows. For more
information, see Defining Applications.
• Calendars: define groups of days, such as holidays, that you can use for schedules. Schedules can run on, or
skip, the days in a Calendar. For more information, see Defining Calendars.
• Data Types: specify the format for data passed to programs. They can include SQL statements that validate
responses and allow you to pick from lists. For more information, see Defining Data Types.
• Environment Variables: store values you define for one or more variables as a single Applications Manager
object. For more information, see Defining Environment Variables.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Jobs: are the basic building blocks in Applications Manager. For each program you want to run (such as FTP,
application, or database load), you must create a Job. A Job contains all the information required to execute
a program and handle its output. Jobs are run both individually and as components of Applications Manager
Process Flows. Furthermore, a Job can be a component of as many Process Flows as you wish. If you change
a Job definition, the change is applied to every Process Flow that includes it. For more information, see Defining
Jobs.
• Libraries: define the path for the program that a Job runs. For more information, see Defining Libraries.
• Message Templates: specify text to include in Notification output files. They allow the use of Substitution
Variables and Replacement Values for variable text. For more information, see Defining Message Templates.
• Notifications: send dynamic messages that are based upon on a task's status through email or any other
defined Output Device. For more information, see Defining Notifications.
• Output Scans: scan output for text strings that indicate if a task has failed or succeeded. For more information,
see Defining Output Scans.
• Process Flows: are containers that include one or more components (Jobs and other Process Flows), general
scheduling information for the Process Flow, specific eligibility for each of its components, and conditions that
must be met for each component to run. For more information, see Defining Process Flows.
• Program Types: define how programs accept input and handle output. For more information, see Defining
Program Types.
• Reports: view Reports for data in the Applications Manager database. Developers and administrators can
create custom SQL Reports in the Applications Manager client. For more information, see Steps for Creating
Reports.
• Substitution Variables: store values that can be used in Jobs and Process Flows. Applications Manager lets
you use Substitution Variables, such as #today, in prompts and execution conditions assigned to Jobs. For more
information, see Defining Static Substitution Variables and Defining Dynamic Substitution Variables.
Operations
• Queues: control the flow of tasks. All tasks must pass through an Applications Manager Queue to be executed.
For more information, see Defining Queues.
• Thread Schedules: are assigned to one or more Queues or Agents. Thread Schedules define the number of
concurrent tasks that can run through a Queue or Agent at different times of the day. For more information, see
Defining Thread Schedules.

3 Contacting Technical Support

We have the support team you can trust. Our team of professionals is ready to support you, anytime and anywhere.
Three support centers located in Europe, the United States, and Asia Pacific build the core of the organization.
They make sure that your closest Automic experts are never more than a few hours flight away, no matter on which
continent your subsidiaries and data centers are located. The Automic Automation Platform is designed to provide
global connectivity for international companies. You are employing the Automic Automation Platform on a global
scale and therefore you can expect global services.
Our customer's portal, the Broadcom Supportsite is the place where you will find everything you need to know
about Automic in order to make sure you are using our products to their fullest potential. It's all right here in one
place: from service hotfixes, release notes, and the Automic Automation Platform manuals to our trouble-ticket
system that lets you check the status of your support cases directly from our website. You will also find white
papers with information about the latest Automic developments, as well as the Automic Roadmap, which provides
sneak previews of future development projects, information about exclusive customer events, and much more.

4 Getting Started Guide

The Applications Manager Getting Started Guide provides an overview of how operators,
developers, and administrators use Applications Manager. By reading the appropriate topics in
these chapters, you will learn how the various Applications Manager features relate to your job.
The Applications Manager Getting Started Guide provides an overview of how operators, developers, and
administrators use Applications Manager. By reading the appropriate topics in these chapters, you will learn how
the various Applications Manager features relate to your job.
Welcome to Applications Manager. The Getting Started Guide is intended to help you learn your way around
Applications Manager. It is part of the complete Applications Manager documentation set which includes:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Getting Started Guide

• Installation Guide
• User Guide
• Development Guide
• Administration Guide
• Oracle Applications Extension Guide
• PeopleSoft Extension Guide
Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used throughout this guide:
• User interface field names, menu items, and window names are written in bold.
• File names and text within scripts are written in bold.
• Variable text is written <within brackets>. In the example below <run ID number> represents the actual run ID
number of a requested Job.
If you submit a large Process Flow, the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: Run ID = <run ID
number>' until all components of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog.

About This Guide

The Applications Manager Getting Started Guide provides an overview of how operators, developers, and
administrators use Applications Manager. By reading the appropriate topics in these chapters, you will learn how
the various Applications Manager features relate to your job.
Welcome to Applications Manager. The Getting Started Guide is intended to help you learn your way around
Applications Manager. It is part of the complete Applications Manager documentation set which includes:
• Getting Started Guide
• Installation Guide
• User Guide
• Development Guide
• Administration Guide
• Oracle Applications Extension Guide
• PeopleSoft Extension Guide
Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used throughout this guide:
• User interface field names, menu items, and window names are written in bold.
• File names and text within scripts are written in bold.
• Variable text is written <within brackets>. In the example below <run ID number> represents the actual run ID
number of a requested Job.
If you submit a large Process Flow, the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: Run ID = <run ID
number>' until all components of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog.

Introduction to Applications Manager

Congratulations! You have just purchased the most powerful and flexible process automation and task scheduling
tool for distributed environments. You can use Applications Manager software to automate enterprise scheduling,
integrate applications, and accelerate business processes. If you fully implement Applications Manager, you can
reduce IT operating expenses, speed the development process, and improve business processes. The benefits are
summarized in the image below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Reduce Operating Expenses

Applications Manager includes features that enable you to approach full automation of operations. These features
include predecessors, conditions, and Substitution Variables. Underlying these features is the ability of Applications
Manager to make scheduling decisions based on queries of your corporate databases. Applications Manager is,
in the true sense of the word, a "smart" scheduler. Full automation allows you to allocate operations resources to
other critical tasks, reducing your operations expenses.
Speed Development
In a traditional development environment, scripts drive operations. Scripts incorporate the information required to
run one or more programs on a set schedule, direct output, and handle exceptions. The problem with scripts is the
time required to write and maintain them. For example, if an Output Device definition changes, you must change it
in every script.
Applications Manager takes the individual components of a script such as programs, schedules, Output Devices,
and variables, and lets you define them as discrete objects. You can then combine the objects in an unlimited
number of combinations to handle your operations. There are two distinct advantages:
• You can change an object in one place, and have the changes roll over to every use of the object.
• You can quickly put objects together to build a Process Flow.
Improve Business Processes
There is a good possibility that many of the procedures you have in place today are based on the capabilities of
older or legacy systems. Operations ran using scripts, heavily dependent on operator intervention. Developers
wrote programs based on manual input from operators and users. With Applications Manager, many of these
processes can be streamlined and automated.
Getting the Most Out of Applications Manager
For your company to get the largest return on its investment in Applications Manager, development, production,
and operations must work together. As a group, you need to examine each of your current processes and how
you can use Applications Manager to improve those processes. The result should be that development spends
less time writing programs, production uses smart scheduling to reduce total execution time and balance load on
servers, and operations focuses on monitoring and troubleshooting, rather than running tasks.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

How Do I Get Started?

How you get started with Applications Manager depends on whether you are an Applications
Manager administrator, developer, or operator.
With the power and flexibility of Applications Manager comes complexity. You will need to invest some time
learning the product to reap the rewards. So, how do you get started? That depends on your role. Are you primarily
an Applications Manager administrator, developer, or operator? Below we present Getting Started road maps for
each major type of user.
Applications Manager Administrator Road Map
If you are the Applications Manager administrator, consider proceeding as follows:
• Finish reading this guide.
• Install the development instance of Applications Manager if it's not already installed. See the Installation
Guide for detailed installation instructions.
• Read through the Administration Guide.
• Determine the initial set of User Groups that you will create to control access to the functions in Applications
Manager.
• Set up User objects for the initial group of people that will be using Applications Manager. The key Users in the
beginning will be the developers.
Developer Road Map
If you are a developer, consider proceeding as follows:
• Finish reading this guide.
• Get your user name and password from your Applications Manager administrator so that you can log into
the Applications Manager client.
• Read through the Development Guide.
• Select one relatively simple series of processes that you want to automate in Applications Manager.
• Create Jobs for each program.
• Create a Process Flow and add the Jobs to the Process Flow. If you have been running programs with scripts,
the Process Flow should replace the scripts.
Operator Road Map
If you are an operator, consider proceeding as follows:
• Finish reading this guide.
• Get your user name and password from your Applications Manager administrator so that you can log into
the Applications Manager client.
• Read through the User Guide.
• Experiment with the Explorer window, running some of the pre-loaded Jobs that ship with Applications
Manager.
Reading This Guide
We included this as the first step in the road maps above, but we wanted to repeat the suggestion here. Continue
reading this Getting Started Guide. Regardless of your role with Applications Manager, we recommend reading the
entire Getting Started Guide. It will give you a good overview of all the tasks that should be performed to get the
maximum benefit from Applications Manager. While you may not perform all the tasks, it will be useful for you to
know what others are doing with the product.
Getting Training
Broadcom Education offers basic training courses that orient you to the product and show you how to use the
major features. These resources provide a fast and easy way to get started with Applications Manager. For more
information, see Broadcom Education.

Applications Manager Architecture

The Applications Manager architecture has been designed to create a robust, scalable system. At a minimum, an
Applications Manager installation includes the following components:
• Applications Manager Automation Engine and Local Agent
• Applications Manager Oracle database
• RMI server
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• A Web server to "serve" the Java client to a PC or other workstation

• Clients
In larger systems, you may also have one or more Remote Agents. The diagram below shows the basic
components.

Automation Engine
The Automation Engine is the execution logic or brain of Applications Manager. It monitors Job and Process Flow
schedules and, at the appropriate time, sends them to the designated local or Remote Agent for execution. The
Automation Engine communicates with the Applications Manager database, where all object definitions are stored.
Local Agent
At a minimum, a basic Applications Manager setup will include a single Automation Engine and its Local Agent.
The Local Agent runs programs or executes scripts on the host machine where the Applications Manager
Automation Engine is installed. It receives commands from the Automation Engine.
Applications Manager Database
Applications Manager uses object definitions stored in an Oracle database to give it an advantage over all other
schedulers. When you create a Job, Process Flow, or other Applications Manager object, the definition is stored
in the Applications Manager Oracle relational database. You can then use the objects to build more complex
objects. For example, you might define a Database Login, then assign that login to many different Jobs. If the
login changes, you change it in one place, and Applications Manager uses the new definition everywhere it is
referenced. This object-oriented approach makes it easy to update and maintain the Applications Manager system.
Client
You access Applications Manager through a Java client. The client machine is the PC used to access the
Applications Manager graphical user interface. This means you can access Applications Manager from a PC or
workstation that has a Web browser. Client software provides access to all Applications Manager functions and
features. The clients communicate directly with the Applications Manager Automation Engine. You can have any
number of clients.
Remote Agent
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

In larger systems, you may have one or more Applications Manager Remote Agents on other servers. A Remote
Agent must be installed on each machine where tasks are executed. Any number of Remote Agents can report to a
single Automation Engine. Remote Agents may run on UNIX and Windows platforms.
The Automation Engine will schedule and control task execution on all the Agents assigned to it. The Agent
monitors tasks until they complete.

Configuring Applications Manager for Your Enterprise

The size of your enterprise computing environment will dictate the Applications Manager configuration. To get you
started, we will describe the typical configurations for small, medium, and large environments.
Small System
Even if you are installing Applications Manager on a small system, you will need the following components:
• Applications Manager Automation Engine and Local Agent
• Applications Manager Oracle database
• Clients
This configuration is shown below.

Medium System
If you are installing Applications Manager in a medium sized system, you will most likely add several Applications
Manager Remote Agents to execute programs on other machines. This configuration is shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Large System
In a large system, you may choose to install two or more Applications Manager Automation Engines. This
configuration is shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

An Applications Manager Automation Engine can process hundreds of thousands of tasks a day, so the choice
to install more than one Automation Engine is usually not because of load. A more likely reason is that you
are running Applications Manager in different data processing centers and do not want to depend on network
connections between the Automation Engine and Remote Agents.

Objects Reduce Development and Maintenance

Applications Manager replaces scripts with an object-oriented approach to process automation. In a traditional
operations environment, scripts drive process automation. Scripts incorporate the information required to run one
or more programs, direct output, and handle exceptions. The problem with scripts is the time required to write and
maintain them.
Applications Manager takes the individual components of a script such as program interfaces, Database Logins,
Queues, and Output Devices, and lets you define them as discrete objects. You can then combine the objects in
an unlimited number of combinations to handle your process automation and operations. And you can do all of this
without detailed knowledge of the operating systems. Another advantage is that when an object is changed, those
changes roll over to every use of the object.
The diagram below shows several Program Types, Logins, Queues, and Output Devices defined. These are
combined to create Jobs. The Jobs are then combined to create Process Flows. For example, Job A in the figure
uses the following objects:
• Program Type: ORACLE
• Login: ORC_FIN
• Queue: BATCH
• Output Device: PAYROLL
The program specified for Job A is "GL Import." This is the name of the program that will be run by this Job, and is
not an object in Applications Manager.
The "End-of-Period Close" Process Flow is made up of Jobs A through F. Notice that Jobs D and E can run
concurrently, while Jobs A, B, C, and F run sequentially.
All of the objects defined in the illustration, including the Jobs and Process Flow, can be reused in Applications
Manager.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Reports
To help you review the objects that have been created, Applications Manager includes many object Reports. The
Reports list all objects of each type, and in some cases, additional information about the objects.

Overview of Applications Manager Objects

The previous topic describes some of the objects you use to build Jobs. This topic describes all of the objects
available in Applications Manager. The objects are presented below in the same order they are listed in the sub-
menus under Object Admin on the Applications Manager Desktop. Their organization is based on the users who
are most likely to create each object.
Administration
• Agent Groups: balance the load between Agents on one or more machines.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Agents: are instances of Applications Manager. An Agent is installed on each machine where tasks are
executed. An Agent can be an Automation Engine's Local Agent, a Remote Agent, or an application-specific
Agent such as Oracle Applications or PeopleSoft.
• Logins: allow operators and programmers to run programs that access a database or host without having to
know the login and password.
• Output Devices: define any Output Device including printers, faxes, and email. You can print to a single Output
Device, or, through the use of distribution lists, multiple Output Devices.
• Output Groups: define organizational classes of Output Devices. When you define Applications Manager
Output Devices, you assign them to one or more Output Groups.
• Output Interfaces: interface between Applications Manager and an Output Device.
• User Authorities: control User access to Applications Manager windows and can give Users add privileges for
objects. You assign User Authorities to your User Groups.
• User Groups: control access to all areas of Applications Manager. In a traditional system, you create groups of
Users, Output Devices, and Applications. User Groups can contain any combination of objects, and objects can
be assigned to any number of User Groups.
• User Options: are the same options assigned to Users, but as objects, they are assigned to a User Group.
When User Options are assigned to a User Group, all Users in that User Group will have that User Option set to
true for them. You cannot add, edit, or delete User Option objects like other Applications Manager objects. You
can only assign them to User Groups.
• Users: control access to Applications Manager. You can assign names, access permissions, User Options, and
User Groups to Users.
Development
• Applications: logically group Jobs and Process Flows. Used to filter lists of Jobs and Process Flows.
• Calendars: define groups of days, such as holidays, that you can use for schedules. Schedules can run on, or
skip, the days in a Calendar.
• Data Types: specify the format for data passed to programs. They can include SQL statements that validate
responses and allow you to pick from lists.
• Environment Variables: store values you define for one or more variables as a single Applications Manager
object.
• Jobs: are the basic building blocks in Applications Manager. For each program you want to run (such as FTP,
application, or database load), you must create a Job. A Job contains all the information required to execute
a program and handle its output. Jobs are run both individually and as components of Applications Manager
Process Flows. Furthermore, a Job can be a component of as many Process Flows as you wish. If you change
a Job definition, the change is applied to every Process Flow that includes it.
• Libraries: define the path for the program that a Job runs.
• Message Templates: specify text to include in Notification output files. They allow the use of Substitution
Variables and Replacement Values for variable text.
• Notifications: send dynamic messages that are based upon on a task's status through email or any other
defined Output Device.
• Output Scans: scan output for text strings that indicate if a task has failed or succeeded.
• Process Flows: are containers that include one or more components (Jobs and other Process Flows), general
scheduling information for the Process Flow, specific eligibility for each of its components, and conditions that
must be met for each component to run.
• Program Types: define how programs accept input and handle output.
• Reports: view Reports for data in the Applications Manager database. Developers and administrators can
create custom SQL Reports in the Applications Manager client.
• Substitution Variables: store values that can be used in Jobs and Process Flows. Applications Manager lets
you use Substitution Variables, such as #today, in prompts and execution conditions assigned to Jobs.
Operations
• Queues: control the flow of tasks. All tasks must pass through an Applications Manager Queue to be executed.
• Thread Schedules: are assigned to one or more Queues or Agents. Thread Schedules define the number of
concurrent tasks that can run through a Queue or Agent at different times of the day.

Moving Around in the Applications Manager Client

The Applications Manager desktop includes a work space for windows and taskbar buttons similar to the desktop
used by many Windows applications. You can access all Applications Manager features and options using icons
and menu items on the desktop.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When you log in to Applications Manager, you are taken to the desktop shown below. From the desktop, you can
access all Applications Manager features and functions.

Opening Windows with the Toolbar

The toolbar at the top of the window displays a row of object icons. When you mouse over an icon, a ToolTip
displays the name of the icon. Clicking an icon opens the corresponding window. You can also access the windows
from the Operations and Object Admin menus. Users can choose which icons they want displayed in the toolbar.
Listings under the Activities menu open windows such as Explorer where you monitor the system, and Requests
where you run ad hoc tasks.
Listings under the Object Admin menu open selector windows where you can view, add, edit, or delete definitions
of objects such as Jobs, Process Flows, and Output Devices.
Selecting Active Windows with the Taskbar
When you open a window, an icon is placed in the taskbar running across the bottom of the desktop. The taskbar
gives you quick access to any open window, making it easy for you to switch back and forth while editing objects.
Using Selector Windows to Add, Edit, and Delete Objects
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Selector windows are used to manage Applications Manager objects. They are displayed when you select an icon
from the toolbar or an item from the Object Admin menu. There is a selector window for each type of Applications
Manager object. From a selector window, you can add, edit, and delete objects. In the image below, the New button
is selected on the Queues Selector window and a new Queue is being defined.

Jumping to Selector Windows from Fields

In many object definitions, you will see icons at the end of the data entry fields. For example, in the image above,
there is a schedule icon at the end of the Thread Schedule field. Clicking on this icon will open the Thread
Schedules Selector window where you can create a new Thread Schedule or edit an existing Thread Schedule.
Filtering Selector Window Lists
If you create a large number of a particular type of object, such as Jobs, you can filter the list displayed in the
selector window by typing the first few letters of an object in the Search field. This is much faster than scrolling
down the list. The Search field supports regular expressions and Oracle wildcards (such as %, &, and .).

Administration
If you are a Applications Manager administrator, you will be responsible for ensuring the system is up and running,
and that users can access the system. How much more you are responsible for will depend on the structure of your
IT shop. At the very least, you will probably be expected to:
• Ensure that the Applications Manager Automation Engine, Agents, RMI server, and Web server are up and
running.
• Provide Applications Manager User IDs and Logins to developers, production analysts, operations personnel,
network administrators and database administrators.
• Set the Automation Engine options.
You may also be responsible for one or more of the following:
• Defining Host and Database Logins
• Defining Output Devices
• Managing retention of Applications Manager records and report output
• Migrating Applications Manager objects between development, test, and production instances

Installing the Automation Engine, Agent, and Web Server

The Applications Manager installation program can install a complete working instance on a single machine. The
instance will include the following:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Applications Manager Automation Engine

• Applications Manager Local Agent
• RMI (Remote Method Invocation) server to support the Automation Engine
• A Web server to "serve" the Java client to a PC or other workstation
Acceptable Configurations
All components can reside on a single machine, or they can be spread across several machines. The diagram
below shows all components on a single machine.

This diagram shows a more likely scenario where the Applications Manager Automation Engine, Local Agent, RMI
server, and Web server are all on one machine, and the Applications Manager database is on another machine.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager Database

Applications Manager uses an Oracle database to store all object definitions. Before installing Applications
Manager, you must set up the Applications Manager database, giving it a specific set of grants. This is a relatively
easy procedure that your database administrator should be able to perform in a few minutes. The required grants
are documented in the Installation Guide.

Controlling Access to Applications Manager and its Objects

To access Applications Manager, each user must be assigned a User object. Usually the Applications Manager
administrator is in charge of creating the Users.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The login allows a User to enter the Applications Manager client. Once the User is in the client, access to objects
and to different areas of the product, often referred to as managers, is controlled by User Groups.
User Groups Are Important
User Groups control access to the Applications Manager and its objects. When you create a User, you assign one
or more User Groups to the User. You can think of User Groups as containers. After creating a User Group, you
add objects and Users to the User Group. Users have access to all the objects in the container.
It's important for you to give some thought to the User Groups that will best serve the security needs of your
organization. For example, if you are a very small shop, you may need only a few User Groups such as
administrator, developer, and operations. If you are a large shop, you may want to use a more extensive set of User
Groups such as: administrator, financial applications developer, sales inventory application developer, customer
relations application developer, network administrator, database administrator, operator, and production analyst.
Each User Group would give access to different parts of Applications Manager and to a different set of objects.
The top row in the image below illustrates three typical User Groups: programmer, operator, and end-user. The
image also shows two additional programmer User Groups: edit and non-edit. The two User Groups make it
possible to give programmers read-only access to some objects, and edit access to other objects.

The programmers would be assigned to both User Groups. For example, you might give programmers read-only
access to:
• Objects that ship with the product (such as system Jobs and Process Flows).
• Objects that might be created by an Applications Manager administrator (such as Output Devices).
• Objects that might be created by a database administrator (such as Logins).
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Certain objects such as Queues (to give access to the Explorer window).
On the other hand, you would give programmers edit access to the Jobs and Process Flows that they create.
By having the two User Groups, you have the flexibility to give a group of Users the access they require to
accomplish their Job. You would most likely want an edit and non-edit User Group for operators as well. End-users
may only require a single non-edit User Group because they would not be creating objects.
DBA User Group
When you first install Applications Manager, there is one User Group called "DBA" that is assigned to the default
User. The "DBA" User Group gives the default User access to all functions and objects in Applications Manager.
By logging in as the default User (see the Installation Guide for the default user name and password), you can then
define additional Users.

Controlling Access to Hosts and Databases

A common security breach in traditional operations environments is the need to hard code host and database
passwords into scripts used to run tasks. For example, if you are running an FTP task from a script, you have to
include the target Host Login and password. Or if you are running a program that accesses a database, you have
to hard code the Database Login and password. Applications Manager solves this problem with Login objects.
Logins Window
In Applications Manager, you can define Host and Database Logins using the Logins window. An example
Database Login is shown below.

An example Host Login is shown below.

Login Objects Used by Developers

The advantage of the Applications Manager Logins is that developers can use them without having to know the
host or database password. They simply select a Login from a drop-down list box
For example, when a developer defines a Job to run a task that must access a database, the developer can select
a Database Login as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can control the Logins that are displayed in the list box by using Applications Manager User Groups. Only the
Logins that are included in a User Group assigned to the developer will be displayed. Security is maintained, and
the developer's task is made easier.
Encrypted Passwords
In both Host and Database Logins, the Login names are displayed as plain text, but the passwords are encrypted.
The only person who knows the password is the person who entered it in Applications Manager. This ensures a
high level of security.
Reduced Maintenance
By defining the Database and Host Logins as objects in Applications Manager, you can update a Login in one place
and have that change take effect everywhere the Login is used. This greatly reduces your maintenance time.

Managing Output
Applications Manager can capture output from any task it runs, send the output to any type of Output Device, and
make the output available for viewing online through the Applications Manager Java client.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager includes a built-in output distribution function that can send output to almost any type of
Output Device including traditional printers, fax machines, plotters, and email. But Applications Manager also can
make the output available for online viewing directly from the Applications Manager client.

Output Device Objects

For Applications Manager to send output to an Output Device, you must define that Output Device as an object in
Applications Manager. When you have defined the Output Device, you can assign it to one or more Applications
Manager Jobs. If the Output Device changes, you only need to update the Output Device definition in Applications
Manager in one place.
Talking to Output Devices
When Applications Manager sends output to an Output Device such as a laser printer, it uses an Output Interface
script. The script builds the appropriate print command for the device. Writing the scripts is straightforward and is
typically handled by your network administrator.
Applications Manager ships with several Output Interface scripts already defined, including Output Interfaces for
UNIX, Linux, and Windows. Below is an example of the UNIX script that ships with Applications Manager:

file=$1
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

shift
eval "lp $* $file"
exit $?

As an Applications Manager administrator, you may define Output Devices in Applications Manager, or you may
provide access to a network administrator to define the device.
Online Viewing
When Applications Manager runs a task, such as an Oracle Applications or PeopleSoft task, it builds the
appropriate commands using an Applications Manager Program Type interface script. Also incorporated in the
script is the ability to register the output from the task and make it available instantly for online viewing. This
capability is an integral part of Applications Manager.
When determining how to make the best use of Applications Manager output management, you should examine
this ability to view output online and how it might affect how you currently distribute output.
Applications Manager interface scripts are available for the most popular enterprise applications, and Broadcom
Global Services Offerings services can create custom scripts for almost any application.

Retaining Output Files and Operations Records

The Applications Manager SYSTEM Process Flow deletes outdated output files and clears old records from the
history tables.
In today's post-Sarbanes/Oxley environment, retention policies are more important than ever for audit purposes.
You must be able to show that the tasks in a Process Flow executed successfully and produced the desired output.
As the Applications Manager administrator, you may be responsible for assuring that output files and history
records are being retained for the required length of time.
SYSTEM Process Flow
Output files and history records are purged by the Applications Manager SYSTEM Process Flow that ships with the
product. The Process Flow includes two Jobs:
• DELDEFAULT: purges output files based on settings in the Job definition
• HISTORY_PURGE: purges old history files based on parameters set in the HISTORY_PURGE Job
By default, the SYSTEM Process Flow runs every day at midnight. You can change the schedule to accommodate
your operations environment.
Output File Retention Set at the Job Level
In Applications Manager, when a developer defines a Job to run a program, the developer can choose how long to
retain the output files generated by the task. On the Output tab of the Jobs window, the developer can set:
• Retention days.
• Maximum number of revisions.
These two settings work together to determine how long output files are retained. Note that Applications Manager
will use the maximum number of revisions only if that option is set for the Automation Engine.
History Records Retention
History records are displayed in the Explorer window in the History pane as shown below. How long these records
are available for viewing in the History pane is determined by the prompt value set for the HISTORY_PURGE Job
in the SYSTEM process flow.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Archiving Records
The SYSTEM Process Flow purges output files and History records, but it does not archive the files or records.
If you wish to perform archive functions, consider building an archive Process Flow that executes the functions.
For example you could create a Process Flow that prints a report of the History records, moves the records to
an archival database, and moves the output files to an archival directory. This archival Process Flow could be
scheduled to run before the SYSTEM process flow.
You should never modify the SYSTEM Process Flow because it is reinstalled every time you upgrade or reinstall
Applications Manager. If you want to modify the SYSTEM Process Flow, copy it to another Process Flow, then
modify the copied Process Flow and run it instead of the SYSTEM process flow.

Setting Automation Engine Options

You can control the behavior of the Applications Manager Automation Engine by setting the Automation Engine
options.
When you install Applications Manager, there are a number of options set for the Automation Engine by default.
These options control a wide range of behaviors. The default settings represent the most common settings used by
Applications Manager customers.
If you want to change these options, you can do so from the Automation Engine Options tab for the Automation
Engine in the Agents window shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Moving Objects from One System to Another

When you want to move Applications Manager objects from one system to another, you use the Export and Import
features. When importing, you can map objects, including objects that were not exported. You can save the map file
and use it for other imports.
If you are like many Applications Manager customers, you will maintain development, test, and production
instances of Applications Manager. This raises the issue of how to move Applications Manager objects created in
the development instance to the test and production instances. Migration from one machine to another is one of the
most error-prone tasks in the IT environment. Applications Manager provides export and import utilities that make
the process easy and reliable.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Moving Applications Manager objects from one instance to another is a simple three-step process:
1. Export the objects from the source machine.
2. Move the export file to the target machine.
3. Import the objects to the target machine.
Exporting Objects
To export objects, use the Exports window and build an export list. The list can include any number of objects. You
can export all Applications Manager objects except Agents, Agent Groups, Logins, and Users. When you select
an object, Applications Manager automatically identifies any supporting objects. For example, if you include a Job,
Applications Manager identifies any Output Devices assigned to the Job and gives you the opportunity to add the
Output Devices to the export list. You can save the export list and reuse it the next time you want to export objects.
After building the export list, you run the export program. The program generates the export file.
Moving the Export File
After generating the export file, you transfer the file from the source machine to the target machine.
Importing Objects
On the target machine, use the Imports window to import the objects from the export file. When you load the file
into the Imports window, support objects such as Agents, Agent Groups, Logins, and Users that could not be
included in the file will be flagged. You can then map these objects to corresponding objects on the target machine.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

For example, suppose you are exporting from a development machine to a test machine. An exported Job was
defined to run on the DEV Agent. On the test machine, the corresponding Agent is TEST. You simply map the DEV
Agent to the TEST Agent.
When you have completed mapping the objects, you can save the map for repeated use, ensuring consistency.
To complete the process, you run the import. The objects are added to the target instance.

Development
As a developer, you will create objects used to define Jobs and run tasks. When we talk about development in
Applications Manager, we are referring to the creation of Jobs to run tasks, and the addition of Jobs to Process
Flows. If you are a developer, you will most likely:
• Create Jobs to run programs and scripts.
• Create Process Flows to run a series of Jobs.
• Add dependencies to Process Flow components to establish the correct execution order in Process Flows.
• Define Job parameters.
• Add IF - THEN logic to Jobs and Process Flows to ensure the correct conditions exist before they execute.
• Automate retrieval of values from databases to eliminate data entry errors.
• Schedule Jobs and Process Flows to automate production.
Objects
As you build Jobs and Process Flows, you will use a number of objects including:
• Applications to categorize Jobs and Process Flows
• Libraries to specify paths to programs
• Program Types to interface with programs and applications
• Database and Host Logins
• Substitution Variables to store values used in Job parameters
• Queues to control load on your systems
• Output Devices to distribute output
There are many other objects that you may use, or that may be used by the Applications Manager administrator or
operators.
Naming Conventions
You should put some thought into naming conventions for your objects because you cannot readily rename objects
in Applications Manager. This is not a problem if an object is not used in very many places because you can copy
the object, give it a new name, then replace the old object with the new object. But if you have used the object in
many places, copying and replacing is not practical.
Replacing Scripts with Jobs and Process Flows
One of the greatest returns on your investment in Applications Manager can be realized by replacing your scripts
with Applications Manager Jobs and Process Flows. Long scripts that have been used to run nightly batch
processing can be broken up, and each program run by the script can be replaced by a Job. Those Jobs can then
be combined to create a Process Flow that duplicates, or improves, the Job flow in the original script. Elements in
the script that handle output should be replaced by Applications Manager Output Devices.
If the scripts require manual intervention by operators, every attempt should be made to use Applications
Manager predecessors, conditions, and Substitution Variables to automate these manual steps. Predecessors
and conditions can ensure that the Jobs in a Process Flow execute in the correct sequence and that the correct
conditions have been met for the tasks to execute successfully. Substitution Variables can be used to automatically
enter values for parameters where the values are retrieved from your corporate database at the time of execution.
These three features (predecessors, conditions, and Substitution Variables) give you the power to automate
operations to a greater extent than is possible with any other distributed scheduler.
Scheduling
Depending on the size of your organization, you may be responsible for scheduling Jobs and Process Flows, or this
responsibility may fall to production analysts. Either way, Applications Manager has an extensive set of features
for scheduling Jobs and Process Flows. You should be able to create schedules that closely match your corporate
data processing procedures.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Creating Jobs to Run Programs and Scripts

A Job is an Applications Manager object that specifies all the information required to run a program or script. Jobs
are among the most important objects in Applications Manager. After you have defined a Job, you can:
• Run the Job manually from the Requests window.
• Run the Job on a set schedule.
• Add the Job to one or more Process Flows.
When Do I Need to Create a Job?
You need to create a Job when you want to run a program, application, or script from Applications Manager. For
example, you would create a Job to:
• Perform a data load.
• Run an Oracle GL import Job.
• Run a UNIX script.
• Execute an FTP.
• Run a report.
Basic Information Required to Create Jobs
The basic information required to create a Job is listed below:
• The name of the program or script to be run
• The name of the Program Type that will build the appropriate command to run the program or script
• The name of the Applications Manager Agent where the program or script will be run
• If required, a host or Database Login
• If required, prompts to define the parameters required to run the program or script
• The Output Device or devices that will receive the output generated by the program or script
The General tab for a sample Job is shown below. Note the additional tabs where you would enter other
information such as Output Devices, Logins, schedules, prompts, predecessors, and conditions.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The Role of Program Types Scripts

You must assign a Program Type to every Job you create. Behind the Program Type is an interface script that tells
Applications Manager how to run the Job. The script:
• Builds the command that executes the program.
• Passes any parameters required to run the program.
• Detects errors generated by the program.
• Registers the output generated by the program so it can be printed by Applications Manager and viewed online
through the Applications Manager client.
• Terminates the program.
Applications Manager ships with, or has available as extensions, a number of Program Types and matching
Program Type scripts including:
• UNIX and Windows shell scripts
• Java programs
• SCT Banner
• SQL*Plus programs
• Oracle
• PeopleSoft
If you need to run a custom application or a third-party application, you will need to create a new Program Type
and matching Program Type script. The Development Guide gives detailed information on creating Program Type
scripts. Broadcom also offers consulting services to create the scripts.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Creating Process Flows to Run a Series of Jobs

If you are using scripts to run your nightly batch processing, review those scripts to see how you can convert
them to Jobs and Process Flows. Long scripts that have been used to run nightly batch processing can be broken
up, and each program run by the script can be replaced by a Job. Those Jobs can then be combined to create a
Process Flow that duplicates, or improves, the Job flow in the original script.
If the scripts require manual intervention by operators, every attempt should be made to use Applications
Manager predecessors, conditions, and Substitution Variables to automate these manual steps. Predecessors
and conditions can ensure that the Jobs in a Process Flow execute in the correct sequence and that the correct
conditions have been met for the tasks to execute successfully. Substitution Variables can be used to automatically
enter values for parameters where the values are retrieved from your corporate database at the time of execution.
These three features (predecessors, conditions, and Substitution Variables) give you the power to automate
operations to a greater extent than is possible with any other distributed scheduler.
Example Process Flow
For example, suppose you have a script that executes the following steps:
1. Purge data
2. FTP data from mainframe
3. Load data
4. Cleanse Data
5. Run three reports against the data
6. Perform a GL import
7. Perform a GL post
In Applications Manager, you might create a Process Flow that would look like the following.

Notice that each step is completed sequentially. The three reports are run as a sub Process Flow, and are
processed simultaneously. However, the GL_IMPORT step will not execute until the three reports have run.
Process Flow Size
How large should you make a Process Flow? There are no hard and fast rules. A Process Flow may contain
up to 999 components. A component can be a Job or another Process Flow. When you add a Process Flow to
another Process Flow, it is considered a sub Process Flow. Sub Process Flows can include their own sub Process
Flows. While you can sub Process Flow to 32 levels, three levels of sub Process Flows is sufficient for most
implementations.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Below are some guidelines to help you decide how large to make a Process Flow:
• If your entire nightly batch processing centers around one application, and each Job is tightly integrated with the
other Jobs, you could run your entire nightly batch processing from one single Process Flow.
• If you have several processing runs that deal with different applications with no interaction, you might consider
creating a Process Flow for each application. Each Process Flow could be scheduled to run at a set time during
the batch processing window.
• If you are running nightly batch processing that involves multiple applications with many interrelated Jobs, you
might create a number of sub Process Flows, then add those sub Process Flows to one main nightly batch
processing Process Flow scheduled to run at the beginning of your batch processing window.
• If you are modeling a Process Flow that is used in several different batch processing sequences, you may want
to create the flow as a separate Process Flow that you can then add to several other larger Process Flows. This
takes advantage of the fact that Process Flows are reusable objects in Applications Manager. If the Process
Flow changes, you can make edits to the Process Flow in one place and they will take effect everywhere the
Process Flow is in use.
To a great extent, whether you use a few large Process Flows, or create many smaller Process Flows will depend
on the preferences of your operations group. Applications Manager can accommodate both approaches.
Managing Large Process Flows
If you choose to create large Process Flows, sub Process Flows and groups can help you manage them. Both
sub Process Flows and groups can be expanded and collapsed to show and hide their components. Collapsing
sub Process Flows and groups can make it easier to see the big picture in a large Process Flow. The image below
shows a collapsed sub Process Flow called DATA_REPORTS.

In contrast to sub Process Flows that are independent objects added to a Process Flow, groups are created within
a Process Flow from components that already exist in the Process Flow. Groups are used to manage collections
of components. For example, groups can display parallel flows in a Process Flow more clearly. Groups, like sub
Process Flows, can be collapsed to save real estate in the Process Flows window. Unlike sub Process Flows,
groups are not independent objects. They exist only with the Process Flow where they are created and you cannot
copy or reuse them.

Adding Dependencies to Jobs

In Applications Manager, execution order of components in a Process Flow is determined by dependencies. You
define dependencies by adding predecessor links between components. By default, when you add components to
a Process Flow using the drag-and-drop method, Applications Manager automatically adds success predecessor
links between the components. The result is that you can quickly and easily build simple Process Flows similar to
the one shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You also can add predecessor links to standalone Jobs. In this case, the links identify other tasks that must
complete before the standalone Job will execute.
Internal vs. External Predecessor Links
The Process Flow shown above relies on internal predecessors links, which means all links are contained within
the parent Process Flow, in this case NIGHTLY_PRODUCTION. But what if a step in this Process Flow was
dependent on a step in another Process Flow completing successfully? You would need to create an external
predecessor link as shown below. The link goes from the FTP Job in the NIGHTLY_PRODUCTION Process Flow to
the CK_DISK Job in the External References box.

Types of Predecessor Links

There are several types of internal and external predecessor links. They are described briefly below.
• Success (default)
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The predecessor component has completed successfully.

The Applications Manager success logic is quite sophisticated; there are other scenarios which cause success
requirements to be satisfied. See the Development Guide for more details.
• Started
The predecessor component has started or has been skipped in this run of the process flow.
• Complete
The predecessor component has completed processing. The actual status does not matter.
• Success since last run
The predecessor component has completed successfully since the last time the Job ran. This link type is only
available for external predecessors. It is useful for Process Flows that run multiple times a day.
• Success (skip on failure)
The task runs if the predecessor runs successfully, but skips if the predecessor fails. This type of predecessor is
often used for branching logic along with the Failure (skip on success) predecessor described below.
• Failure (skip on success)
The task runs if the predecessor fails, but skips if the predecessor runs successfully. This type of predecessor is
often used for branching logic along with the Success (skip on failure) predecessor described above.
• Success only when FINISHED
The predecessor runs and goes into a FINISHED status. This link type is only available for external
predecessors. If the external predecessor is deleted, it will not satisfy the predecessor link requirements.
• Failure
The predecessor fails.
Note that predecessor logic in Applications Manager can be complex. You should thoroughly study the predecessor
chapter in the Development Guide before beginning to create Process Flows.

Passing Parameters to Programs and Scripts

Prompts pass parameters to a program or script run by a Job.
If you are creating an Applications Manager Job that runs a program or a script that takes one or more parameters,
you must create prompts for the Job. For example, the employees.sql script shown below runs a report of
employees for a department. The script has one variable dept_name shown in bold.

set verify off

set feedback off
set termout off
spool &so_outfile
column ename heading 'Employee|Name'
column dname heading 'Dept|Name'
select emp.ename, dept.dname
from emp, dept
where dept.dname = '&dept_name'
and emp.deptno = dept.deptno;
spool off

While creating the Job to run this program, you would include a prompt where the department name could be
entered. The image below shows an FTP Job that takes seven parameters:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Types of Prompts
There are four types of prompts you can create. The type of prompt determines how the information is entered. The
different types of prompts are described below.

Prompt Type Description

Default The prompt has a default value that users are not
allowed to change. Use this type of prompt when the
parameters for a Job do not change frequently.

Fill-in The prompt may or may not have a default value.

Users are allowed to change the value. Use this type of
prompt when you do not want to retrieve the value from
a database.

Single selection from a list Users may select one (and only one) choice from a
predefined list of possible values. The values can
be pulled from any database table. Use this type of
prompt when end-users will be running the Job from
the Requests window and you want to avoid data entry
errors.

Multiple selection from a list Users may select one or more choices from a
predefined list of possible values. The values can
be pulled from any database table. Use this type of
prompt when end-users will be running the Job from
the Requests window and you want to avoid data entry
errors.

Sources for Prompt Values

When you define a prompt for a Job, there are several ways values can be entered for the prompt:
• When you define the prompt, you can enter a default value. The default value will be used whenever the Job is
run if no other value is supplied. For most Jobs that will be included in a Process Flow, you will want to enter a
default value.
• When you define the prompt, you can enter an Applications Manager Substitution Variables as the default
value. The Substitution Variables pulls a value from a database at the time the Job is executed. For example, a
program may require today's date as one of its parameters. You can enter the Substitution Variables #today as
the default prompt value. When the Job is run in a Process Flow or from the Requests window, today's date will
automatically be filled in for the prompt. This is a very powerful feature in Applications Manager that makes full
automation of your Process Flows an attainable goal.
• If you run the Job from the Requests window, you can enter a value for the prompt. If you have end-users
running tasks from Applications Manager, being able to enter values allows them to customize the tasks. You
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

can even define the prompt using a SQL query that will pull a list of values from a database table and present
them to a user when they run the Job from the Requests window. For example, a user could run a sales report
and select their region from a list. By selecting values from a list, you eliminate the possibility of a data entry
error.
• If you add the Job to a Process Flow, prompt values for the Job can be retrieved from the Process Flow header
using special numbered Substitution Variables. This means you can enter one set of values in the Process Flow
header, run the Process Flow using those values, then enter a second set of values and run the Process Flow
again. The entire process can be automated so that the sets of values are pulled from rows in a database table.
The Process Flow is run once for every row in the table. This technique is particularly useful for running Oracle's
Multi-Org.

Adding IF - THEN Logic to Jobs and Process Flows

One of the way Applications Manager is a truly intelligent scheduler is by using conditions. Conditions are "if...
then" statements that you can add to Jobs, Process Flows, and Process Flow components to control execution of
those objects. Some examples include:
• If JOB_ABC has completed successfully, run JOB_XYZ.
• If the current time is later than 4:00 A.M., put JOB_ABC on hold and notify operations.
• If there are fewer than 100 transactions in the sales database, delay sales processing for 30 minutes and check
again.
• If a task has been waiting in the Backlog for more than 30 minutes, switch it to a higher priority Queue.
You can add as many conditions to a Job or Process Flow as you wish. If you have not added conditions to the
Jobs in a Process Flow, the Jobs will execute sequentially based solely on the predecessor links.
Defining a Condition
To define a condition, you select the timing, the type of condition, the test, and the action. An example of a
CHECK FILE condition is shown below.

In the example above:

• The condition is checked BEFORE the task is run.
• The condition type is CHECK FILE.
• The test checks for any file with a .rep extension in a particular directory on the Agent machine.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• The action taken is to delay the task by five minutes and run the check again.
When to Use Conditions
Conditions are an optional feature in Applications Manager. You can create a Process Flow and add Jobs to it, and
the Jobs will execute in the order they are displayed in the Process Flow. Schedule the Process Flow to run on
certain days at a specific time, and you are ready to go. It's quick and easy to build and schedule such a Process
Flow, and it may be all you need.
But you will want to add conditions to the components in a Process Flow if you want to synchronize the Process
Flow with events taking place outside of the Process Flow. For example:
• Run a Process Flow a second time when a certain Job in the Process Flow completes. In other words, the two
runs of the Process Flow will overlap, with the second run starting based on completion of a specific Job in the
first run.
• Run a Process Flow only when a certain number of records exist in a database table.
• Run a Process Flow at 10:00 P.M., but ensure that a specific component in the Process Flow does not run until
after midnight.
• Run a Process Flow only if the Job XYZ completed within the last two days.
Jobs, Process Flows, and Process Flow Components
You can add conditions to standalone Jobs, to Process Flows, and to Jobs and Process Flows within a Process
Flow. This gives you a great deal of flexibility in controlling execution of tasks in Applications Manager.
Before, During, and After Conditions
You can create conditions that are checked before, during, or after a Process Flow or component executes. For
example, for one Job in a Process Flow you might create:
• A BEFORE condition that checks if a specific data file exists.
• A DURING condition that sends an email Notification to operators if the task is running too long.
• An AFTER condition that changes the status from FINISHED to FINISHED WITH ERRORS based on the
return code.
You can add as many conditions as you need to control the execution of Jobs and Process Flows.

Retrieving Values from Databases

Substitution Variables store values that can be used in prompts and conditions in Jobs and Process Flows. The
values can be stored in a database table or generated by a SQL statement at the time a task is submitted.
Imagine if you could eliminate data entry errors by automatically retrieving parameter values from your corporate
database. And what if you could control the execution of tasks based on information stored in your corporate
database. Applications Manager Substitution Variables make it possible to do both.
What are Substitution Variables?
In Applications Manager, Substitution Variables are objects that store values. The values can be fixed or dynamic.
Dynamic variables retrieve values from a database using a SQL statement. For example, the Substitution Variables
shown below uses a SQL statement to retrieve the number of employees listed in the EMP table. The Substitution
Variables is called #count_employees.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Eliminating Data Entry Errors

Data entry errors are some of the most common mistakes made in operations. In Applications Manager, you can
eliminate these errors by using Substitution Variables to enter parameter values. For example, the image below
shows a report that must be run using the first and last day of the month as its parameter values. The Substitution
Variables #yesterday and #today are being used to fill in the start and end dates.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Controlling the Execution of Tasks

Once you define a Substitution Variables, you can use it in a condition statement to control the execution of a task.
In the image below, a condition statement delays the execution of the EMPLOYEES_REPORT Job 30 minutes
every time the #count_employees Substitution Variables returns a value less than 50. When the value exceeds 50,
the Job executes.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Scheduling Jobs and Process Flows

With Applications Manager, you can create schedules to run Jobs and Process Flows that account for days of the
week, specific days of the month, days in a Calendar, workdays, and fiscal Calendars.
After creating Jobs and Process Flows, you can schedule them to run automatically. You can schedule individual
Jobs as well as Process Flows. Applications Manager can accommodate just about any scheduling requirement
from the simplest to the most complex. For example:
• Run Monday through Friday at 1:00 A.M and 2:00 P.M.
• Run once an hour on the half-hour from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
• Run on the last Friday of the month.
• Run only on holidays.
• Run Monday through Friday except on holidays.
• Run on the first workday of the month based on a fiscal Calendar.
You create schedules for each Job and Process Flow that you want to automate. Unlike the other objects in
Applications Manager, schedules belong to a specific Job or Process Flow and cannot be assigned to other Jobs
and Process Flows.
Scheduling Intervals
When you create a schedule, you can choose from a wide range of units as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Multiple Schedules
You can create more than one schedule for a Job or Process Flow. For example, if you want a Process Flow to run
Monday through Friday at 1:00 A.M., and Saturday at 8:00 A.M., you can create two schedules. You can review the
schedules using the 12 Month Display shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Scheduling with Calendars

You can build Calendars in Applications Manager and use them as run dates or as skip dates. For example, you
can create a Calendar of holidays and use it as a run Calendar or as a skip Calendar. Unlike schedules, Calendars
can be reused with any number of Jobs and Process Flows.
You can build Calendars one day at a time, or use rules. Rules are useful when you want to add dates such as the
5th work day of the month, or the first or last workday of the month.
Along with traditional Calendars, you also can create fiscal Calendars to better match your corporate business
model.
Setting Eligibility in Process Flows
When you schedule a Process Flow, the entire Process Flow is launched at the specified date and time. However,
you can choose not to run individual components in a Process Flow on specific days of the week, to run only on
dates in a Calendar, or to skip on dates in a Calendar. This provides an additional level of control over schedules.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Running a Custom or Third-Party Application

To run a custom or third-party application, you define an Applications Manager interface script and matching
program type.
When you define a Job to run a program or script, you assign it an Applications Manager Program Type. A Program
Type is an Applications Manager object that calls an interface script. The interface script provides the bridge
between Applications Manager and the target program. The script:
• Builds the command that executes the program.
• Passes any parameters required to run the program.
• Detects errors generated by the program.
• Registers the output generated by the program so it can be printed by Applications Manager and viewed online
through the Applications Manager client.
• Terminates the program.
The image below shows an example of an Applications Manager Job using an INVENT Program Type.

The INVENT Program Type calls the INVENT interface script, which in turn runs the XYZ task in the Inventory
custom application.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager ships with, or has available as add-ons, Program Types and their matching interface scripts
to run some of the more common programs including:
• Java programs
• SCT Banner
• COBOL
• UNIX and Windows shell scripts
• SQL*Plus programs
• Oracle
• PeopleSoft
If you want to run a custom application, or a third-party software program, you must write an Applications Manager
interface script. The advantage of writing an interface script is that once it is written, you can use it to run an
unlimited number of tasks in the target application or program. This is in keeping with the Applications Manager
object-oriented approach to development.
The Development Guide documents how to create Program Type interface scripts. Applications Manager also
offers consulting services to create the scripts.
Sample UNIX Program Type Script
Below is a listing of a sample EXEC Program Type script used to run UNIX shell scripts. The line numbers have
been added for reference and do not appear in the actual script.

1 :
2 #!/bin/sh
3 #copyright 2009 by Automic Software GmbH
4 # $Header:
/isa/devel/soport/so/dev/sostage/RCS/EXEC-EXECS,v
1.2 2004/02/24 19:06:46 billw Exp $
5 arg="$program `$SQLOPER_HOME/exec/ONELINE $par`"
6 eval $arg
7 err=$?
8 if [ -f $file ]; then
9 $AW_HOME/exec/FILESIZE $file $err
10 err=$?
11 fi
12 if [ -f $OUTPUT/$file ]; then
13 file=$OUTPUT/$file;export file
14 $AW_HOME/exec/FILESIZE $file $err
15 err=$?
16 fi
17 exit $err

The table below lists the key functions a Program Type script must perform, and the corresponding lines in the
EXEC program.

Function Line(s) Notes

Program execution 6 Accomplished with the eval

command. Note that arg includes
the $program variable.

Parameter passing 5 Accomplished with ONELINE and

$par.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Function Line(s) Notes

Error determination 7, 10, 15, 17 The code err=$? traps the exit
status of the last command
executed.

Output registration 9, 14 Accomplished by FILESIZE.

Debug/administration --- Not present in this script.

Termination 17 Accomplished with exit command.

$err traps exit code.

Getting Notified when a Task Fails

Applications Manager includes a Notification object that alerts you to unusual task runs.
If you are an operations-intensive shop, you will be monitoring Applications Manager through the Explorer window.
If you are more of a "lights out" shop, no one will be monitoring Applications Manager. You will want to be notified
when a task does not complete as expected, or perhaps that a task has completed on time, letting you know that
your batch production run is on schedule. Both types of Notification are handled by the Applications Manager
Notification feature. You can receive Notifications by email, page, or any other type of device.
You define Notifications in Applications Manager, then assign them to Process Flow components, Jobs,
Applications, and Program Types. Details from a sample Notification definition are shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Versatility
When you define a Notification, you can enter multiple details covering a variety of conditions. For example, you
can enter one detail that sends out an email when a task finishes. The message could read:

"Task <job name> finished on <date> at <time>."

where <Job name>, <date>, and <time> are filled in for each particular task.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You could enter a second detail that sends out a pager message when a task fails. The message could read:

"<job name> on <agent> failed at <time>"

By using the variables in the messages, the Notification object can apply to any task.
Assigning Notifications
After you have defined a Notification, you can assign it to Process Flow components, Jobs, Applications, and
Program Types. Being able to assign Notification objects to Applications and Program Types makes it easy to set
up Notifications for a whole class of Jobs.

Detecting Failed Tasks by Scanning Output

Output Scans are Applications Manager objects used to scan output for text strings that indicate if a task has failed
or succeeded. They are assigned to Jobs and Program Types. Each Output Scan includes one or more rules.
Some programs can complete, executing successfully, but not accomplish their intended work. For example, an
Oracle report may execute correctly, but return bad data. The only way to tell if the report content is correct is to
parse the report text. If the error occurs at the beginning of a Process Flow, all subsequent processing may be
incorrect. The error may not be detected until the entire Process Flow is done processing, leaving no time to rerun
the Process Flow within the processing batch window.
Output Scans
Output Scans are Applications Manager objects used to scan output for text strings that indicate if a task has failed
or succeeded. They are assigned to Jobs and Program Types. A rule from an example Output Scan is shown
below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Each Output Scan includes one or more rules. To use an Output Scan, you:
• Define the Output Scan object.
• Add rules to the Output Scan.
• Assign the Output Scan to one or more Jobs and Program Types.

Operations
As an operator, you will monitor tasks as they run through Applications Manager.
Applications Manager provides robust operations tools through the Explorer window. From Explorer, you can:
• Monitor the system.
• Run tasks on an as-needed basis.
• Find out what tasks will run during your shift.
• Troubleshoot tasks.
• Take actions on tasks.
• Handle exceptions to normal processing.
• View and print task output.
• Control load on the system.
• Prevent Applications Manager from launching tasks.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Monitoring the System

As an operator, one of your key responsibilities will be to monitor the tasks running through Applications Manager.
You monitor the Applications Manager system using the Explorer window shown below.

The Explorer window includes three panes and a status bar. The pane on the left displays a navigational tree.
The item you select in the navigational tree determines what is displayed in the top right pane of the window. The
bottom right pane always displays the History.
The Backlog and History
When a task is submitted in Applications Manager, it is sent to the Backlog. Tasks remain in the Backlog until they
complete successfully or are deleted. Selecting Backlog from the navigational tree displays in the top right pane all
tasks in the Backlog.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When a task completes executing, Applications Manager removes it from the Backlog and writes a record to the
History. Applications Manager also writes records to the History when tasks are killed or when they fail with a status
such as ABORTED.
Taking the Pulse of the System
The status bar runs across the bottom of the Explorer window and provides status at a glance. Its color reflects
the most severe status of the Applications Manager Automation Engine and Agents, and the tasks running in the
Backlog. The status bar colors have the following meaning:

Color Description

Green All tasks, Automation Engines, and Agents are running

satisfactorily.

Yellow One or more tasks are on hold.

If there are aborted tasks and tasks on hold, the aborted
tasks take precedence and the status bar will be red.

Red One or more tasks have aborted, or the Automation

Engine or an Agent has a BUSY or TROUBLE status.

When the Explorer window is minimized, the button on the taskbar uses the same color scheme.
Using the Explorer Tree Icons
The navigation pane on the left side of the window provides a tree structure with selectable object icons. When you
select an icon, Applications Manager displays the matching information in the top right pane of the window. The
pane can show:
• The Backlog (tasks waiting to be processed).
• A filtered list of tasks in the Backlog.
• A summary of objects selected in the object tree.
• Tasks in a particular Process Flow.
Viewing Components in a Process Flow
The Explorer tree displays Process Flow components alphabetically to help you find them. When you select a
Process Flow in the Explorer tree, those same components are displayed in the top right Explorer pane according
to your Backlog search criteria. The default sort method is by task status. To view a flow chart of the Process Flow,
right-click the Process Flow icon and select Predecessors.
Sorting Columns
You can sort any of the columns in the Explorer window to help you find tasks. For example, you can click on the
Status column header in the Backlog to display three different sort orders: ascending (alphanumeric), descending
(alphanumeric), and severity of status. When you sort tasks by severity of status, Applications Manager lists the
most severe task statuses first.

Finding Out Which Tasks Will Run During Your Shift

With the forecast feature you can view a list of scheduled Jobs and Process Flows.
If you need to see a list of scheduled tasks, the Forecast window shows them to you. Data is loaded into the
Forecast window by running an Applications Manager Job called FORECAST. The FORECAST Job is usually run
with a schedule, but can be requested to show recent updates.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Each scheduled Job/Process Flow includes the start date and time and the Job or Process Flow's name. Process
Flows also include a key icon used to expand/collapse them. To create a basic run book, you can print the current
view of the Forecast window.
Production Schedule
If the forecast does not provide enough detail, you can run a Production Schedule report. Part of a sample
Production Schedule report is shown below.

Skip {Process Flow}Report Name

---- ----------------------------------------------------
Saturday Feb 23 2002 00:00
{SYSTEM}Saturday Feb 23 2002 00:00
{SYSTEM}DELDEFAULT
NDOW {SYSTEM}HISTORY_PURGE

Monday Feb 25 2002 00:00

{SALES_REPORTS}Monday FEB 25 2002 00:30
{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_A
B If CURRENT TIME > 06:00:00 then SKIP TASK
{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_B
B If CHECK FILE NO /reports/region_b.dat
{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_C
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The report shows all tasks that are scheduled to run, tasks that will be skipped because of the day of the week, and
the conditions assigned to each component in a process flow.
Staging Tasks
A third way to find out which tasks are scheduled to run is to "stage" tasks. By default, the Backlog pane in Explorer
only shows tasks whose run date and time have been reached. Therefore, a task that is scheduled to run an
hour from now will not be displayed in the Backlog. You can override this default behavior by staging tasks to the
Backlog ahead of schedule. To stage tasks, you run the STAGING Job. Whether or not you use the staging feature
will depend on how your operations group functions.
If you are strictly a lights out shop, there is little need to stage tasks. You would not schedule the STAGING Job.
In the rare cases when you need to make changes to a task, you would run the STAGING Job ad hoc for that
task only.
If you are an operations-intensive shop, you may want to stage tasks on regular basis by scheduling the STAGING
Job. You can create a schedule that meets your operations requirements. For example, you could stage all tasks
scheduled to run over the next 12 hours.

Troubleshooting Failed Tasks

Applications Manager provides tools for troubleshooting failed tasks.
If a task fails, you need to respond quickly, correct the problem, and get processing back on track. Applications
Manager displays failed tasks at the top of the Backlog pane in Explorer, places a red "X" over the Backlog icon in
the navigation tree, and turns the status bar red.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Troubleshooting Failed Tasks

In Applications Manager, a failed task is usually assigned an ABORTED status. It is displayed in red and brought
to the top of the Backlog display. Applications Manager captures the system file generated by the aborted task
and makes it available for viewing online. The system file is an excellent place to start troubleshooting. Along with
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

runtime information and parameters passed to the task, the file includes error messages. A sample system file is
shown below.
To view system files, you right click the task in the Backlog or History, select Output, and select the system file.
Applications Manager displays the file in the Applications Manager file viewer. From the viewer, you can print the
file.
You can also view task details by right-clicking the task in the Backlog or History and selecting Task Details. Task
details show you various Applications Manager settings associated with a task. From a task's details you can view
the standard out file for a failed task to help determine what went wrong.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Getting More Detail with the Debug Utilities

If the system log does not provide enough information to solve the problem, you can use the Applications Manager
debug utilities. These give detailed information about every action taken by the system. If you find that you need to
use the debug utilities, you should contact Braodcom Support.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Handling Task Exceptions

To handle exceptions, you stage the task in question, then make changes to it from the Backlog.
Even in the most automated shops, there will be exceptions that must be handled. In Applications Manager, you
handle exceptions by staging the task to the Backlog in Explorer, then making changes to the task.
In Applications Manager, we define exceptions as any manual actions taken outside the normal batch cycle. They
include the following:
• Deleting a task in a Process Flow on a particular day.
• Removing a check for a file on a task.
• Removing a task's predecessor requirements.
• Changing a task's Database Login.
• Changing a task's prompt values.
Staging a Task
In normal operations, Applications Manager does not place a task in the Backlog until its scheduled run time. For
example, if a task is scheduled to run at 1:00 A.M., it will not show up in the Backlog until 1:00 A.M. This can make
it difficult to make changes to the task.
To get around this default behavior, you can stage the task. When you stage a task, Applications Manager places it
in the Backlog at the bottom of the display with a DATE PENDING status. You can then make the required changes
to the task. Taking actions on tasks is described in the next topic.
To stage a task, run the STAGING Job from the Requests window. When you run the Job, you can select the
Process Flows and Jobs you want to stage, and the number of hours in the future you want to stage.

Taking Actions on Tasks

You can take actions on tasks in the Backlog. After an action is taken a task log is written to document the action.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Putting Tasks On Hold

If a task is in the Backlog but has not yet started, you can put it on hold. The task will remain in the Backlog with a
status of HOLD until you reset it or delete it from the Queue. If a task has started running, you cannot put it on hold.
However, you can kill a running task.
Killing Tasks
If a task is running, you can kill it by selecting the task and using the Kill command. When you kill a task, it stays in
the Backlog until you delete it, or reset it. When you kill a task, Applications Manager makes an entry in the History
showing the task was killed.
Resubmitting Aborted, Killed and On Hold Tasks
If a task aborts and remains in the Backlog, is killed, or is put on hold, you can resubmit it directly from the
Explorer window. Before restarting a task, you can review its parameters, prompts, and conditions, and correct
any problems. When you restart an aborted task, its status changes to LAUNCHED. As soon as a thread becomes
available in the Queue, the status changes to QUEUED.
Deleting Tasks
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If a task in the Backlog is in a non-running status, you can delete it. For example, tasks with a status of SELF WAIT,
ABORTED or KILLED can be deleted. When you have deleted a task, you cannot reset it directly from the Explorer
window.
Removing All Predecessors for Tasks
If a task in the Backlog is waiting for one or more a predecessors before it can run, you can remove the
predecessor(s) to force it to run.

Viewing/Editing Task Details

As you monitor tasks, troubleshoot failed tasks, and handle exceptions, you may find it useful to view detailed
information about a task. You can view all task details online by right-clicking a task in the Backlog (or History), and
selecting Task Details. Applications Manager displays the window shown below with tabs to select the information
you want to view.

Editing Details for Tasks in the Backlog

You can view and edit the task details on the various tabs of any non-running task in the Backlog from the Task
Details window. When you edit a task in the Backlog, you are editing that run of the task only. You are not editing
the Job's definition.
Editing Task Details for Tasks not Yet in the Backlog
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If a task is scheduled to run at a later time, you can stage it so it is put into the Backlog. Once a task is staged you
can view and edit its task details.
Entering Comments
When you take an action on a task in the Backlog, a comment is automatically created by Applications Manager.
If you wish to include additional information, you can include your own comments to provide relevant information
about the processing of a task and why you made changes to the task.

Running Tasks Outside the Batch Cycle

You can run individual tasks or Process Flows from Applications Manager on an as needed basis. When requesting
Jobs and Process Flows, you can set various options to control how they run.
When you need to run a task outside of the batch cycle, or you need to run a task during the development cycle
to test it, you can request the task from the Requests and Submit windows shown below. Requesting a task
manually has no impact on the regularly scheduled running of the task.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Passing Values to Parameters in Programs or Scripts

If a Job or Process Flow includes prompts that allow you to pass vales to parameters in programs or scripts, you
can set their values in the Submit window.
Post-Dating Requests
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If you want to run a task at a later time, you can post-date its start date and time.

Viewing and Printing Task Output

If a task generates output files such as a report, you can view the report online from Applications Manager. For
operations, this can be useful for confirming that the report format is correct or when you are troubleshooting a
task. Likewise, developers can check report output during development without having to physically print the report.
Applications Manager 9.4.1
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If end-users submit ad hoc reports, they too can view the output files online, and print or email them. Many
companies use the online viewing feature to replace physical distribution of reports.
How to View Reports
Viewing reports online is as easy as right clicking the task in the History and selecting Output Files. You then can
select the report file or the system file and display it in the File Viewer window as shown above.
Viewing Output in Other Applications
If a task generates output in a format specific to an application such as Microsoft Word or Excel, you can configure
Applications Manager to open the file in that application.

Controlling Task Priority and Load on the System

Queues control the flow of tasks through Applications Manager. You use Applications Manager to level task loads
by setting the maximum number of threads for a Queue.
Balancing system demands and system resources is always an ongoing battle for IT. This has become even more
challenging with the increasing demand from Web-based online applications that produce activity spikes at different
times during the day. Applications Manager helps you manage the load on your system with Queues and priorities.
Controlling Machine Workload
All tasks must pass through an Applications Manager Queue to be executed. The main function of a Queue is to
limit the maximum number of concurrently running tasks. For example, assume a system runs best when no more
than 100 tasks are running at the same time. If left unchecked, far more than 100 tasks will run between 7:00 A.M.
and 5:00 P.M. By setting the Queue limits to a total number of 100 concurrent tasks, you can level the load and still
execute all tasks within a timely manner without overloading the system.

You can define as many Queues as needed to manage the load on your system. For example, you may define:
• A batch Queue that accommodates your nightly batch run.
• A high priority express Queue that handles management report requests.
• A low priority Queue that handles field report requests that are not urgent.
Setting Task and Queue Priority
When you define a task, you can assign it a priority. Applications Manager uses the priority setting to determine
which tasks in a Queue should be executed first.
Likewise, you can assign priorities to Queues. Tasks in a higher priority Queue will be executed before tasks in a
lower priority Queue. To ensure that tasks in a low priority Queue will not be shut out completely, you can reserve
threads on a Queue.
Do You Need to Worry About Queues?
Whether you need to be concerned about Queues and priorities depends on the size of your operation. If you are
a small shop running a couple of dozen tasks a day, one Queue may be all you need. On the other hand, if you are
a large shop running several hundred or several thousand tasks a day, you should spend time determining your
system requirements and defining Queues and priorities. The goal is to maximize use of your computing resources
without overloading them, and to ensure that you meet your service level agreements.

Preventing Applications Manager from Launching Tasks

You can put all task processing on a machine on hold by idling its Agent or put all tasks in a Queue on hold by
inactivating the Queue.
If you need to stop processing tasks, you have several options in Applications Manager.
• If you need to stop processing all tasks, you can idle the Applications Manager Automation Engine.
• If you need to stop processing tasks on a single Agent, you can idle the Agent.
• If you need to stop processing tasks through a particular Queue, you can inactivate the Queue.
You can easily idle an Automation Engine or Agent, or inactivate a Queue from the Explorer window. The image
below shows an Agent being idled.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The image below shows a Queue being inactivated.

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When you idle an Automation Engine or Agent, or inactivate a Queue, currently running tasks will complete, but any
tasks waiting will not start.
Resuming an Automation Engine or Agent
If you want to stop processing newly submitted tasks through an Automation Engine or Agent you can idle it. The
Automation Engine/Agent will go to an Idled status and the icon for the Automation Engine/Agent will be displayed
with a yellow triangle over it in the Explorer tree. Tasks in the Backlog set to run on an Agent in an Idled status will
have a task status of AGENT WAIT. To take the Automation Engine/Agent out of the idle status, you resume it.
Activating Queues
If a Queue is inactive, Applications Manager will still submit scheduled tasks to the Queue but they will have a
status of QUEUE WAIT. When you reactivate the Queue, Applications Manager will process the tasks based on
their priority settings.

Gantt View Windows

Applications Manager includes a series of Gantt view windows that display useful information such as average vs.
expected runtimes.
Backlog Gantt View
The Backlog Gantt View displays the contents of the Backlog in a real-time Gantt chart format. The chart shows
you whether you are ahead of or behind schedule. You can take actions on tasks or view/edit their task details.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

History Gantt View

The History Gantt View displays the components of a Process Flow in the History and how they executed. This
view is similar to the Backlog Gantt View.
Graphical Forecast
The Graphical Forecast displays scheduled Jobs and Process Flows in a Gantt chart format. The chart looks very
much like the Backlog Gantt View.
Process Flow Gantt View
The Process Flow Gantt View displays the contents of a Process Flow in a Gantt chart format. The view is similar to
the Backlog Gantt View.

5 Installation Guide
The Installation Guide documents the installation procedures for Applications Manager.
The Installation Guide documents the installation procedures for Applications Manager. It is part of the complete
Applications Manager documentation set which includes:
• Getting Started Guide
• Installation Guide
• User Guide
• Development Guide
• Administration Guide
• Oracle Applications Extension Guide
• PeopleSoft Extension Guide
Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used throughout this guide:
• User interface field names, menu items, and window names are written in bold.
• File names and text within scripts are written in bold.
• Variable text is written <within brackets>. In the example below <run ID number> represents the actual run ID
number of a requested Job.
If you submit a large Process Flow, the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: Run ID = <run ID
number>' until all components of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

About This Guide

The Installation Guide documents the installation procedures for Applications Manager. It is part of the complete
Applications Manager documentation set which includes:
• Getting Started Guide
• Installation Guide
• User Guide
• Development Guide
• Administration Guide
• Oracle Applications Extension Guide
• PeopleSoft Extension Guide
Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used throughout this guide:
• User interface field names, menu items, and window names are written in bold.
• File names and text within scripts are written in bold.
• Variable text is written <within brackets>. In the example below <run ID number> represents the actual run ID
number of a requested Job.
If you submit a large Process Flow, the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: Run ID = <run ID
number>' until all components of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog.

Applications Manager Installation for UNIX and Windows

The basic Applications Manager install creates an Automation Engine and Local Agent on the host computer.
This chapter covers the installation procedures for both UNIX and Windows.
The Applications Manager installation program installs the following:
• An Applications Manager Automation Engine and its local Agent
• An RMI (Remote Method Invocation) server
Note: If you are installing Applications Manager 9.3.4 on SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 or SuSE Linux
Enterprise Server 15, refer to Applications Manager Installation on SuSE Operating System.
Minimum Installation
When you install Applications Manager, you must install at least one Automation Engine and its local Agent on the
host computer. If you wish, you also can install remote Agents on other machines. If the situation warrants, you can
install multiple Automation Engines and local Agents on the same host.
General System Requirements
To install Applications Manager, you will need the following:
• An Applications Manager build for your operating system. For a list of the platforms supported, see the Automic
Compatibility Checker.
• 300 MB disk space on the host system.
• For a small system, 100 megabytes for Oracle database table storage, 50 megabytes for database indexes.
• 12 GB RAM minimum, 16 GB recommended for the Applications Manager host system. If Oracle is running on
the same host, memory requirements will go up accordingly.
• 1 GB RAM minimum for the Applications Manager client.
• A supported Oracle database. For details on supported Oracle versions, see the Automic Compatibility Checker.
• A supported Java run-time environment. For details on supported Java versions, see the Automic Compatibility
Checker.
• An Apache, IIS, or Tomcat Web server installed. For more information, see the information provided by your
selected Web server.
Java Requirement
In order to install an Applications Manager Automation Engine, you must have a supported version of Java
installed. Applications Manager requires a 64-bit Java installed on Windows operating systems.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

We set jdk.tls.ephemeralDHKeySize to Java version-specific values: 2048 for Java 1.8 and above. If you want
to use 2048 bit certificate keys, both the server (rmiserver) and the client (UI or AgentService) need to be running
Java 1.8 or above. For more information, see your Java documentation.
SSL
The SSL that ships with Applications Manager is the global (exportable) version.
If you want to run with the domestic package, download and unzip the domestic package installation files, then
replace the jar files jcert.jar, jsse.jar, and jnet.jar in the classes directory with the ones from the download. The
classes directory can be found in the following Applications Manager directories:
UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes

HP-UX Systems
If you are installing Applications Manager on an HP-UX system, the HP-UX Runtime Environment for the Java 2
Platform must be installed on your system prior to running the Applications Manager installation. The installation
must be performed by the HP UNIX administrator with root access. For all other platforms, the Java 2 Platform is
installed by the Applications Manager installation script.
Report Storage Requirements
You will need 300 MB of free disk space on the host before proceeding. There must also be enough disk space to
hold all the output (reports and system listings) from Jobs for the retention period specified. If you will be creating
many large reports, you will need more storage space. The Applications Manager administrator should monitor the
file system to ensure there is adequate space available.
Specifying Ports for Firewalls or Other Purposes
If you have a firewall in place, you will want to specify ports for your Applications Manager processes. During the
installation, you will be asked if you have a firewall in place. If you answer yes, you will be able to specify the port
value(s) at that time. If you are not sure which ports to use, consult your network administrator before installing. For
more information on firewall configuration and port assignments, see Overview of Firewall Settings.
Major Steps
The major steps in the installation process are:
• Create the UNIX account or Windows user.
• Create the Oracle database account.
• Run the installation script.
• Start the supporting servers.
• Start the Automation Engine and Agent processes.
• Verify the installation.
Each step is described in detail in this chapter.

Creating the UNIX Account (UNIX Only)

Before installing Applications Manager, create a KORN or BOURNE shell UNIX account.
If you are installing Applications Manager on a UNIX system, the first step in the installation process is to create a
KORN or BOURNE shell UNIX account.
Procedure
To create a UNIX account for Applications Manager:
1. Create a UNIX operating system account on the appropriate host.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The recommended shells for the account are either KORN or BOURNE shell. The account name can be any
valid UNIX name. In this manual, we represent the UNIX login name as am. You must be logged into the
Applications Manager UNIX account when you perform the install.
2. Pick or create a directory into which you will install Applications Manager.
It is usual practice to set the home directory for the Applications Manager UNIX account (in .profile) to the
install directory for Applications Manager. In this manual, we typically represent the install directory as /home/
users/am.
3. If you will be installing an Automation Engine and Local Agent, ensure that the environment allows Applications
Manager access to the database it will use for its repository by modifying the .profile file for the Applications
Manager UNIX account.
When the Database Is On a Different Machine Than the Automation Engine
If the database is on a different machine than the Applications Manager Automation Engine, you must set the
TWO_TASK variable. To set TWO_TASK, add the following line to the $AW_HOME/site/sosite file where <Oracle
Sid> is the actual name of your Oracle Sid:

TWO_TASK=<Oracle Sid>; export TWO_TASK

Assigning Rights and Permissions to the Windows User (Windows Only)

The Windows WatchWorx service runs as a Windows service and should run as a specific Windows user: typically
Administrator.
If you are installing Applications Manager on a Windows system, the first step is to assign rights and permissions
to a Windows user. The Windows user will be used to run the Applications Manager Windows WatchWorx service.
WatchWorx monitors all Applications Manager processes and restarts them if they are terminated unexpectedly.
We recommend that the WatchWorx service run as a specific Windows user: typically the Administrator user.
Whichever user the service runs as, that user must have certain advanced user rights and permissions.
Administrator is the default User when installing this service.
Setting Rights and Permissions
The table below notes the rights and permissions required for the Administrator, Applications Manager (custom-
built), and the domain user.

User Rights and Permissions

Administrator (recommended) or Applications Manager • Advanced User Right: log on as a service

• File access permissions to run the programs you
wish to run with this Automation Engine and Local
Agent

Domain/User • Advanced User Right: Act as part of the operating

system
• Advanced User Right: Log on as a service
• File access permissions to run the programs you
wish to run with this Automation Engine and Local
Agent
• Must belong to the domain/administrator group

Remember, you must log out and log in again after changing any user rights. Otherwise, the changes will not
take effect. You should determine which user(s) the Applications Manager services are going to run as before
proceeding with the installation. You will perform the installation as Administrator.
Special Circumstances
Occasionally, certain Windows host configurations do not allow the Applications Manager WatchWorx service to be
installed using a specific user/password. If you are unable to install the Applications Manager service as a specific
user on your Windows host, Broadcom recommends that you do the following:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

1. Install the Windows Automation Engine/Agent, but leave the Windows User and Password fields blank. By
default Applications Manager installs into the Administrator Account.
2. After you complete the installation, go to the Windows Services and locate the AWW-<Agent name> service.
3. Ensure that the AWW-<Agent name> service's Startup Type option is set to 'Automatic'.
4. Change the Log On As from 'System Account' to 'This Account.' Enter the Windows user account and the
password.
5. Be sure to update the service with an appropriate Windows user name and password.
When the Database Is on a Different Machine than the Automation Engine
If the database is on a different machine than the Applications Manager Automation Engine, you must set the
LOCAL variable. For a new Automation Engine LOCAL should be set in the environment prior to running the
installation. For an existing Automation Engine LOCAL can be set by adding the following line to the %AW_HOME
%\site\sosite.bat file where <Oracle Sid> is the actual name of your Oracle Sid:

LOCAL=<Oracle Sid>

Creating the Database Account

Before installing Applications Manager, create an Oracle database account for the Applications Manager repository.
After creating the UNIX account or Windows user, the next step is to create the database account. For information
on supported Oracle versions, see Automic Compatibility Checker. If you are using Oracle RAC, see Configuring
Applications Manager for Oracle RAC.
Requirements
When you create the database, set the following parameters:
• Shared_pool_size: 20 megabytes minimum
• Database table storage and indexes: 150 megabytes minimum
• Database db_block_size: 8K minimum
• Processes: 100 or greater
Procedure
To create an Oracle account for Applications Manager:
1. Log into the database where you will be creating the Oracle account for Applications Manager and issue the
following command:

grant connect, resource to <am> identified by <password>;

alter user <am> temporary tablespace <tmpspace>;

2. To give the Applications Manager account the privileges required to create tables, views, indexes, procedures,
triggers and sequences, issue the following commands:

alter user <am> default tablespace <tspace>;

In the commands above, replace <am>, <tspace>, and <tmpspace> with appropriate values for your system.
3. To prevent the Applications Manager installation script from prompting for the Oracle sys password, you can
grant the appropriate privilege to a system table ahead of time. Make the following grants from the Oracle sys
account:

grant select on v_$session to <am>;

grant select on v_$lock to <am>;
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

grant select on v_$locked_object to <am>;

grant create view to <am>;
grant create procedure to <am>;
grant create trigger to <am>;
grant create table to <am>;
grant create database link to <am>;
ALTER SYSTEM FLUSH SHARED_POOL;
grant execute on dbms_sql to <am>;
grant execute on dbms_pipe to <am>;
grant execute on dbms_lock to <am>;
grant execute on dbms_output to <am>;
grant alter session to <am>;
grant create synonym to <am>;
grant select on v_$sqltext to <am>;
grant select on v_$sqltext_with_newlines to <am>;

If you have multiple Automation Engines running in the same database, and you try to install a new Automation
Engine in the same database, you may have trouble granting access to dbms_pipe. If you have trouble, try
stopping the other Automation Engines.
Notes for Oracle 12c and Above
When using Oracle 12c database and you have an Oracle Enterprise Edition multi-tenant system or Oracle
Standard Edition single tenant system, you must install Applications Manager into a pluggable database (PDB)
within a container. Your DBA is responsible for creating the pluggable database.
Oracle 12c and above require the following additional grant:

GRANT UNLIMITED TABLESPACE TO <am>;

This is a new requirement as of this release, because the RESOURCE role no longer grants the UNLIMITED
TABLESPACE system privilege by default.
You can change UNLIMITED to 100M or whatever size you feel is appropriate as shown below if space is a
concern.

ALTER USER <am> QUOTA <size> ON <tspace>

All the installation related SYS accounts and passwords are for the PDB (each PDB has its own SYS account just
like a database instance prior to 12c).
(Re)granting Access After Rebuilding the Oracle Database
If you rebuild the Oracle database where Applications Manager is installed any time after an initial Applications
Manager installation, you must (re)grant select execute access to the Oracle system table (SYS.V_$SESSION)
and execute to the procedures dbms_pipe, dbms_lock, and dbms_application_info. To do this, you must run the
sysdba.sql script located in the Applications Managersql directory.
To run the script, log into SQL*Plus using the Applications Manager Login and password, then type 'start sysdba'.
The script will prompt you for the sys Oracle password then grant select access to the SYS.V_$SESSION system
table and the procedures. You can also regrant access by executing the SQL statements shown above in Step 3.
Dropping the Database Pipe
If you must drop an Oracle user, your DBA must first drop the database pipe (otherwise you will have to stop and
restart the database before you can reinstall).
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

System Information Required for the Installation

Applications Manager is a complex product that draws on many elements of your system to work correctly. To
complete the installation successfully, you will need to provide a variety of system information. The information
required is detailed below.
Applications Manager makes every attempt to analyze your system and present default values. These values are
displayed in brackets [ ] next to each question in the UNIX installation, and in the fields in the Windows installation.

Parameter Default Value Description

Install Apache now? Y If you do not already have the

Apache Web server installed, you
can do so during the Applications
Manager install.

Install Automation Engine's Agent? Y You would only answer N in to install

a second RMI server without a Local
Agent for failover as described in
topic Installing a Second RMI Server
for Failover.

Automation Engine name none Before you choose a name:

When choosing a name for the
Applications Manager Automation
Engine and Local Agent, do not
use any of the following reserved
words: ALL, APPWORX, AWCOMM,
AGENTSERVICE, AWAPI, RMI,
RMISERVER, AGENT, and
MASTER.
The name can be up to 30
characters in length.

Automation Engine IP or host name none The IP address.

Applications Manager Oracle login none This is the login name, and
name, and password. password to the Applications
Manager Oracle database account
you set up.

Oracle SQL*Net connect string @ This is the Oracle SQL*Net connect

string (if used) to the Applications
Manager Oracle database. A
connect string is required for Oracle
12c and above, or when installing
Applications Manager into a remote
database. For local database
installations, that do not require a
connect string, accept the default
value of an @ sign when prompted.

Oracle service name none This is the Oracle system identifier

(or PDB service name for Oracle 12c
and above). Check with your DBA
for the correct value.

Full path to SQL*Plus none For Windows installations only.

Points Applications Manager at the
correct database if there are multiple
databases on the same machine.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Parameter Default Value Description

Full path to SQL*Loader none For Windows installations only.

Points Applications Manager at the
correct database if there are multiple
databases on the same machine.

Oracle instance IP or host name none This is the IP address or DNS

name of the machine where the
Applications Manager Oracle
database is installed.

Oracle listener port 1521 This is determined by a setting in

Oracle.

Virtual day start time 00:00 This is the time when your daily
processing day starts (usually 00:00
for midnight).

Time zone none The time zone for the Automation

Engine.

Host name and port for SMTP server none Applications Manager can send out
Notifications of events via email. If
you wish to use this feature, you will
need to enter the host name and
port number of your SMTP server.

Email address for Notifications none The email address you want as the
sender for Notifications.

AWCOMM port 2136 The awcomm process provides

a port directory service for the
Applications Manager Automation
Engine and Agents. It is the first
process that comes up when you
start Applications Manager.
Port 2136 is registered with the
Internet Assigned Numbers
Authority, so you should not need to
change it. If you do need to change
the port number, you must edit the
AWCOMM_PORT setting in the
awenv.ini file. For more information
on the awcomm port, see the
Administration Guide.

Automation Engine require its own Yes The Automation Engine must use its
RMI server own RMI server.

RMI registry port 1099 The client uses this port when it
makes initial contact with the RMI
server.

RMI data port 0 Required if there is a firewall in front

of the RMI server. Client data uses
this port in order to pass through the
firewall.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Parameter Default Value Description

Sys password none Required to grant necessary

privileges from the SYS account. If
the Applications Manager Oracle
user is on a pluggable DB (PDB),
the field should be entered as:

syspassword@pdbname

Additional Required Information if a Firewall Is Installed on the Automation Engine Machine

The following information is needed if a firewall is installed on the Automation Engine machine. After specifying
ports for the Automation Engine machine, you need to open the ports for inbound and outbound communication.
For more information, see Overview of Firewall Settings.

Parameter Description

RMI Server Port The return port the Agents' AgentService process uses
to communicate to the Automation Engine. This lets
TCP/IP pick random ports each time the processes are
started. This is the typical situation when a firewall is not
in place.
This port is only ever specified in the Automation
Engine's awenv.ini file.

RMI Data Port The listener for the RMI server. Needs to be specified
when a firewall is on the Automation Engine machine.

Client RMI Port Needs to be specified when a firewall is on the

Automation Engine machine.
Applications Manager will use the specified port
number for the RMI server. If 0 is specified in the
ClientRMIPortNumber line, no firewall settings are
configured and the ports are chosen randomly.

Running the Installation Script

After preparing the installation files, the next step is to run the installation script. The installation script installs the
RMI server and the Applications Manager database, Automation Engine, and Local Agent.
In a typical installation, you install one Automation Engine and one Local Agent on a host. Under certain
circumstances, you may want to install two or more Agents on the same host. For a description of how to run
multiple Agents on one host, see Installing Multiple Automation Engines on One Host.
Automation Engine and Local Agent Names
When choosing a name for the Applications Manager Automation Engine and Local Agent, do not use any of
the following names: ALL, AWCOMM, AGENTSERVICE, RMI, RMISERVER, AGENT, MASTER. These are
Applications Manager process names, and if used, can cause problems with start and stop commands issued by
Applications Manager.
Applications Manager Client URL
During the installation, you will be given the URL used to connect to the Applications Manager client server.
Be sure to write down this URL for future reference. It also is available in the aw_install.log file located in the
Applications Managerinstall directory. Search for the text 'URL for future reference'.
Running the UNIX Installation Script
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

In UNIX, when you run the installation script, Applications Manager displays the default information for prompts in
brackets [ ]. You can accept the default by pressing the Enter key at the prompt, or type in a response and press
the Enter key.
To run the installation script:
1. Log into the Applications Manager UNIX account.
If necessary, change to the directory where you want Applications Manager installed.
You must be logged into the Applications Manager UNIX account or be logged in as the appropriate Windows
user, and be in the Applications Manager directory for the installation procedure to work correctly. Moving the
files after the installation is complete requires some effort. It is best to install into the correct directory the first
time.
In UNIX, if you transferred files to a staging directory, verify that all the Applications Manager files are owned
by the Applications Manager UNIX login and group. If they are not, the installation will fail. Use the chown and
chgrp commands to modify the ownership if necessary.
2. From the directory in which you want Applications Manager installed, run CDINST.SH on the host.
Be sure to set permissions for the CDINST.SH file.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts using the information from topic System Information Required for the Installation.
4. When presented with the menu of installation options, choose the following option and continue.

01 Initial install/upgrade from prior version

Running the Windows Installation Script

To run the Windows installation script, run cdinstall.bat on the installation disk and follow the on-screen prompt
using the information from topic System Information Required for the Installation.
It is recommended to install in a directory without spaces. Depending on your Windows system configuration issues
for pathing, it can cause issues if you install in a directory with spaces.
Next Step
You have run the installation script. If you entered an IP address for the host machine, the next step is to start the
Applications Manager processes. See the appropriate topic for your platform:
Starting and Stopping the Applications Manager Processes in UNIX
Starting and Stopping the Applications Manager Processes in Windows

Starting and Stopping the Applications Manager Processes in UNIX

The Applications Manager processes must be running for communication to occur between the Applications
Manager Automation Engine, Agents, and Applications Manager clients. To start the processes, issue the startso
command from the Applications Manager UNIX command line.
The AgentService process runs on all Agents. Normally additional process called RmiServer and awcomm are
run on the Automation Engine machine. To ensure secure communications between the Automation Engine and
the various processes, all messages are encrypted.
To see the status of the Applications Manager process, you can issue an awexe node command.
Establishing the Proper Environment
Before starting or stopping the processes, you must establish the proper environment by logging out of UNIX and
logging back in, or issuing the following command from the home directory of the Applications Manager UNIX user:

. .profile
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The following lines have been added to $HOME/.profile during the installation process:

AW_HOME=/home/<am>;export AW_HOME
. /home/<am>/site/sosite

Starting and Stopping Processes with startso and stopso

The startso and stopso commands are used to start and stop Applications Manager processes. You can issue
them by themselves or with parameters. It is generally recommended that you start and stop processes with
startso all and stopso all commands to start and stop all processes. If monitoring processes with WatchWorx,
use the startso watchworx and stopso watchworx commands. Additional parameters that can be used with the
startso and stopso commands are described in the Administration Guide.
Starting Processes, but Not Backlog Tasks
If you are starting Applications Manager as part of a boot sequence, you may want to start Applications Manager
processes, but not allow the Automation Engine to execute tasks until you have had a chance to view the contents
of the Backlog. You can set this up with the following series of commands.

startso
stopso master

In this series of commands, the startso command starts the awcomm, AgentService, and RmiServer processes
on the Automation Engine.
The stopso master command puts the Automation Engine into a Stopped status, but doesn't stop any processes,
because those elements are performed on threads of the RmiServer process.
Accommodating More than One awcomm Process
If there will be more than one awcomm process running on a host, you must set a different port number for each
process. For information on sharing processes between multiple Agents on the same host, see Installing Multiple
Automation Engines on One Host.

Starting and Stopping the Applications Manager Processes in Windows

Before you can open the Applications Manager client and process tasks, you must start the Applications Manager
processes. You can start the processes from the Start menu or the command line.
The startso and stopso commands are used to start and stop Applications Manager processes in UNIX and
Windows. In Windows, you can also start and stop processes from the Windows Start menu. You can issue the
startso and stopso commands by themselves or with parameters. Before starting or stopping processes, you must
set the environment. You can issue these commands on Automation Engine or Agent machines.
To see the status of the Applications Manager process, you can issue an awexe node command.
Starting and Stopping the Applications Manager Processes from the Start Menu
To start the processes from the Start menu: open the Start menu on the Windows desktop, choose Programs,
point to Applications Manager, and click Start Applications Manager Processes. This command also starts the RMI
server which contains the Applications Manager Automation Engine.
To stop the processes from the Start menu: open the Start menu on the Windows desktop, choose Programs, point
to Applications Manager, and click Stop Applications Manager Processes.
Starting and Stopping Individual Processes from the Start Menu
To start or stop an individual process from the Start menu: open the Start menu on the Windows desktop, choose
Programs, point to Applications Manager, and click the appropriate command for the Automation Engine or Agent.
Establishing the Proper Environment
Before issuing commands from the DOS prompt, establish the appropriate environment for Applications Manager
by executing the %AW_HOME%\site\sosite.bat file.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To start the processes from the DOS prompt, issue the startso command. The startso command will start all
applicable Applications Manager processes for the current environment. If an Automation Engine and Local Agent
are installed, startso will start both Automation Engine and Agent processes. If only a Remote Agent is installed,
startso will start only the Agent process.
To stop the processes from the DOS prompt, issue the stopso command. The stopso command will stop all
applicable Applications Manager processes for the current environment. If an Automation Engine and Local Agent
are installed, stopso will stop both Automation Engine and Agent processes. If only a Remote Agent is installed,
stopso will stop only the Agent process.
Starting and Stopping Processes with startso and stopso
The startso and stopso commands are used to start and stop Applications Manager processes. You can issue
them by themselves or with parameters. It is generally recommended that you start and stop processes with the
basic startso and stopso commands, or if monitoring processes with WatchWorx, with the startso watchworx
and stopso watchworx commands. Additional parameters that can be used with the startso and stopso
commands are described in the Administration Guide.
Starting Processes, but not Backlog Tasks
If you are starting Applications Manager as part of a boot sequence, you may want to start Applications Manager
processes, but not allow the Automation Engine to execute tasks until you have had a chance to view the contents
of the Backlog. You can set this up with the following series of commands.

startso
stopso master

In this series of commands, the startso command starts the awcomm, AgentService, and RmiServer processes
on the Automation Engine.
The stopso master command doesn't stop any actual processes, because those elements are performed on
threads of the RmiServer process.

Opening the Applications Manager Client and Logging In

You must download the Applications Manager client from the URL set during the installation your Applications
Manager sent you . Before logging in the first time, you need to configure the client for the Automation Engine(s)
you will be logging into. Once configured, you open an executable .jar file. To log into the client, you must enter
your User name, password, and select an Automation Engine.
Downloading and Opening the Applications Manager Client
To download and open the Applications Manager client:
1. Open your browser and enter the URL set during the installation your Applications Manager sent you. The
screen shown below is displayed.
The default format for the URL is http://<Automation Engine IP address>:<Web Server port number>/
<Automation Engine name>/Intro.html.
For example, if the Automation Engine IP address is 200.2.2.123, the port number is 8080, and the
Automation Engine name is PROD1, the URL would look like the following:

http://200.2.2.123:8080/PROD1/Intro.html
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The Applications Manager client requires a supported version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). For a
list of compatible Java versions, click the Compatibility Matrix link.
2. From this page, click the Download the Applications Manager Client link.
This downloads the Client.zip file.
3. Create a directory on your local PC for the client, for example, C:\AM_Client.
4. Move the Client.zip file to the directory you created and unzip the contents in that location.
5. Copy connections.properties.template to connections.properties.
6. Edit connections.properties. Replace {MASTER} with the name of your Applications Manager
Automation Engine and {URL} with the URL to your Applications Manager Automation Engine, such as,
http://127.0.0.1:8080/AMPROD.
For example, you might replace...

{MASTER}={URL}

With...

AMPROD=http://127.0.0.1:8080/AMPROD

To add connection information for additional clients, simply add additional lines in the same format.
7. Copy client.properties.template to client.properties.
8. Optionally, edit client.properties to set client properties.
Text from a sample client.properties file is shown below.

#localOptions=true
#debug=true
#logDir=log
#JAVA_HOME=C:/Program Files/Java/jdk-11
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

runOptions=-Xmx256m

The client.properties file includes the following settings:

• localOptions: When set to true, Applications Manager uses a local Options.properties file on your PC.
The local Options.properties file will be in a sub-directory for the client with the master's name. The local
Options.properties file will be download once. The advantage of using a local Options.properties file is
that you can specify settings for yourself without affecting other users. When set to false, commented out
(default), or otherwise not set to true, the Options.properties file on the Automation Engine machine is
used.
• debug: Allows you to turn on client debug by entering debug=true. When client debug is set, debug
information is written to the files in the log sub-directory or a different sub-directory is one is specified under
logDir.
To turn debug off, comment out debug=true in the client.properties file like the following.

#debug=true

It is also possible to set client debug from the About Applications Manager window once you are logged
into the client. However, it is advantageous to set it here, so that debug is on for the client start-up.
• logDir: Allows you to override the name of the sub-directory where client log files are written.
The client log sub-directory includes the following files:
• client.log: Includes all client standard and debug logging up until you click OK on the Logon window.
• <master or connection name>_client.log: Includes all client standard and debug logging for your
client session.
• JAVA_HOME: Allows you to use a different Java than your PC's default Java.
You must use either forward slashes (recommenced) or double backslashes in the path. This is the
standard for Java properties files.
To see your PC's default Java, open a command prompt and type java -version.
• runOptions: Used to increase the memory for your client. Don't make any changes to this setting unless
directed to by Applications Manager support.
• TheuserLanguageFiles: This setting is hidden in the client.properties file and in the documentation by
default. It allows you to specify a master name to use language translations on. When a master is specified,
there will be a drop-down with the languages, which are specified in the Options.properties file for the
master. We believe no one uses this desupported feature anymore.
9. Use RunClient.jar to start the Applications Manager client.
Applications Manager displays the Login window shown below.

Optionally, you may create a shortcut of RunClient.jar and place the shortcut on your desktop.
If the Logon window does not come up, open command window, navigate to the client directory, and enter
java -jar RunClient.jar to see the output. This information will help you or Applications Manager support
troubleshoot the problem.
When starting the local client by double clicking on RunClient.jar (or a shortcut to it) in version 9.3.1 or above,
if it fails to start the error will now be in the startClient.log file.
10. On the Logon window, specify your User, password, automation engine.
User names are not case sensitive, but passwords are.
If you do not know your User name and password, check with your Applications Manager administrator.
11. If the Language field is available, select your language.
Specifying languages for the client is a desupported feature. The Language field is only available in
Applications Manager systems where languages were translated in a previous version.
12. On the Logon window, specify the following:
• The default user name SQLOPER.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• The default password is s0pass, where "0" is zero.

13. To have Applications Manager remember your User name and Automation Engine, select the Remember
logon button.
14. To accept the entered information and log on to Applications Manager, click OK.
If you have a large number of output files or tasks in the Backlog, Applications Manager will display a message
alerting you that the display has been truncated.
When you log out of Applications Manager, the following settings are remembered the next time you log back
in:
• The size and position of Explorer and Backlog Gantt View windows.
• The size and position of the main Applications Manager client window.
• The content pane of the Explorer window (if open).
• Whether a saved Backlog/History Filter was selected.
Upgrading the Client
To upgrade to a new version of the client:
1. Download the new version of the client Client.zip from the URL
set during the installation
your Applications Manager sent you
.
2. Delete everything except the connections.properties and client.properties files from your client directory.
3. Put the files from the new version of the Client.zip file into your client directory.
Receiving RmiServer Error Broadcasts
If the Receive RmiServer Error Broadcasts User Option is assigned to your User, the RmiServer Errors window
might pop up with one or more errors when you log in.

When the Receive RmiServer Error Broadcasts User Option is assigned to a User, any RMI errors will be
displayed in a pop-up window as they occur. Additionally, if any RMI errors occurred since the last time the RMI
server was started, the last ten errors will be displayed in a pop-up window each time the User logs on.
If you have the DBA User Group, you can clear the RMI errors without stopping the RMI server by selecting Clear
RMI Errors from the View menu on the Applications Manager Desktop.
Re-Logging on to Applications Manager
There may be times when you want to log on to Applications Manager under a different user name or connect to
a different Automation Engine. To change your logon from the desktop, go to the File menu and select Re-Login.
You will have to re-enter your password when you re-log in, unless the Disable clearing of login passwords on
re-login Automation Engine option is checked.
Changing Your Password
You can change your password at any time. Your Applications Manager administrator can also set your password
to expire after a certain period of time.
To change your Applications Manager password go to the Options menu on the Applications Manager desktop and
click Change Password.
Accessing the Client Through a Firewall
If you will be accessing the Applications Manager client through a corporate firewall, you must open the appropriate
ports, and specify those ports in the Options.properties file on the host machine.
For details, see Configuring the Applications Manager Client.
For details, see the Installation Guide.

Verifying the Installation

After completing the installation, and starting the Applications Manager Automation Engine and Agent processes/
services, you should verify that Applications Manager is installed correctly and ready to start processing tasks. A
good test is to run a Job.
Procedure
To begin the verification:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

1. Launch the Applications Manager client and log in as User SQLOPER.

2. From the Activities menu, select Requests.
Applications Manager displays the Requests window shown below.

3. Select TEST_JOB from the list and click Request. To quickly find TEST_JOB, type the letter 't' in the Search
field.
The Submit window appears as shown below. TEST_JOB requires one prompt value—a number of seconds to
sleep. It has a default value of 5 (seconds) which will work for now.
4. To run TEST_JOB, click Submit & Close.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

5. To monitor the task, open the Activities menu and select Explorer.
The TEST_JOB should complete successfully with a status of FINISHED. The TEST_JOB will then leave the
Backlog and a record will be displayed in History.

Verification Complete
If TEST_JOB finished, then Applications Manager has been installed correctly. Verification is complete. If you have
special considerations in your environment, you may want to look in chapter Applications Manager Installation—
Advanced Topics for additional information.
If TEST_JOB did not run, or did not complete with a status of FINISHED, contact Broadcom Support.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager Installation—Advanced Topics

This chapter covers advanced installation topics for both UNIX and Windows. You may find these topics useful for
configuring Applications Manager to meet your specific system requirements.
Copying and Moving Applications Manager Instances
The Administration Guide gives instructions for the scenarios that customers deal with most frequently when
copying and moving Applications Manager instances. It includes topics on the following:
• Copying or moving a Applications Manager Automation Engine and database to the same machine or a different
machine
• Moving a Applications Manager Automation Engine to another machine
• Moving an Applications Manager database to another machine

Configuring the Applications Manager Client

After running the installation script, the next step is to optionally configure the Applications Manager client.
The Applications Manager client brings operations functionality to a Web browser interface. When you install
Applications Manager on a server, you make the Applications Manager client available to all users via a URL
address designated by the Applications Manager administrator. The browser interface simplifies distribution and
maintenance by eliminating the need to install software on each user's machine.
After installing the Applications Manager client, you can customize settings for the client in the Options.properties
properties file.
The location for the Options.properties file is:
UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes

Options.properties
The Options.properties configuration file controls how the Applications Manager clients interact with the
Automation Engine, and other features such as the image used for the splash screen. The file includes host,
database, and login information. The file is self-documenting. However, if you have questions about altering the file,
contact Braodcom Support.
Accessing the Client through a Firewall
If you will be accessing the Applications Manager client through a corporate firewall, you must open the appropriate
ports, and modify the Options.properties file on the host machine. For details, see Overview of Firewall Settings.

Function of the Operating System User

Applications Managerautomatically creates an operating system user for validating backend processes. DO NOT
delete this User.
As part of the installation process, Applications Manager creates an operating system user based on the
information you provided. Applications Manager uses the operating system user to verify backend processes. DO
NOT delete this User.
If you view the Users Selector window, you will see the OS user listed. In the image below, the OS user is QA4.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When Applications Manager creates the OS user, it does not assign it a password, because you should not have to
log into Applications Manager as the OS user.
If you must log into Applications Manager as the OS user, go to the Users window, select the OS user, and create
a password as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Awexe Range for the OS User

The numbers entered in the Awexe range field correlate to a range of options listed in the awserver_sql.dat file
located in the data directory. Users will have access to the functions assigned to them from the command line. The
OS user should have 1000-9999 set in this field.

Configuring Applications Manager for Oracle RAC

This topic describes how to configure Applications Manager to work with Oracle RAC. This method has been tested
with an Oracle RAC running on 10.0.3.
If you will be using Applications Manager with Oracle RAC, you must have the 6.0.7 Oracle RAC patch, or be
running Oracle 6.0.7 or higher.
There are three main steps for configuring Oracle RAC:
1. Configure the Applications Manager processes to use SQL*Net.
2. Configure the tnsnames.ora file for the Applications Manager C stack.
3. Configure the Applications Manager RMI Server.
Before Applying the Patch
Before applying the 6.0.7 Oracle RAC patch, you should back up the following files:

bin/CLASSPATH
/web/classes/AppWorxLang.jar
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

/web/classes/UserWorx.jar

Configuring the Applications Manager Processes to Use SQL*Net

The Applications Manager C AgentService processes connect to the Oracle database on the Applications
Manager Automation Engine machine and handle all database transactions issued by Agents. In an Oracle RAC
environment, these processes need to be configured to run through SQL*Net. This can be accomplished by doing
one of the following:
• Enter the Oracle RAC database connect string when prompted for the Oracle login by the Applications Manager
installation program.
• Before running the Applications Manager installation program, set the variable TWO_TASK to the Oracle RAC
connect string in the environment, and after the installation is complete, add the TWO_TASK variable to the
sosite file. The sosite file is located in the site directory in the Applications Manager home directory.
Configuring the tnsnames.ora File for the Applications Manager C Stack
The TNS Name definition for the Oracle RAC should have all the parameters set for the database instances to
which Applications Manager can connect. An example of a tnsnames.ora file is shown below where the TNS name
for Oracle RAC is ORCLFAILOVER:

ORCLFAILOVER =
(DESCRIPTION_LIST =
(FAILOVER = TRUE)
(LOAD_BALANCE = FALSE)
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)
(HOST = vip-linux1)
(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME = awrac.am.com)
(INSTANCE_NAME = awrac1) ) )
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)
(HOST = vip-linux2)
(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME = awrac.am.com)
(INSTANCE_NAME = awrac2) ) ) )

Configuring the RMI Server

The RMI server is the process that serves information to the Java client and runs the Applications Manager
Automation Engine process. It connects to Oracle instances through JDBC over SQL*Net.
To configure this for Oracle RAC, you need to add an entry into the Options.properties file. The location for the
Options.properties file is:
UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes

The entry is "OracleRAC" and it is nearly identical in content to the tnsnames.ora entry. It should contain all the
information for the database instances that Applications Manager can connect to. Here is an example of the same
connection above as it would appear in Options.properties:

OracleRAC= (DESCRIPTION = \
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP) \
(HOST = vip-linux1) \
(PORT = 1521)) \
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP) \
(HOST = vip-linux2) \
(PORT = 1521)) \
(LOAD_BALANCE = FALSE)\
(FAILOVER = TRUE) \
(CONNECT_DATA = (SERVER = DEDICATED)\
(SERVICE_NAME = awrac.am.com) ) )

Note that the slashes at the end of each line are required so the entry is interpreted by the RMI Server as one
continuous line.
Also, setting the OracleRAC line will override the DB_IP, DB_PORT, and DB_SID in the awenv.ini file.
Notes on Behavior
At this time we recommend using Applications Manager only in a FAILOVER configuration for Oracle RAC. Load
balancing configuration should be avoided.
Our processes 'sleep' and 'wake up' on Oracle DMBS pipes. Pipes are instance-specific, so if Applications
Manager processes are balanced across instances, then wake-ups issued by one process may not reach the
target process. The Automation Engine and Agent sleep times can be reduced, but this is not ideal because of
performance issues.
Expected Failover Behavior
When a failover happens (one instance goes down), the Applications Manager processes should connect to the
new Oracle instance fairly quickly. Because some of the database processes might have been issuing a database
transaction at the time of the failure, it is possible to lose a transaction or two during this switch. This could result in
a task going into a DIED status or a node going into BUSY status.
We have not seen this in our testing, but it is a possibility. Our processes will retry most statements if they get a
failure on the first try.
If these types of errors do happen, it is expected behavior and not critical. For died tasks, check the task output to
see that the process was finished (it should have been). Agents that go into a BUSY status should go back to a
RUNNING status at the end of the sleep cycle after the Applications Manager stack has reconnected.

Installing Multiple Automation Engines on One Host

Broadcom does not recommend running multiple Applications Manager Automation Engines on the same host. If
you must resort to this configuration, you must set a number of parameters.
If you want to install multiple Applications Manager Automation Engines on the same machine, run the install script
once for each Automation Engine. The Automation Engines can use the same awcomm process, but they should
use separate Applications Manager RMI servers. The advantage to separate RMI servers is that you can shut
down one instance and its RMI server without affecting the other instances. For example, you could shut down a
development instance without impacting a production instance.
Each Automation Engine should be assigned different ports for the following:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Web server
• RMI registry
• RMI data port
When installing multiple Automation Engines on one host, you will need to pay careful attention to your
environment. For example, on UNIX you need to consider how you call sosite. When sosite is called in the UNIX
user's .profile script, that means the wrong sosite might be invoked. Different situations call for different solutions,
but consider running Automation Engines under different OS users or invoking the sosite file manually, not in
.profile.
The awcomm Process
The awcomm process provides a port directory service for the Automation Engine machine. You need only one
awcomm process, even if you are running different Applications Manager instances and versions. This is possible
because you can shut down an Applications Manager instance without shutting down the awcomm process.
The default setting for the awcomm port is 2136. To change the awcomm port, edit the AWCOMM_PORT line in
the [default] section of the awenv.ini file in the site directory.
RMI Registry Port
The default setting for the RMIRegistryPortNumber is 1099. The file you need to edit to change the port is listed
below.
The Options.properties file in the following directory:
UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes

RMIDataPortNumber Port
The default setting for the RMIDataPortNumber is 0. The actual port used will be a randomly chosen open port.
You can keep this at 0 for all your Automation Engines, if you want (as long as you don't have a firewall). The file
you need to edit to change the port is listed below.
The Options.properties file in the following directory:
UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes

Configuration for Machines with Multiple IP Addresses

Applications Manager needs to be configured to work on networks with machines that have multiple IP addresses.
This topic covers the IP addresses used by each process, how Applications Manager determines what they are,
and how to set them manually.
Process IP Overview
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

RMI server process: The RMI server process is a Java process that runs on the Automation Engine machine. The
RMI server IP address is the only IP that is specifically set during the install. This setting, RMIHostID, is specified in
the Options.properties file.
The location for the Options.properties file is:
UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes

The Automation Engine process runs as a thread under the Java process that also runs the RMI server. It will use
the same IP address that the RMI server uses, which is the RMIHostID setting.
Agent service process: The Agent service process is a Java process that runs on every Agent. The Agent service
by default uses the IP address returned by the gethostbyname function. You can see what this is by executing
the gethost program in the c directory on the Agent. This will be the return IP address that the Automation Engine
machine will use to communicate back to on the Agent. It will also be used for validation and should match the IP
address that is set in the client's Agent manager when creating the entry for the Remote Agent.
If gethost does not return the correct IP, it needs to be set manually. To set this manually to a different IP address
you can set the variable AgentIP in the awenv.ini file.
awapi process: Each Agent has an awapi process that connects to the Local Agent service process. In order for it
to connect successfully, the awapi process must be validated by the Agent server process. To do this, it compares
the Applications Manager OS user and IP address that the awapi process starts under to the OS user and IP
address that were set when creating the Agent object.
The awapi process will also use the IP address returned by the gethostbyname function, which you can determine
by executing the gethost program in the c directory on the Agent. This cannot be changed. However, if this does
not match what is in the Agent definition, you can create a file named remote_rmi.dat in the data directory on the
Agent to allow the Agent service to validate the awapi. This file should contain one line with the values:

<Agent name> <agent IP address in its definition> <Applications Manager user>

So, for example, it would look like this if the IP address in the Agent definition is set to '200.1.1.1':

QATEST 200.1.1.1 qauser

Sample Configuration
Here is an example of the settings for a network with multiple IP addresses:
Automation engine machine:
• Automation engine name: MSTR_TEST
• IP addresses: 200.1.1.1, 200.1.1.2
• IP address for clients to access: 200.1.1.1
• IP address used for communicating to Agents and that Agents will communicate to: 200.1.1.2
• IP Address returned by gethost: 200.1.1.2
Remote Agent machine:
• Agent name: RA_TEST
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• User: awuser
• IP addresses: 200.1.1.3, 200.1.1.4
• IP address set in the Agent definition: 200.1.1.3
• IP address returned by gethost: 127.0.0.1
Automation engine settings:
The Options.properties file will have the following setting:

RMIHostID=200.1.1.1

The awenv.ini file will have the following additional setting:

[default]
RMIServerIP=200.1.1.2

Remote Agent settings:

The awenv.ini file will have the following additional setting:

[default]
AgentIP=200.1.1.3

Automation Engine, Agent, and Client Firewall Connections

When firewalls are in place, ports must be specified in the awenv.ini files for the Automation Engine and all Remote
Agents. RMI server ports must also be specified in the Options.properties file. The necessary ports must also be
open in the firewalls.
Port settings are described for Automation Engine/Agent communications and RMI server client communications. A
diagram for both follows.
Specifying Automation Engine/Agent Ports
There are three critical ports for communication between the Automation Engine and Agent.
1. MasterServerPort: Set in the Automation Engine's awenv.ini file and used by the RMI server Java process.
2. AgentClientPort: Set in each Remote Agent's awenv.ini file and in the Automation Engine's awenv.ini file for
the Local Agent. Used by the Agent service process on each Remote Agent, and by the Agent service process
for the Local Agent on the Automation Engine.
3. AWCOMM_PORT: Set in the Automation Engine and Remote Agents' awenv.ini file. The awcomm
process provides a port directory service for the Applications Manager Automation Engine and Agents. The
AWCOMM_PORT number must be the same on the RMI server/Automation Engine and all Remote Agents.
Automation Engine/Agent Ports That Must Be Open in Firewalls
On the Automation Engine machine the following ports need to be opened:
• AWCOMM_PORT
• MasterServerPort
On the Remote Agent machine the following ports need to be opened:
• AWCOMM_PORT (outbound)
• AgentClientPort (inbound)
Specifying Client/RMI Server Ports
The RMIRegistryPortNumber and RMIDataPortNumber settings are specified in the Options.properties file on
the Automation Engine machine. The location for the Options.properties file is:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes

Client/RMI Server Ports That Must Be Open in Firewalls

Ports for RMIRegistryPortNumber and RMIDataPortNumber need to be opened on the Automation Engine and
client machines.
Process Communication Diagram
The diagram below shows the settings used for communications between Applications Manager processes on an
Automation Engine/Local Agent, Remote Agent, and Applications Manager client.

Connections with Continuous Activity

The following connections have continuous activity:
• AgentClientPort <-> MasterServerPort: Activity will occur every 60 seconds with the default sleep time of 60.
This can be increased or decreased.
• AgentClientPort <-> AWCOMM_PORT: Activity will occur when the Agent first connects to the Automation
Engine machine, then this socket is closed.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• RmiRegistryPortNumber <-> Applications Manager client: Activity will occur when the client first logs in,
then this connection is closed. Activity will occur on the entry of data and during the refresh process. This
connection is dependent on auto-refresh being on if no interaction is taking place.

Overview of Firewall Settings

The ports to open for inbound and outbound firewalls for the RMI server/Automation Engine, Remote Agents, and
client are listed below.
You specify the ports Applications Manager processes use to communicate between machines when running the
install script for your Automation Engine and Remote Agents. To update these settings, simply re-run the install
scripts. Once your ports are specified you will need to open them for inbound and outbound communication in your
firewall software.
Ports to Open on the Automation Engine/RMI Server for Inbound Communications
Open the following ports for inbound communications on the Automation Engine/RMI server:
• Awcomm port: Set in the Automation Engine's awenv.ini file during the Automation Engine install.
• Automation engine server port: Set in the Automation Engine's awenv.ini file during the Automation Engine
install.
• RMI register port: Set in the Automation Engine's Options.properties file during the Automation Engine install.
Ports to Open on the Automation Engine/RMI Server for Outbound Communications
Open the following ports to for outbound communications on the Automation Engine/RMI server:
• Awcomm port: Set in the Automation Engine's awenv.ini file during the Automation Engine install.
• Remote Agents' client ports: Set in each Remote Agent's awenv.ini file during its install. If you specify different
Agent client ports for your Remote Agents, you will need to open each of those ports.
• RMI client port: Set in the Automation Engine's Options.properties file during the Automation Engine install.
• RMI data port: Set in the Automation Engine's Options.properties file during the Automation Engine install.
• Web server port: For more information, see your Web server documentation.
Port to Open on the Remote Agents for Inbound Communications
The Remote Agents' client ports must be open for inbound communications on the Remote Agents. Set in each
Remote Agent's awenv.ini file during its install.
Ports to Open on the Remote Agents for Outbound Communications
Open the following ports for outbound communications on the Remote Agents:
• Awcomm port: Set in the Automation Engine's awenv.ini file during the Automation Engine install.
• Automation engine server port: Set in the Automation Engine's awenv.ini file during the Automation Engine
install.
Ports to Open on the Clients for Inbound Communications
Open the following ports for inbound communications on the Applications Manager clients:
• RMI client port: Set in the Automation Engine's Options.properties file during the Automation Engine install.
• Web server port: For more information, see your Web server documentation.
Ports to Open on the Clients for Outbound Communications
Open the following ports for outbound communications on the Applications Manager clients:
• RMI registry port: Set in the Automation Engine's Options.properties file during the Automation Engine install.
• RMI data port: Set in the Automation Engine's Options.properties file during the Automation Engine install.
Applications Manager clients inside the corporate environment bypass the firewall. They communicate directly with
the host using the host's name.

Configuring Agents to Validate Multiple Automation Engine Configurations

You can configure a Remote Agent to recognize more than one IP address for the Automation Engine with the
MASTER_IP_ADDRESS and ALT_MASTER_IP_ADDRESS lines in the Remote Agent's awenv.ini file.
There may be times when you need to configure a Remote Agent to recognize more than one IP address for the
Automation Engine. For example:
• You are working with a clustered machine.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• The Applications Manager Automation Engine runs on an IP address, but is recognized as having another IP
address.
• For failover, you may need to list the IP addresses of multiple Automation Engines, Agents, and/or clusters that
are used by a Remote Agent.
When the Automation Engine communicates with the Remote Agent, the incoming IP address is validated. To
validate the Automation Engine's IP address, the Remote Agent checks its awenv.ini file in the site directory for
the IP address listed on the MASTER_IP_ADDRESS line. If that IP address does not validate, the Agent checks
the IP address listed on the ALT_MASTER_IP_ADDRESS line (if present). Sample code from the awenv.ini is
shown below:

MASTER_IP_ADDRESS=400.3.2.45
ALT_MASTER_IP_ADDRESS=444.3.2.66

Using Custom SSL Certificates for Connection Authentication

An SSL certificate is now necessary to connect Automation Engine with Remote Agent and Clients. Using your own
certificate prevents unauthorized connections between the connection endpoints.
The SSL certificate provided can be a self-signed certificate or issued by a CA (Certificate Authority).
To configure the SSL certificate on your server.
1. Create a user_keystore file.
• With self-signed certificate:

keytool -keystore user_keystore -keyalg RSA -genkey -alias "AM" -storetype JKS -storepass
<password>

The following is a sample location where the file gets generated: C:\Program Files\AdoptOpenJDK
\jdk-11.0.6.10-hotspot\bin
• With CA issued certificate:
A .CER file can be imported to a keystore using the following command:

keytool -importcert -file certificate.cer -keystore user_keystore -alias "AM" -storetype JKS -
storepass <password> -trustcacerts

2. Create a user_keystore_config file.

To encrypt the password, go to the AW_HOME/web/classes directory, ensure that AW variables are exported
and run the following command:

java -DAW_HOME=${AW_HOME} -cp AppWorx.jar;uc4-ra.jar

com.appworx.util.EncryptKeystoreFile <password>

The following is a sample location where the file gets generated: AW_HOME\data
CA Issued Certificate
From 9.3.5 and above, if the Certificate is CA Issued Certificate, copy the generated user_keystore and
user_keystore_config files to the <install-dir>\data directory present on the Automation Engine
machine.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If the certificate is self-signed, user_keystore and user_keystore_config files need to copied to Remote
Agents and Client machines.
On each user's client machine, create a C:\Users\<user name>\AppWorx\<master name> folder for each
master in the connections.properties file where <user name> is the actual user's name and <master
name> is the name of the master. Then place copies of the user_keystore and user_keystore_config
files for each master in the sub-directory for that master. This allows for different keystores to be used on each
master.On each Remote Agent machine, the user_keystore and user_keystore_config files need to be
copied to data directory of the Remote Agent installation directory.

Uninstalling Applications Manager

The following instructions can be used to uninstall an Applications Manager UNIX Automation Engine and Local
Agent, or a Remote Agent. If you are uninstalling a Remote Agent do not drop the Oracle user.
To uninstall Applications Manager, you must:
• Stop all Applications Manager processes.
• Remove the AW_HOME directory and all the files it contains.
• Drop the Oracle user with the cascade option.
Stopping All Applications Manager Processes
To stop the Applications Manager backend stack and RMI server, you will first need to set the correct environment
by going to the Applications Managersite directory and issuing the following command:
UNIX:

. sosite

Windows:

sosite

Next, issue the following commands:

stopso all
stopso awcomm

Removing the AW_HOME Directory in UNIX

When you installed Applications Manager, you designated a home directory. You must remove this directory and all
sub directories and files.
To remove the directory:
1. Navigate to the parent directory of the Applications Manager home directory.
2. Issue the following command:

rm -r $AW_HOME

Where $AW_HOME is the Applications Manager home directory.

Removing the WatchWorx Service in Windows
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The WatchWorx service monitors Applications Manager processes and restarts them if they stop. You should
remove the service before you remove the Applications Manager directory. To remove the WatchWorx service on a
Windows system, run the Applications Manager installation script awinstall and choose option 6.
Removing the AW_HOME Directory in Windows
When you installed Applications Manager, you designated a home directory. You must remove this directory and all
sub directories and files.
To remove the directory:
1. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the parent directory of the Applications Manager home directory.
2. Delete the directory.
Dropping the Oracle User
When you installed Applications Manager, you created an Applications Manager Oracle user, usually 'am' or
something similar. You must drop the user and all tables associated with the user.
If it becomes necessary to drop an Applications Manager Oracle user, you must first run the following SQL*Plus
script logged in as that particular Oracle user (otherwise you will have to stop and restart the database before you
can reinstall):

declare ret number;

begin
dbms_pipe.purge('<user name>PIPE_MASTER');
ret:=dbms_pipe.remove_pipe('<user name>pipe_master1');
end;
/

Where <user name> is the name of the Oracle user and is not SYS or SYSTEM.
To drop the user, log into Oracle as SYS and issue the following command:

drop user <user name> cascade;

Installing a Second RMI Server for Failover

You install an RMI server for failover by running the installation script as you would when installing an Automation
Engine. You can share the Web server with the original RMI server, or install a separate one. After installing the
RMI server, you need to add it to the RmiServer Config window in the Applications Manager client.
To install a Second RMI Server for Failover:
1. Install an RMI server for failover by running the installation script as you would when installing an Automation
Engine.
• For UNIX: Follow the on-screen prompts and be sure to enter the same values for this RMI server as you did
for the original Automation Engine installation.

For the prompt: Do the following:

Install Automation Engine's Agent [Y] Enter N.
Install only a Rmi Server (exit if No ) [Y] Hit the Enter key to accept the default value of Y.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

For the prompt: Do the following:

Tomcat Web Server installed on this machine To:
[Yes]
• Share an Tomcat Web server with the RMI server
installed with the Automation Engine, enter N.
When you share an Apache Web server:
• The RMIHostID set in the Options.properties
files must be a DNS name that resolves
across all servers.
• The Apache Web server should be on a
separate machine than either RMI server.
• Install a separate Apache Web server for this
RMI server, accept the default of Yes.
You might want to have separate Apache Web
servers if you want different values set for the
RMIHostID in each Options.properties files. In
this case, you can install the Apache Web servers
on the same machines as the RMI servers.
• For Windows: Uncheck the Install Automation Engine Local Agent checkbox on the first screen.
Warning: The awenv.ini file for this RMI server will include an agent line with the name of the
Automation Engine as its value. Do not delete this line, or the awcomm process will not start.

You must have AW_RMI_ONLY set in the sosite file. This is set automatically by the installation script in order
to prevent the start of an AgentService process.
If you ever want to add a Local Agent to the RMI server, you can re-run the installation script, and enter Y for the
Install Automation Engine's Agent prompt.
2. In the awenv.ini file for each AgentService, add the line for the failover RMI server:

alt_master_ip_address=<IP address>

3. Specify the new RMI server as an allowable RMI server by designating it as a master on the RMI Servers tab of
the Connections window in the Applications Manager client.

The Connections window is limited to Users who have the DBA User Group. If you do not have access to it,
see your Applications Manager administrator.
In the image above, the Automation Engine is shown at the top of the table. Its session ID is 3025715. Its
corresponding RMI server (RmiServer) has the same session ID. The Automation Engine's Local Agent is
named V9AM01 and displays the same IP address as the Automation Engine's RMI server. The final item is the
second RMI server.
The last column in the table, Master, applies only to the RMI servers. If "Ok" is displayed in the column, it
indicates that the RMI server can support the Automation Engine.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To activate an RMI server to serve the Automation Engine, double-click the entry in the table. This will toggle the
entry from "No" to "Ok". To toggle the entry back to "No", double-click it again.
RMI Failover Behavior
The Applications Manager Automation Engine supports active-passive failover. A secondary Applications
Manager RMI server can be setup and run in stand-by mode (active-passive), so that in the event that the primary
Applications Manager Automation Engine goes down, the stand-by RMI server will become the active Automation
Engine. When the stand-by RMI server becomes active, the Agents will reconnect to it automatically; with the
exception of the Local Agent. That is because the Local Agent is part of the Automation Engine installation, and
integrated with the specific Automation Engine system. Therefore, in systems that require RMI server failover, it is
recommended that all Jobs be setup to run on Remote Agents.

Installing a UNIX Remote Agent

Remote Agents allow you to run tasks on servers other than the server where the Applications Manager
Automation Engine is installed.
If you want to run UNIX tasks on a server other than the server where the Applications Manager Automation Engine
is installed, you must install an Applications Manager Remote Agent on the other server. You can have as many
Remote Agents as needed.
Steps
The basic steps for installing a UNIX Remote Agent are:
1. Define the Remote Agent in Applications Manager.
2. Install the Applications Manager Remote Agent software.
3. Verify the installation.
Before You Begin
Before you begin the installation, you need the following information:
• Applications Manager Remote Agent UNIX account login and password
• Network IP address for the Remote Agent host
• Network IP address for the Automation Engine host
• Agent name for the Automation Engine that will control the Remote Agent
• A name (up to 100 characters) for the Applications Manager Remote Agent
When selecting a name for the Agent, do not use any of the following names: ALL, AWCOMM, AGENTSERVICE,
RMI, RMISERVER, AGENT, or MASTER. These are Applications Manager process names, and if used, can cause
problems with start and stop commands issued by Applications Manager.
An Applications Manager Remote Agent does not require a separate database account. All Applications Manager
data is stored in the repository used by the Automation Engine.
It is possible to install Remote Agents on the same machine as an Automation Engine/Local Agent. To do so, you
just need to install the Remote Agent as a separate OS user and/or use a different IP address/host name when
defining the Agent in the Applications Manager client.
Accessing the Remote Agent Through a Firewall
When running the Remote Agent install script, you will be asked if you have a firewall installed. If you answer yes,
you will be able to specify values for the following ports:
• Agent Server Port
• Agent Client Port
• Stack Server Port
• Stack Client Port
It is a good idea to specify the same port numbers on each Remote Agent to minimize the number of ports you
have to keep open on the Automation Engine's firewall.
After specifying port numbers for the Remote Agent (as well as for the Automation Engine), you must open the
appropriate ports in your firewall software on the Automation Engine/RMI server, Agent, and client. If you need to
change your firewall ports, you can do so by re-running the install script. For more information on the ports you
need to open for inbound and outbound firewalls. For more information, see Overview of Firewall Settings.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Defining the UNIX Remote Agent in Applications Manager

You can add Remote Agents by adding an Agent object in Applications Manager and running an install script.
Remote Agents are used to run tasks on a machine that does not include the Applications Manager Automation
Engine.
The first step to install a Remote Agent is to define the Agent in Applications Manager. If you do not define the
Agent in Applications Manager, the install script will fail.

Adding Remote Agents

To add a Remote Agent object:
1. Open the Object Admin menu, and choose Agents.
Applications Manager displays the Agents Selector window shown above.
2. On the Agents Selector window, click the New button.
Applications Manager opens the Select Agent Type window.
3. Select STANDARD and click OK.
4. Fill in the fields and click OK to save.
Some important fields to know about when defining a new Remote Agent are described below. For a description
of all fields on the Agents window, click the Help button.
• Name
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The name can be up to 30 characters long. If you install two or more Remote Agents on a machine, do not
give them the same name (even if they report to different Automation Engine instances). The following are
reserved words that cannot be used for Automation Engine or Agent names: ALL, APPWORX, AWCOMM,
AGENTSERVICE, AWAPI, RMI, RMISERVER, AGENT, and MASTER.
• Description
A description of an Agent can be up to 30 characters long.
• IP address
The IP address or DNS name.
• CPU Limit
Defines the percentage of CPU usage where Applications Manager will spawn no new tasks. When an Agent
reaches its CPU limit it will go into a CPU WAIT Agent status. Tasks waiting to run on an Agent that has
reached its CPU limit will go to an AGENT WAIT status. The default is 80% for newly created Agents or 99%
for Agents that were upgraded from a version of Applications Manager before this feature existed. You can
see actual CPU usage percentages for Agents in the Cpu column on the Agent Summary on the Explorer
window. The CPU usage is updated about once every minute for each Agent and the Automation Engine.
• Thread Schedule
Sets the maximum number of concurrent tasks that can run on the Agent at one time in all Queues.
Editing the Thread Schedule of the Automation Engine/Local Agent from this field will change the setting for
only the Local Agent.
Thread Schedules can be changed for the Automation Engine and Agents from the Explorer window.
• OS type
Indicates that the operating system is UNIX.
• User
The operating system user for the Agent. The User selected determines the Awexe range assigned to the
Agent. Be sure your Agents are assigned to a User with the full Awexe range, which is 1000-9999. Users
assigned to a Remote Agent require an Awexe range for the Agent to start.
Warning: This User should never be SQLOPER.

Defining Multiple Agents on the Same Instance

To define multiple Agents on the same instance, simply create additional Agent objects with the same IP address
and User. You will only need to run the Agent install the first time.
If you have two or more Agent installs on the same remote machine from a previous Applications Manager version,
it is necessary to assign them each a unique OS user.

Installing the Remote Agent

The second step is to install the Remote Agent by running the CDINST.SH script.
After defining the Remote Agent in Applications Manager, the next step is to install the Remote Agent by running
the CDINST.SH script on the remote host.
In the event an Agent makes a database connection directly (i.e. OAE Agent, Banner Agent, or any direct database
connection), you need to copy the ojdbc6.jar file to the $AW_HOME/web/classes directory of the Agent. You can
get that file from your ORACLE_HOME/jdbc/lib/ directory or the Oracle website.
Run the Install Script
On the host where you want to install the Agent, run CDINST.SH from a staging directory. The installation script
creates the required directories and moves the programs into the proper directories.
During the installation process, Applications Manager displays default values in brackets [ ]. The values will be
different for each system. You can accept the default values by pressing the Enter key at the prompt, or override
the default values by typing in a response and pressing the Enter key.
Procedure
To install an Applications Manager UNIX Remote Agent:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

1. Log into the Applications Manager UNIX account on the remote host, and if necessary, change to the directory
where you want the Applications Manager Remote Agent installed.
You must be logged into the Applications Manager UNIX account and be in the Applications Manager directory
for the installation procedure to work correctly. Moving the files after the installation is complete requires some
effort. It is best to install into the correct directory in the first place.
If you transferred files to a staging directory, verify that all the Applications Manager files are owned by the
Applications Manager UNIX login and group. If they are not, the installation will fail. Use the chown and chgrp
commands to modify the ownership if necessary.
2. From the directory in which you want the Agent installed, run CDINST.SH on the host.
Be sure to set permissions for the CDINST.SH file.
After completing the initial install, you can run agentinstall and bypass cdinst by typing:

sh agentinstall

The agentinstall program can be used to modify the current agent-related parameters for the Applications
Manager installation.
3. Follow the onscreen prompts.
4. After completing the installation script, enter the command as shown below to establish the proper environment,
or log out of UNIX and back in.

. .profile

The following lines have been added to $AW_HOME/.profile during the installation process:

AW_HOME=/apps/appworx_a;export AW_HOME
. /apps/appworx_a/site/sosite

Assign Applications Manager Environment Variables in sosite, not in .profile.

5. Start the Applications Manager processes using the startso command on the Remote Agent.
Verifying the Installation
After you complete the installation, start the Applications Manager network listener, obtain the authorization key,
and start the Applications Manager Automation Engine and Agent processes/services, you should verify that the
Applications Manager Remote Agent is installed correctly and ready to start processing tasks. A good test is to run
an Applications Manager Job, such as TEST_JOB on the Remote Agent and view its output files.
For detailed instructions on running the TEST_JOB, see Verifying the Installation.
Installation Complete
You have verified the Remote Agent. This is the last step in the installation procedure

Installing a Windows Remote Agent

Remote Agents allow you to run tasks on servers other than the server where the Applications Manager
Automation Engines is installed.
If you want Applications Manager to run tasks on a Windows server other than the Applications Manager
Automation Engine server, you must install an Applications Manager Remote Agent on the server. You can have as
many Remote Agents as needed.
Steps
The basic steps for installing an Windows Remote Agent are:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

1. Define the Remote Agent in Applications Manager.

2. Create the Windows user.
3. Install the Applications Manager Remote Agent software.
4. Verify the installation.
Windows System Requirements
The Applications Manager Windows system requirements are described below. You should make sure you have
the necessary free disk space before proceeding.

Component Min. Disk Space Required Recommended Disk Space

Installation files and temporary files 80 MB 110 MB

created during installation

Operations files 10+ MB Varies*

* There must be enough disk space to hold all the output (reports and system listings) for the retention period of the
Job.
Accessing the Remote Agent Through a Firewall
When running the Remote Agent install script, you will be asked if you have a firewall installed. If you answer yes,
you will be able to specify values for the following ports:
• Agent Server Port
• Agent Client Port
• Stack Server Port
• Stack Client Port
It is a good idea to specify the same port numbers on each Remote Agent to minimize the number of ports you
have to keep open on the Automation Engine's firewall.
After specifying port numbers for the Remote Agent (as well as for the Automation Engine), you must open the
appropriate ports in your firewall software on the Automation Engine/RMI server, Agent, and client. If you need to
change your firewall ports, you can do so by re-running the install script. For more information on the ports you
need to open for inbound and outbound firewalls, see Overview of Firewall Settings.

Defining the Windows Remote Agent in Applications Manager

You can add Remote Agents by adding an Agent object in Applications Manager and running an install script.
Remote Agents are used to run tasks on a machine that does not include the Applications Manager Automation
Engine.
The first step to installing a Remote Agent is to define the Agent in Applications Manager. If you do not define the
Agent in Applications Manager, the install script will fail.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Adding Remote Agents

1. Open the Object Admin menu, and choose Agents.
Applications Manager displays the Agents Selector window shown above.
2. On the Agents Selector window, click the New button.
Applications Manager opens the Select agent type window.
3. Select STANDARD and click OK.
4. Fill in the fields and click OK to save.
Some important fields to know about when defining a new Remote Agent are described below. For a description
of all fields on the Agents window, click the Help button.
• Name
The name can be up to 30 characters long. If you install two or more Remote Agents on a machine, do not
give them the same name (even if they report to different Automation Engine instances). The following are
reserved words that cannot be used for Automation Engine or Agent names; ALL, APPWORX, AWCOMM,
AGENTSERVICE, AWAPI, RMI, RMISERVER, AGENT, and MASTER.
• Description
A description of an Agent can be up to 30 characters long.
• IP address
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The IP address or DNS name.

• CPU Limit
Defines the percentage of CPU usage where Applications Manager will spawn no new tasks. When an Agent
reaches its CPU limit it will go into a CPU WAIT Agent status. Tasks waiting to run on an Agent that has
reached its CPU limit will go to a AGENT WAIT status. The default is 80% for newly created Agents or 99%
for Agents that were upgraded from a version of Applications Manager before this feature existed. You can
see actual CPU usage percentages for Agents in the Cpu column on the Agent Summary on the Explorer
window. The CPU usage is updated about once every minute for each Agent and the Automation Engine.
• Thread Schedule
Sets the maximum number of concurrent tasks that can run on the Agent at one time in all Queues.
Editing the Thread Schedule of the Automation Engine/Local Agent from this field will change the setting for
only the Local Agent.
Thread Schedules can be changed for the Automation Engine and Agents from the Explorer window.
• OS type
Indicates that the operating system is Windows.
• User
The operating system user for the Agent. The User selected determines the Awexe range assigned to the
Agent. Be sure your Agents are assigned to a User with the full Awexe range, which is 1000-9999. Users
assigned to a Remote Agent require an Awexe range for the Agent to start.
Warning: This User should never be SQLOPER.

Defining Multiple Agents on the Same Instance

To define multiple Agents on the same instance, simply create additional Agent objects with the same IP address
and User. You will only need to run the Agent install the first time.
If you have two or more Agent installs on the same remote machine from a previous Applications Manager version,
it is necessary to assign them each a unique OS user.

Creating the Windows User

The Windows Agent runs as a Windows service and should run as the local Windows Administrator account.
After adding the Remote Agent, the next step is to create the Windows user.
The Applications Manager Windows WatchWorx service runs as Windows service. We recommend that each
service run as a specific Windows user: typically the Administrator user. Whichever user the services run as, that
user must have certain advanced user rights and permissions. Administrator is the default User when installing this
service.
Required Permissions
The table below identifies the rights and permissions required for the Administrator, custom-built user (or custom
Applications Manager), and the domain user.

User Rights and Permissions

Administrator (recommended) or Applications Manager • Advanced User Right: act as part of the operating
system
• Advanced User Right: log on as a service
• File access permissions to run the programs you
wish to run with this Automation Engine and Local
Agent.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

User Rights and Permissions

Domain/User • Advanced User Right: Act as part of the operating

system
• Advanced User Right: Log on as a service
• File access permissions to run the programs you
wish to run with this Automation Engine and Local
Agent.
• Must belong to the domain/administrator group.

Remember, you must log out and log in again after changing any user rights. Otherwise, the changes will not
take effect. You should determine which user(s) the Applications Manager services are going to run as before
proceeding with the installation. You will perform the installation as Administrator.
Special Circumstances
Occasionally, certain Windows host configurations do not allow the Applications Manager services to be installed to
a specific User/Password. If you are unable to install the Applications Manager services as a specific user on your
Windows host, Applications Manager recommends that you do the following:
1. Install Windows Remote Agent and Network Listener Services; however, leave the User and Password fields
blank. By default Applications Manager installs into the System user account.
2. After you complete the installation, go to the Windows Services and locate the AWW-<Agent name> service.
3. Ensure that the AWW-<Agent name> service's Startup Type option is set to 'Automatic'.
4. Change the Log On As from 'System Account' to 'This Account.' Enter the Windows user account and the
password.
5. Be sure to update the service with an appropriate Windows user name and password.

Running the Installation Program

To install an Windows Remote Agent, run the installation executable. If you are installing from a CD, use
cdinstall.bat. If not, then open a command prompt, go to the site directory, call sosite.bat, then awinstall. After
completing the installation, you will have one Remote Agent installed on the host.
After defining the Remote Agent in Agent Manager and adding the operating system user in Login Manager, you
are ready to install the Remote Agent.
In the event an Agent makes a database connection directly (i.e. OAE Agent, Banner Agent, or any direct database
connection), you need to copy the ojdbc6.jar file to the $AW_HOME/web/classes directory of the Agent. You can
get that file from your ORACLE_HOME/jdbc/lib/ directory or the Oracle website.
Before You Begin
Before you begin the installation, you need the following information:
• The logon name and password for each User under which you are going to run an Applications Manager service
• The network IP address for the Remote Agent host
• The network IP address for the Automation Engine host
• The name for the Automation Engine that will control the Remote Agent
• A name (up to 100 characters) for the Applications Manager Remote Agent
An Applications Manager Remote Agent does not require a separate database account. All Applications Manager
data is stored in the repository used by the Automation Engine.
It is possible to install Remote Agents on the same machine as an Automation Engine/Local Agent. To do so, you
just need to install the Remote Agent as a separate OS user and/or use a different IP address/host name when
defining the Agent in the Applications Manager client.
Install Program
The cdinstall.bat program installs the Windows Remote Agent. You should run the program as Administrator. The
Remote Agent install program:
• Installs the Applications Manager files in the appropriate directories.
• Sets up and updates the database tables, Windows services, and other Applications Manager-specific files.
Procedure
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To install an Applications Manager Windows Remote Agent:

1. While logged in as Administrator, run the cdinstall.bat program.
2. Follow the on-screen prompts.
It is recommended to install in a directory without spaces. Depending on your Windows system configuration
issues for pathing, it can cause issues if you install in a directory with spaces.
3. If required, assign Applications Manager Environment Variables in envvar.bat.
For example, you may need to define Oracle Applications environment variables.
Verifying the Installation
After you complete the installation, start the Applications Manager network listener, obtain the authorization key,
and start the Applications Manager Automation Engine and Agent processes/services, you should verify that the
Applications Manager Remote Agent is installed correctly and ready to start processing tasks. A good test is to run
an Applications Manager Job, such as TEST_JOB on the Remote Agent and view its output files.
For detailed instructions on running the TEST_JOB, see topic Verifying the Installation.

Upgrading Applications Manager

When you upgrade an Automation Engine and its Local Agent, you must also upgrade all Remote Agents
controlled by that Automation Engine to ensure that the Automation Engine and all its Agents are the same version.
To upgrade a UNIX or Windows Automation Engine, you run the Applications Manager installation script. The
script upgrades the Automation Engine and its Local Agent to a new version of Applications Manager. If you are
upgrading a host with multiple Agents, the Applications Manager communication processes (aw*) will not be
replaced unless they are assigned write access.
To upgrade a Remote Agent, you run the Remote Agent install script awagentinstall. The script upgrades your
Remote Agent to a new version of Applications Manager.
Rule-Based Optimization
Applications Manager is designed to take advantage of rule-based optimization. It is recommended the database
be started using rule-based optimization to enhance the performance of Applications Manager. In high load
scenarios, the database must run in rule-based mode.
Changes in Behavior
Changes in behavior are described in the
Applications Manager v9.x Release Highlights
.
Default Objects Overwritten
If you have modified any of the Applications Manager default objects or scripts, they will be overwritten during the
upgrade. For example, you may have modified a Program Type, or modified a Program Type script in the exec
directory.
If you modified a default object, you will need to redefine it after the upgrade. Long term, you should consider
creating unique Program Types that will not be overwritten.
If you modified a script, you can copy the script to a different directory, run the upgrade, then copy the script back to
the original directory. As with the default objects, you should consider creating uniquely named scripts that will not
be overwritten.

Upgrading or updating Tomcat

This article describes how you can manually upgrade or update the Tomcat.

Manually update Tomcat files

To use an existing Tomcat with AM, server.xml and web.xml files must be updated after Applications Manager (AM)
is installed.
Note: Restart Tomcat after updating the configuration files.

1. Backup {Tomcat_home}/conf/server.xml.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

2. Add xmlValidation=”false” and xmlNameSpaceware=”false” in the <Host> attribute.

<Host name="{fully qualified machine name}" appBase="webapps"

unpackWARs="true" autoDeploy="true"
xmlValidation="false" xmlNamespaceAware="false">

3. Add <Context path> attribute where path={AM Master} and docBase={location of AM web
folder}

<Context path="/AM_DEV"
docBase="C:/AM_DEV/web/"
reloadable="true"
crossContext="true"/>

Manually upgrade Tomcat

Note: You can install multiple versions of Tomcat in one machine.
Scenario 1: Install the latest Tomcat on a new location and use a new port. Refer to Manually updating Tomcat
Files on how to update the configuration files.
Scenario 2: Install the latest Tomcat on a new location and use the same port as the existing Tomcat. Stop the
existing Tomcat before installing the new Tomcat. Refer to Manually updating Tomcat Files on how to update the
configuration files.
Scenario 3: Install Tomcat on the same location, using the same port and service name as the existing Tomcat.
To perform scenario 3:
1. Stop the Tomcat service.
Non-Windows: tomcat_home/bin/shutdown.sh.
Windows: open "Configure Tomcat" or run: tomcat_home/bin/shutdown.bat or run: sc stop {Tomcat
service name}
2. For Windows only: Remove Tomcat service
{tomcat_home}\bin>Tomcat10 //DS//{Tomcat service name}
3. Backup the bin, conf, and webapps folders.
4. Delete contents of old Tomcat installation from {Tomcat_home}.
5. On Windows: Run the new Tomcat executable. In “Destination Folder” replace the default location with the
existing/current Tomcat location.
Existing location: C:\Program Files (x86)\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat
10.0_Tomcat10Test2
Change To: C:\Tomcat\Tomcat10Test2
Non-Windows: un-compress tomcat*.tar.gz in the existing/current Tomcat location.
6. Note: Ensure Tomcat is stopped.
After the installation is complete, replace conf, webapps, work folders with the backup folders of Step 3.
7. Start Tomcat.

Upgrading an Automation Engine and Local Agent

This procedure describes how to upgrade an Applications Manager Automation Engine and its Local Agent. When
you upgrade an Automation Engine and its Local Agent, you must also upgrade all Remote Agents controlled
by that Automation Engine to ensure that the Automation Engine and all its Agents are the same version. For
information on upgrading a Remote Agents, see Upgrading Remote Agents.
Before You Begin
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Before you begin the upgrade, stop the Applications Manager processes and back up the Applications Manager
database account.
Make sure you have the following information before proceeding:
• The Applications Manager UNIX account login and password or the Applications Manager Windows
administrator login.
• The Applications Manager Database Login and password
Procedure
To upgrade an Applications Manager Automation Engine and Local Agent:
1. Stop all Applications Manager processes, including awcomm. You can kill all Applications Manager processes
by issuing the following commands:

stopso all
stopso awcomm

If you have multiple RMI servers installed for RMI failover, you must stop the RmiServer processes on all
machines where they are running.
2. Log into the Applications Manager account, and if necessary, change to the directory where Applications
Manager is installed.
In UNIX, you must be logged into the Applications Manager UNIX account and be in the Applications Manager
directory for the installation procedure to work correctly. If you transferred files to a staging directory, verify
that all the Applications Manager files are owned by the Applications Manager UNIX login and group before
running the install script. If they are not, the upgrade will fail. Use the chown and chgrp commands to modify
the ownership if necessary.
3. From the directory in which you want Applications Manager installed, run the installation script. In UNIX, the
script is CDINST.SH. In Windows, it is cdinstall.bat.
4. Follow the onscreen prompts.
Note that the required information for an install/upgrade may have changed since you first installed Applications
Manager. For more information on the current requirements, see System Information Required for the
Installation.
5. When presented with the menu of upgrade options, choose:

Initial Install/Upgrade from prior version.

6. Follow the onscreen prompts.

Note that the required information for an install/upgrade may have changed since you first installed Applications
Manager. For more information on the current requirements, see System Information Required for the
Installation.
UNIX Systems
For UNIX systems, you should complete the following steps:
1. After completing the install and exiting the script, enter the following command to establish the proper
environment, or log out of UNIX and back in:

. .profile
chmod 4711 c/SURUN
chown root c/SURUN
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

2. If you are using surun, make sure you move the surun file to the SURUN directory. From the User account
$AW_HOME/c directory, type:

mv c/surun c/SURUN

3. Restart your Applications Manager processes.

Next Step
You have completed upgrading the Applications Manager Automation Engine and Local Agent. The next step is to
upgrade any Applications Manager Remote Agents as described in Upgrading Remote Agents. If you do not have
Remote Agents, skip to Verifying the Upgrade.

Upgrading Remote Agents

This procedure describes how to upgrade an Applications Manager Remote Agent on a single host. When you
upgrade an Automation Engine and its Local Agent, you must also upgrade all Remote Agents controlled by that
Automation Engine to ensure that the Automation Engine and all its Agents are the same version.
In the event an Agent makes a database connection directly (i.e. OAE Agent, Banner Agent, or any direct database
connection), you need to copy the ojdbc6.jar file to the $AW_HOME/web/classes directory of the Agent. You can
get that file from your ORACLE_HOME/jdbc/lib/ directory or the Oracle website.
Before You Begin
Before you begin the upgrade, delete all tasks from the Backlog and stop the Applications Manager processes. You
can do this by issuing the stopso command from the command line prompt.
For UNIX, make sure you know the Applications Manager Remote Agent UNIX account login and password before
you begin.
Running the Upgrade Script
The upgrade script for the Remote Agent is CDINST.SH for UNIX and cdinstall.bat for Windows.
In UNIX, Applications Manager displays default values in brackets [ ]. You can accept a default by pressing ENTER
at a prompt.
In Windows, Applications Manager displays a series of screens that prompt for information.
Java is not automatically upgraded for Windows Remote Agent upgrades, because there are system-wide effects.
Java upgrades on Windows Remote Agent machine must be done manually.
Procedure
To upgrade an Applications Manager Remote Agent:
1. Log into the Applications Manager account on the Remote Agent machine, and if necessary, change to the
directory where Applications Manager is installed.
In UNIX, you must be logged into the Applications Manager UNIX account and be in the Applications Manager
directory for the installation procedure to work correctly. If you transferred files to a staging directory prior to
running the install script, verify that all the Applications Manager files are owned by the Applications Manager
UNIX login and group. If they are not, the installation will fail. Use the chown and chgrp commands to modify
the ownership if necessary.
In Windows, you must be logged in as Administrator.
2. From the directory in which you want the Agent installed, run the installation script:
UNIX:

CDINST.SH
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Windows:

cdinstall.bat

Be sure to set permissions for the CDINST.SH file.

If you need to re-run the installation, you can run the agentinstall file and skip the file transfer steps.
3. Follow the onscreen prompts.
4. When presented with the menu of upgrade options, choose:

Initial Install/Upgrade from prior version.

5. Continue to follow the onscreen prompts.

UNIX Systems
For UNIX systems, you should complete the following steps:
1. After completing the install and exiting the script, enter the following command to establish the proper
environment, or log out of UNIX and back in:

. .profile
chmod 4711 c/SURUN
chown root c/SURUN

2. If you are using surun, make sure you move the surun file to the SURUN directory. From the User account
$AW_HOME/c directory, type:

mv c/surun c/SURUN

3. Restart your Applications Manager processes.

Next Step
You have upgraded the Remote Agent. The next step is to verify the upgrade.

Verifying the Upgrade

After completing the upgrade, you should verify that Applications Manager is installed correctly and ready to start
processing tasks. A good test is to run a Job and view its output files.
Procedure
To verify the installation:
1. Start the Applications Manager Automation Engine and Agent processes.
2. Run the TEST_JOB and monitor the progress of TEST_JOB in the Backlog.
The TEST_JOB should complete successfully with status FINISHED.
3. View the output.
Verifying the Remote Agent Upgrades
If you upgraded one or more Remote Agents, run through the above process using test Jobs designated to run on
the Remote Agents. Make sure the test_module program is located on the Remote Agent machine.
Verification Complete
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If TEST_JOB finished and you can view the output file, then Applications Manager has been upgraded correctly.
Verification is complete.

Loading Rapid Automation Component .jar Files into

Applications Manager
You load Rapid Automation Agent component .jar files into Applications Manager with the Rapid Automation loader.
Using the Rapid Automation Loader
To use the Rapid Automation Loader:
1. Go to the Tools menu and select Rapid Automation Loader.
Applications Manager opens the Rapid Automation Loader window shown below.

2. From the Rapid Automation Loader window, browse to a directory where RA components are on your PC
using the Browse button.
3. Select a component from the Available Components box.
4. Optionally enter an ID number for the component in the ID field. If you don’t enter an ID number the next
available number will be used.
In most cases you would not need to worry about ID numbers. You would only need to set one in rare cases
such as when an Agent with references is deleted out of the database and it needs to be recreated with the
same number in the SO_OPERATORS table.
5. Click OK or Apply.
OK saves the changes and closes the window. Apply saves the changes and keeps the window open. In either
case a confirmation window will tell you that the component was loaded and the component will be added to the
Loaded Components box.
You will now be able to define Agents of this type in Applications Manager.
6. If you are upgrading an existing RA Agent type that you have Agents defined for, you must stop and restart the
AgentService process for all previously defined Agents.
7. For some Agents, such as Business Objects, you must log out and log back in to the Applications Manager
Client.
Deleting Loaded Components
To delete a loaded component, select the component and click Delete. In order to delete a component, you must
first delete any objects from Applications Manager that reference this component.
Comparing Build Information
To compare build information between available and loaded components, select an available component from
your PC in the Available Components box and a loaded component from the Loaded Components box and
click Build Info. Applications Manager opens the Build Info window shown below where you can compare the
information for the two builds.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Adding Alternate Classes to Your Path

If you want to include alternate class files to the beginning of your CLASSPATH environment variable on start-up,
add them to the following directory.
UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes_alt

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes_alt

After adding additional files to the classes_alt directory, you must stop and restart process by going to the site
directory and issuing the following commands:
UNIX:

. sosite
stopso
startso

Windows:

sosite
stopso
startso
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

6 User Guide
The User Guide is a comprehensive procedures manual that covers all aspects of Applications
Manager operations.
The User Guide is a comprehensive procedures manual that covers all aspects of Applications Manager
operations. It is part of the complete Applications Manager documentation set which includes:
• Getting Started Guide
• Installation Guide
• User Guide
• Development Guide
• Administration Guide
• Oracle Applications Extension Guide
• PeopleSoft Extension Guide
Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used throughout this guide:
• User interface field names, menu items, and window names are written in bold.
• File names and text within scripts are written in bold.
• Variable text is written <within brackets>. In the example below <run ID number> represents the actual run ID
number of a requested Job.
If you submit a large Process Flow, the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: Run ID = <run ID
number>' until all components of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog.

About This Guide

The User Guide is a comprehensive procedures manual that covers all aspects of Applications Manager
operations. It is part of the complete Applications Manager documentation set which includes:
• Getting Started Guide
• Installation Guide
• User Guide
• Development Guide
• Administration Guide
• Oracle Applications Extension Guide
• PeopleSoft Extension Guide
Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used throughout this guide:
• User interface field names, menu items, and window names are written in bold.
• File names and text within scripts are written in bold.
• Variable text is written <within brackets>. In the example below <run ID number> represents the actual run ID
number of a requested Job.
If you submit a large Process Flow, the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: Run ID = <run ID
number>' until all components of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog.

Applications Manager Operations

Applications Manager provides robust operations tools that make it easy for you to monitor and manage tasks as
they execute. As a Applications Manager operator, you can:
• Monitor the system.
• Handle exceptions to normal processing.
• Run tasks on an as-needed basis.
• View and print task output.
• See what tasks will run during your shift.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Control load on the system.

• Troubleshoot tasks.
• Prevent tasks from launching.
• Take actions on tasks.
• Run tasks from the command line.
• Stage tasks up to 48 hours ahead.
Each of the areas of Applications Manager used by operators is described briefly below. Details for each are given
in the remainder of this chapter and the chapters that follow.
Using the Explorer Window
The Explorer window is the primary tool you use to monitor and manage Agents, Queues, and tasks. A sample
Explorer window is shown below.

Viewing Forecasts
Using the forecast feature, you can view a list of scheduled Jobs and Process Flows.
Requesting Jobs and Process Flows
There may be times when you want to run tasks outside of a set schedule. You can submit individual Jobs and
Process Flows from the Requests window. In Applications Manager, we refer to these as "ad hoc" requests.
Using Gantt Windows
You can use the following operations Gantt windows:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Graphical Forecast: Displays scheduled Jobs and Process Flows in a Gantt chart format.
• Backlog Gantt View: Displays the contents of the Backlog in a real-time Gantt chart format. You can take
actions on tasks or view/edit their task details.
• History Gantt View: Displays in Gantt chart format how the components of a Process Flow in the History
executed.
Viewing Operations Reports
Applications Manager comes with a set of predefined Reports that provide information about your Applications
Manager objects. You can also import an extensive set of Applications Manager History Analysis Reports that you
can use to review how tasks were processed. You can also create your own custom Reports.

Using the Applications Manager Desktop

You can access all Applications Manager features and options from the Applications Manager desktop.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If you are using a Windows client with 800x600 resolution, you will need to select the Windows auto hide taskbar
option.
ToolTips
ToolTips provide a brief description of buttons, icons, and fields. To see a ToolTip, rest the mouse pointer over the
button, icon, or field. A ToolTip appears after the mouse pointer has remained motionless for a second or two. In
the image above, the mouse pointer is resting on the Jobs icon in the toolbar. You can disable ToolTips by going to
the View menu and unchecking the ToolTips option.
Toolbar and Menus
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The toolbar consists of a row of icons running across the top of the screen. Click an icon to open its corresponding
window. You can also access the windows in the toolbar from the Operations and Object Admin menu items. The
Activities menu listings open windows where you can take actions such as opening Explorer or running ad hoc
tasks with Requests. The Object Admin menu listings open selector windows where you can view, add, edit, or
delete object definitions (depending on your User Group access).
You can view or hide the toolbar by opening the View menu and checking/unchecking the Toolbar option. You can
optionally view text for the toolbar options by opening the View menu and checking/unchecking the Toolbar Text
option. You can add or remove the icons displayed on the toolbar by selecting Settings from the Options menu.
For instructions on editing desktop settings, see Editing General Desktop and ToolBar Settings.
Taskbar
The taskbar is a graphic bar running across the bottom of the desktop that is used to select active windows. When
you open an Applications Manager editing window, the window is represented by an icon in the taskbar. From the
taskbar, you can right-click a window icon to:
• Restore a window to the desktop or minimize it to the taskbar. You can also display an active window by
opening the View menu, selecting Windows, and choosing a window.
• Maximize a window to fill the desktop.
• Move a window to the front of the desktop.
• Close a window.
Selector windows are used when defining Applications Manager objects. They are not displayed on the taskbar
because they do not contain unique information and are represented by icons on the toolbar.
Status Bar
The status bar is displayed across the bottom of the Explorer window. Its color alerts you to the status of the
Automation Engine, Agents, and tasks running in the Backlog. When the Explorer window is minimized it uses the
same color scheme on the taskbar. For more information on the status bar, see Monitoring with the Status Bar and
Object Icons.
Closing All Windows or Selector Windows
To close all windows, go to the View menu and select Close all. To close only the selector windows, select Close
selectors.

Working in the Applications Manager Windows

In many of the Applications Manager windows, the columns can be sorted and rearranged. Applications Manager
conforms to most GUI standards, including keyboard navigation.
Sorting Columns
You can display the items within a column in ascending or descending order. Click the header of a desired column
to view its entries in descending order. Click a second time to view the entries in ascending order. Note that the
arrow to the right of the column name reflects this change. Some columns can be clicked a third time to display the
entries in their default order. The arrow may be displayed in a separate column, or not at all, when entries are in
their default order. You can click the columns additional times to cycle through the options.
Copying Text from Rows
To copy text from a table in an Applications Manager window, click one or more rows and enter Ctrl-C. You must
select the entire row. You can then paste the text into an email, word processor, or other application of your choice.
Temporarily Changing Column Order
To temporarily change the order of the columns, use the mouse to point to the heading of the column you want to
move, hold down the mouse button, and drag the column to the new position as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

These settings are not retained when you close the window. Many columns can be configured and saved. For more
information, see Customizing Tables.
Copying, Cutting, and Pasting Text
You can right-click in a field to bring up a pop-up menu with copy, cut, and paste options.
Bringing Error Dialogs into View
If you minimize the Applications Manager desktop when an error message is displayed, the Applications Manager
desktop may seem to lock up. This is because the error dialog is out of view. To bring the error dialog back into
view, hold down the Alt key and press the Tab key until you highlight the Java coffee cup icon.
Keyboard Navigation
You can use the following keyboard navigation in Applications Manager:
• Ctrl-Up arrow key sets the focus on the current tab, then the right and left arrow keys will navigate to the other
tabs. Ctrl-Down arrow key returns focus to the page.
• If a table has focus, then Ctrl-Tab will move the focus out of the table.
• When you are in a table, Enter and Tab are used for navigation within the table.
• To alternately expand and collapse an object's key, press Enter.
• To select a mnemonic key, click Alt+<the key>.
Assigning Options
When required, you assign options and objects using the type of window shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Assign objects by moving them from the Unassigned column to the Assigned column. The table below describes
how to assign multiple options.

To: Do this:

Move a selected value between the two columns Double-click the value.
-or-
Select the value and click the single arrow button.

Move all values between the two columns Click on the double arrow button.

Make multiple contiguous selections Hold down the Shift key and click the first and last
values.

Make multiple nonadjacent selections Hold down the Control key and click on each value.

Editing General Desktop and ToolBar Settings

You can edit and save general, toolbar, and alert desktop settings. These settings apply only to your workstation
while you are logged in to an Applications Manager session.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Editing General and Toolbar Settings

To set the Applications Manager desktop settings:
1. From the Options menu, choose Settings.
Applications Manager displays the General tab of the Settings window shown on the left in the image above.
The settings are described below.
• Explorer Refresh Seconds
You control the Explorer window's automatic refresh rate by entering a number of seconds in this field. In the
image above, the refresh frequency is set to 10 seconds (the lowest number of seconds available). You can
also manually refresh by entering Ctrl-R or by clicking the status bar on the Explorer window.
• History Display Minutes
You control how long records are displayed in History using the Previous minutes field. For example, if you
set Previous minutes to 60, only tasks that have run within the last 60 minutes will be displayed.
In some cases records will remain in History beyond this setting due to predecessor requirements.
In the image above, the Previous minutes field is set to 30.
The amount of History displayed when you log in to the client is determined by the HistoryRetentionTime
setting in the Options.properties file. For more information on the HistoryRetentionTime setting and the
Options.properties file.
Caution! The higher you set your Previous minutes, the more memory you will use. You can always run a
History query to view older tasks in History. For more information on History queries, see topic Querying for
Tasks in History.
• Use Database Time Zone
If this option is selected, times shown in the Submit window are based on the time set for the Applications
Manager database. If it is not selected, then the times shown in the Submitwindow are local time based on
the client machine. This is translated to database time for running the task.
Times shown in the Backlog, History, on the status bar, and in the lower right corner of the Explorer screen
are always in database time.
2. You can customize the toolbar by adding and removing icons. To add or remove icons on the toolbar, select the
Toolbar tab shown on the right in the image above.
3. To move items between the Unassigned and Assigned columns, double-click or use the arrow keys.
For details on assigning and unassigning values, see Working in the Applications Manager Windows.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

4. You can set alerts in Applications Manager that are triggered by the status of tasks in the Backlog by selecting
the Alerts tab. For example, you can play a sound whenever a task aborts. For more information, see Setting
Alerts.
5. Applications Manager can log status changes for tasks, Agents, and the Automation Engine. If you have the
DBA User Group, you can configure status logging options from the Task Events and Agent Events tabs of the
Settings window. If you do not have the DBA User Group, you will not see these tabs.
6. To save the settings for the current session and future sessions, click OK.
What Are User Options?
User Options are additional settings selected by your Applications Manager administrator. They control User
access to Applications Manager features such as the Hide feature in the Output window.

Setting Alerts
If the color change in the status bar is not a sufficient alert for your monitoring purposes, you can set additional
alerts for specific statuses. For example, you might have a sound or voice message play when a task aborts. Alerts
launch a program or script on the client machine while you are logged on. To set the alerts, use the Alerts tab on
the Settings window shown below.

Statuses
You can define alerts for the following statuses:
• Aborted task: when a task completes with a non-FINISHED status such as ABORTED
• Hold task: when a task goes into a HOLD status
• Agent trouble: when an Agent goes into a status that requires operator intervention such as a BUSY or
TROUBLE
• All clear: when all task/Agent statuses are changed so that tasks are eligible to run again
You can choose to trigger the alert when the first task or Agent displays the status, or every time a new task or
Agent displays the status.
Local Windows Programs
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

An alert runs a local Windows program that you specify in the field next to the alert category. You must enter a
command which includes the full path to the program file. In the image above, commands like the following are
used to play .wav files with the operating system's default player:

cmd /c="C:\Sounds\abort_task.wav"

You may want to create custom scripts to run as alerts.

Procedure
To set an alert:
1. Display the Settings window by opening the Options menu and choosing Settings.
2. Select the Alerts tab.
3. For each type of alert, enter a fully-pathed program name, or click the Select button and choose the program
name.
The program you choose must be an executable or Applications Manager will return an error message when the
task/Agent goes into the specified status.
4. To activate the alerts, click the Alerts on option.
5. Choose one of the frequency options:
• First time: The alert is executed the first time a task or Agent shows the indicated status. The alert will not
be executed again as long as that task or Agent remains in the indicated status. For example, if three tasks
abort at the same time, you will get only one alert.
• Every time: The alert is executed every time a task or Agent shows the indicated status. For example, if
three tasks abort at the same time, you will get three alerts.
6. To save the alert definitions, click OK.
Creating Notifications
Applications Manager Notifications send messages and output files, based on task status, to any Output Device
defined in Applications Manager.
Applications Manager can log status changes for tasks, Agents, and the Automation Engine. If you have the
DBA User Group, you can configure status logging options from the Task Events and Agent Events tabs of the
Settings window. If you do not have the DBA User Group, you will not see these tabs.

Viewing Operations Reports

Applications Manager comes with a set of Reports that provide information about the Applications Manager objects.
You can also import an extensive set of Applications Manager History Analysis Reports that allow you to review
how tasks were processed. Additionally, you can create your own custom Reports. A Report that audits schedule
changes is shown below. Additional Reports may be created if Users have the necessary User Group access.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can view Reports for each of the operations windows and selector windows.

To view Reports for: Do this:

An object type Open that object's selector window and clickReports .

An operations window Open the operations window and choose the Report
type from the Reports menu.

This opens the Reports window and selects the Report type corresponding to the window you opened it from. In
the image below, the Reports button is selected on the Jobs Selector window, opening the Reports window with
the Jobs type highlighted.
To view Reports for another object type, select that object type from the Type box. If an object is not listed in the
Type box, there are no Reports for it. Once you select a Report, click the Show button.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Enabling Audit Reports

To run auditing Reports, your Applications Manager administrator must enable auditing for the Automation Engine.
Prompt Values
Some Reports require you to enter prompt values. If the Report you select requires prompt values, you must
respond to the prompts in the Report Parameters window shown below. Once prompt values are provided (if
necessary), Applications Manager displays the Report in its own window.

Changing the Lines per Page

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can specify the number of lines displayed on each page using the Lines per Page field. The new setting will
go into effect when you click the Redisplay button. Doing so will update the time and date in the Report header, but
not the data displayed in the Report.
Running Applications Manager History Analysis Reports
You can import Applications Manager History Analysis or AHA Reports. They include an AHA prefix designation in
their names. For example, the AHA-FINISHED_JOBS_BY_STATUS_HR Report returns completed tasks according
to status by hour. Data relating to AHA Reports is generated and loaded into Applications Manager by running the
CALC_HISTORY_STATISTICS Job.

Customizing Tables
Many of the Applications Manager windows display tables of information. In these windows, you can choose the
columns displayed and their order using Setup windows.

The tables that you can customize are listed below:

Menu Option Customizes

Backlog All views of the Backlog viewable from the Explorer

window.

History History on the Explorer window.

Output The Output window.

Agent Summary The Agent Summary on the Explorer window.

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Menu Option Customizes

Queue Summary The Queue Summary on the Explorer window.

Process Flow Summary The Process Flow Summary on the Explorer window.

Status Summary The Status Summary on the Explorer window.

Task Output files The Output files tab on the Task Details window.

Agent Logs The Agent Logs window.

Gantt task summary The information displayed in the pop-up table when you
hover over a Job or Process Flow in the Backlog Gantt
view window and the Flow Diagram window.

Backlog task summary The information displayed in the pop-up table when you
hover over the Run ID column for tasks in the Backlog.

The steps for choosing columns and changing the column order are the same for all tables. To edit a table,
open the Options menu, select Tables, then select the table you want to edit. The Setup window for the Queue
Summary table is shown above.
The top of the window shows the table as it will be displayed in Applications Manager. The bottom of the window
displays a list of the columns that can be displayed.
Making Changes
The table below describes how to customize Applications Manager tables.

To: Do this:

Display a column Check the VISIBLE column.

All visible columns are brought to the top of the list.
Newly checked columns are added to the far right side
of the table. You can click the title of the column in the
top display and drag it to a new location.

Change the name of a column Edit the entry in the Name column.

Control the width of a column Enter a number of pixels in the MAX_WIDTH and
MIN_WIDTH columns. If you enter MIN_WIDTH
settings, its possible that some columns will be pushed
off the table. If this happens, select the Horizontal
scrolling option described below.

Format date columns Select a date format from the FORMAT column.

Control the margins within a column In the Column marginfield, enter a number of pixels to
be added to the left and right margins of the column.

Allow scrolling By default, tables do not scroll. As you add columns,

Applications Manager adjusts the width of the columns
so they are all displayed in the table.
If the tables become to narrow to read the contents,
you can select the Horizontal scrolling option. This
maintains the default width of the columns and displays
a scroll bar across the bottom of the table.

Change the order of the columns Select the title of a column in the top window and drag it
to a new location.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To: Do this:

Return the table to its last saved setting Click the Reset button at the bottom of the window.

Default Settings
Your Applications Manager administrator can set default settings for Applications Manager tables. If you customize
tables, the default settings are overridden.

Changing Status Colors

You can change the colors used to indicate statuses for tasks, Agents, and the Automation Engine in the Backlog
and History.
In the Backlog and History on the Explorer window, Applications Manager displays a task's status in the Status
column. To provide visual cues, Applications Manager uses colors for the statuses. For example, green is
RUNNING, yellow is HOLD, and red is ABORTED. If you wish, you can change the colors used for groups of
statuses.

Procedure
To change the color for a group of statuses:
1. From the Options menu, select Status colors.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager displays the Status colors window shown above.

2. Select the status group you want to change and click Edit.
Applications Manager displays the color selection window shown above.
Statuses included in each group are listed below.

Group Statuses

Ready to run QUEUED

Time Dependent DATE PENDING

Resource Dependent SELF WAIT, QUEUE WAIT, CONDITN WAIT,

UNAVAILABLE, AGENT WAIT, PRED WAIT

Intermediate Completion STG SKIP, PW-SKIP, PW-DELETE

Hold HOLD PRED WT, HOLD

Staged STAGED HOLD, STG_PW HOLD, STAGED,

STAGED_PW

Running LAUNCHED, STARTING, RUNNING

Completion FINISHED, SkipCond, CANCELLED, DELETED

Error DB ERROR, RESUMED, STARTED, STOPPED,

ERRORS, EXPIRES, EXPIRED, IDLED,
TROUBLE, BUSY, CHECK LOG, INACTIVE, BAD
CONNECT,BAD MJN, BAD TYPE, BAD BATCH, BAD
LIBR, BAD LOGIN, HOST FAILURE, BAD QUEUE,
BAD DATE PRM, BAD SQL STMT, BAD MODULE,
BAD_AGENT, FILE_ERROR, START_ERROR,
START_FAILED, RECURSIVE, BAD CONDITN,
DIED, ABORTED, KILLED, TIMEDOUT, LAUNCH
ERROR

Intermediate Error DEAD, ABORTD, KILL, TIME-OUT, KILL1, KILLING,

LAUNCH ERR
3. Select a color and click OK.
Default Settings
Your Applications Manager administrator can set default values for status colors. If you customize status colors,
they override the default settings.

Viewing the About Applications Manager Window

Use the About Applications Manager window to view details about your Applications Manager build. This
information may be requested if you call Broadcom Support. When you select the About Applications Manager
menu item from the Help menu, Applications Manager displays the About Applications Manager window.
The About Applications Manager window includes:
• The Applications Manager version and build number
• Workstation Java VM information
• Server Java VM information
• Java VM free memory information
• The DNS name and IP address of the computer you are using
• The RMI host's DNS name and IP address
• The RMI host's port number
• The Oracle database version and details
To place the system information on your clipboard, click Copy.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To view copyrights for third party software used by Applications Manager, click Copyrights. Copyright information
also exists in the copyrights directory on the Applications Manager Automation Engine.
Java Garbage Collecting from the Applications Manager Client
You can do a Java garbage collection to free up heap memory that is no longer needed by clicking Java Garbage
Collection under the Debug menu on the About Applications Manager window. This will only send a hint to
Java, so it doesn’t force it to collect everything.
Setting Debug from the Applications Manager Client
You can turn on debug for the Applications Manager client, the RMI server, or Oracle trace by selecting options in
the Debug menu.

Opening the Applications Manager Client and Logging In

You must download the Applications Manager client from the URL set during the installation your Applications
Manager sent you . Before logging in the first time, you need to configure the client for the Automation Engine(s)
you will be logging into. Once configured, you open an executable .jar file. To log into the client, you must enter
your User name, password, and select an Automation Engine.
Downloading and Opening the Applications Manager Client
To download and open the Applications Manager client:
1. Open your browser and enter the URL set during the installation your Applications Manager sent you. The
screen shown below is displayed.
The default format for the URL is http://<Automation Engine IP address>:<Web Server port number>/
<Automation Engine name>/Intro.html.
For example, if the Automation Engine IP address is 200.2.2.123, the port number is 8080, and the
Automation Engine name is PROD1, the URL would look like the following:

http://200.2.2.123:8080/PROD1/Intro.html

The Applications Manager client requires a supported version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). For a
list of compatible Java versions, click the Compatibility Matrix link.
2. From this page, click the Download the Applications Manager Client link.
This downloads the Client.zip file.
3. Create a directory on your local PC for the client, for example, C:\AM_Client.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

4. Move the Client.zip file to the directory you created and unzip the contents in that location.
5. Copy connections.properties.template to connections.properties.
6. Edit connections.properties. Replace {MASTER} with the name of your Applications Manager
Automation Engine and {URL} with the URL to your Applications Manager Automation Engine, such as,
http://127.0.0.1:8080/AMPROD.
For example, you might replace...

{MASTER}={URL}

With...

AMPROD=http://127.0.0.1:8080/AMPROD

To add connection information for additional clients, simply add additional lines in the same format.
7. Copy client.properties.template to client.properties.
8. Optionally, edit client.properties to set client properties.
Text from a sample client.properties file is shown below.

#localOptions=true
#debug=true
#logDir=log
#JAVA_HOME=C:/Program Files/Java/jdk-11
runOptions=-Xmx256m

The client.properties file includes the following settings:

• localOptions: When set to true, Applications Manager uses a local Options.properties file on your PC.
The local Options.properties file will be in a sub-directory for the client with the master's name. The local
Options.properties file will be download once. The advantage of using a local Options.properties file is
that you can specify settings for yourself without affecting other users. When set to false, commented out
(default), or otherwise not set to true, the Options.properties file on the Automation Engine machine is
used.
• debug: Allows you to turn on client debug by entering debug=true. When client debug is set, debug
information is written to the files in the log sub-directory or a different sub-directory is one is specified under
logDir.
To turn debug off, comment out debug=true in the client.properties file like the following.

#debug=true

It is also possible to set client debug from the About Applications Manager window once you are logged
into the client. However, it is advantageous to set it here, so that debug is on for the client start-up.
• logDir: Allows you to override the name of the sub-directory where client log files are written.
The client log sub-directory includes the following files:
• client.log: Includes all client standard and debug logging up until you click OK on the Logon window.
• <master or connection name>_client.log: Includes all client standard and debug logging for your
client session.
• JAVA_HOME: Allows you to use a different Java than your PC's default Java.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You must use either forward slashes (recommenced) or double backslashes in the path. This is the
standard for Java properties files.
To see your PC's default Java, open a command prompt and type java -version.
• runOptions: Used to increase the memory for your client. Don't make any changes to this setting unless
directed to by Applications Manager support.
• TheuserLanguageFiles: This setting is hidden in the client.properties file and in the documentation by
default. It allows you to specify a master name to use language translations on. When a master is specified,
there will be a drop-down with the languages, which are specified in the Options.properties file for the
master. We believe no one uses this desupported feature anymore.
9. Use RunClient.jar to start the Applications Manager client.
Applications Manager displays the Login window shown below.

Optionally, you may create a shortcut of RunClient.jar and place the shortcut on your desktop.
If the Logon window does not come up, open command window, navigate to the client directory, and enter
java -jar RunClient.jar to see the output. This information will help you or Applications Manager support
troubleshoot the problem.
When starting the local client by double clicking on RunClient.jar (or a shortcut to it) in version 9.3.1 or above,
if it fails to start the error will now be in the startClient.log file.
10. On the Logon window, specify your User, password, automation engine.
User names are not case sensitive, but passwords are.
If you do not know your User name and password, check with your Applications Manager administrator.
11. If the Language field is available, select your language.
Specifying languages for the client is a desupported feature. The Language field is only available in
Applications Manager systems where languages were translated in a previous version.
12. On the Logon window, specify the following:
• The default user name SQLOPER.
• The default password is s0pass, where "0" is zero.
13. To have Applications Manager remember your User name and Automation Engine, select the Remember
logon button.
14. To accept the entered information and log on to Applications Manager, click OK.
If you have a large number of output files or tasks in the Backlog, Applications Manager will display a message
alerting you that the display has been truncated.
When you log out of Applications Manager, the following settings are remembered the next time you log back
in:
• The size and position of Explorer and Backlog Gantt View windows.
• The size and position of the main Applications Manager client window.
• The content pane of the Explorer window (if open).
• Whether a saved Backlog/History Filter was selected.
Upgrading the Client
To upgrade to a new version of the client:
1. Download the new version of the client Client.zip from the URL
set during the installation
your Applications Manager sent you
.
2. Delete everything except the connections.properties and client.properties files from your client directory.
3. Put the files from the new version of the Client.zip file into your client directory.
Receiving RmiServer Error Broadcasts
If the Receive RmiServer Error Broadcasts User Option is assigned to your User, the RmiServer Errors window
might pop up with one or more errors when you log in.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When the Receive RmiServer Error Broadcasts User Option is assigned to a User, any RMI errors will be
displayed in a pop-up window as they occur. Additionally, if any RMI errors occurred since the last time the RMI
server was started, the last ten errors will be displayed in a pop-up window each time the User logs on.
If you have the DBA User Group, you can clear the RMI errors without stopping the RMI server by selecting Clear
RMI Errors from the View menu on the Applications Manager Desktop.
Re-Logging on to Applications Manager
There may be times when you want to log on to Applications Manager under a different user name or connect to
a different Automation Engine. To change your logon from the desktop, go to the File menu and select Re-Login.
You will have to re-enter your password when you re-log in, unless the Disable clearing of login passwords on
re-login Automation Engine option is checked.
Changing Your Password
You can change your password at any time. Your Applications Manager administrator can also set your password
to expire after a certain period of time.
To change your Applications Manager password go to the Options menu on the Applications Manager desktop and
click Change Password.
Accessing the Client Through a Firewall
If you will be accessing the Applications Manager client through a corporate firewall, you must open the appropriate
ports, and specify those ports in the Options.properties file on the host machine.
For details, see Configuring the Applications Manager Client.
For details, see the Installation Guide.

Requesting and Submitting Jobs and Process Flows

There may be times when you want to run tasks outside of a set schedule. You can submit individual Jobs and
Process Flows from the Requests window. We refer to these as "ad hoc" requests. After requesting and submitting
one or more Jobs/Process Flows, you can view their statuses from the Explorer window.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Requesting and Submitting Jobs and Process Flows

The ability to request Jobs and Process Flow on an ad hoc basis offers a useful way to request tasks that have not
been scheduled ahead of time.
When requesting Jobs and Process Flows, you use the following two windows:
• The Requests window shown in the image above is used to select one or more Jobs/Process Flows.
• The Submit window shown in the image below is used to complete prompts, select options, and submit the
requested Jobs and Process Flows to the Backlog.
When you request tasks, you can set the start date and time, Queue, designated Output Device, send option,
number of copies, and output function (LOG, PRINT, or STORE). You can also enter values to customize a Job or
Process Flow if prompts have been defined.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Checking Task Statuses

After submitting a Job or Process Flow, you can view its status in the Backlog and History. For information on the
Backlog and History, see chapter Monitoring and Managing Tasks in Explorer.
Viewing Output
After a Job executes, you can view and print output online using the File Viewer window. You can access the File
Viewer window from the Explorer, Backlog Gantt view, and Output windows. For information on viewing and
printing output, see chapter Viewing and Printing Output.
Re-Requesting Tasks from History
To re-request a task listed in the History pane of the Explorer window, right-click the entry and select the Request
option. Applications Manager lists the selected Job or Process Flow on a tab in the Submit window.
When you re-request a Process Flow component this way, it will run with the same prompt values as the selected
entry in History. All other settings, including alias name, conditions, predecessors, output settings, and Queues will
use the values set in the Job definition.
Requesting a Job or Process Flow from its Definition
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can also request a Job or Process Flow from it's definition. This opens the Submit window, like the Request
window does. This is beneficial for testing changes you make to the object.

Requesting Jobs and Process Flows

The Requests window offers a quick and easy way to request Jobs and Process Flows.

Procedure
To request one or more Jobs from the Requests window:
1. Open the Requests window shown above by doing one of the following:
• Open the Activities menu and select Requests.
• Select the Requests icon from the toolbar.
2. If appropriate, select an Application from the Application list box on the left side of the screen.
Applications specify a group of Jobs and Process Flows. The Application you select determines the Jobs and
Process Flows displayed in the table. Only the Applications and Jobs assigned to you via User Groups will be
displayed.
3. Select one or more Jobs from the list of Jobs and Process Flows on the right side of the screen. To select more
than one object, use Shift-Click or Ctrl-Click.
When selecting a Job/Process Flow, you can type the first few letters of its name in the Search field and
Applications Manager will find it. The Search field accepts valid regular expressions.
You can double-click to quickly request a single Job or Process Flow.
4. If the Requestor field is active, you can select the User that will be assigned to the Job/Process Flow.
You must have the Select Requestors User Option assigned to you by your Applications Manager administrator
to select a different User in this field.
5. To have the Requests window automatically close upon request, check the Close on Request box.
6. To request the Job(s), click Request.
Applications Manager opens the Submit window and displays the selected items as tabs. Each Job can
be viewed by selecting its tab. In the image below, three Jobs have been requested: JOB_REPORT,
MODULE_REPORT, and REPORT_BATCH.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If any Jobs or Process Flows you select have Agent Groups assigned to them with application Agents, you will
be prompted in a pop-up window to select which Agent you want to use to validate prompts. You will still be able
to select the Agent or Agent Group for these tasks to run on from the Submit window.
Next Step
After requesting one or more Jobs and/or Process Flows, the next step is to enter prompt values, select options,
and submit. For more information, see Submitting Jobs and Process Flows.

Submitting Jobs and Process Flows

After requesting Jobs and Process Flows, they are displayed in the Submit window shown below. You can enter
values for the prompts and options before you submit the Jobs and Process Flows.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Procedure
To respond to prompts and submit options:
1. Respond to the prompts in the Prompts box. Prompts are defined by an Applications Manager developer and
are specific to the Job or Process Flow. They are most often used to pass values to the program being run
by a Job. When a prompt includes a Select button as shown below, you can click it to select a single value or
multiple values from a list of options (depending on the Job/Process Flow definition).
Selecting values from lists helps to eliminate data entry errors. For information on selecting options from a list,
see Working in the Applications Manager Windows.
2. If the Send To option is active, select an Output Device from the drop-down list.
The Output Devices displayed in the list are determined by the Output Group assigned to the Job or Process
Flow. If the Send To option is not active, an Output Group was not assigned to the Job/Process Flow. You can
still run the Job/Process Flow and view output online, but the output will not be sent to an Output Device.
3. If the Send Option is active, select an option from the drop-down list.
The Send Option will be active if an output option is defined for the Output Device you select.
4. Select an output function from the Output Function drop-down box The output function determines how
output is handled. With any of these settings, the application output or report files and the system output files
are viewable from the Explorer window. There are three choices:
• LOG: Legacy setting that should not be used unless you need to use the Output window rather than the
Explorer window. For Jobs that have the output function set to LOG, Applications Manager loads all output
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

or report files in the Output window every time you log into the client. This can take several seconds or
minutes. If more than 500 files are loaded, an alert will be displayed. Therefore, if you are not using the
Output window (that is, you view output from History instead of the Output window), you should use the
STORE setting.
• PRINT: The output is printed according to the output settings specified on this tab.
• STORE: The output is not printed.
5. If you are printing and want more than one copy of the output generated by the task, enter a value in the
Copies field.
6. Select a Queue from the Queue list box
The Queue list box will be active only if you have been assigned the Select Queues For Requests User
Option by your Applications Manager administrator. If you have not been assigned this option, the Queue list
box will be read-only, and will list only the default Queue of the Job.
7. If you are requesting a Job that was assigned to an Agent Group (or a Process Flow assigned to a multi-
execution Agent Group), you will be able to select a specific Agent from the Agent drop-down list.
8. The Requestor field is read-only and shows the user name that is assigned to the task. This name will be
displayed in the Requestor columns in the Backlog and History.
9. To set a different start date and time, place the mouse cursor in the Start Date field and enter a new date or
time. Or, click the button to the right of the field to open a window where you can select the date and time.
If you set the date and time forward, the task status in the Backlog will be shown as DATE PENDING.
Components of a Process Flow in DATE PENDING status will show as STAGED or STAGED_PW status
(depending on the components' predecessor requirements). If you set the date or time to a time that has
already passed, the task will be eligible to run immediately.
You can pre-date the start date of this Job or Process Flow to meet the predecessor requirements for tasks
waiting in the Backlog from a previous virtual day.
10. If you want the task to go into a HOLD status when it is submitted to the Backlog, you can select the Hold
option. The task will stay in the Backlog with a HOLD status and not run until you reset it.
11. If documentation has been created for the Job, you can view it by clicking the Documentation button.
12. When you have entered the prompt values and set the options, you are ready to click one of the following to
submit the Job or Process Flow:
• To automatically close the Submit window after it the Job is submitted, click the Submit & Close button.
• To keep the Submit window open, click the Submit button. After you submit the Job or Process Flow this
way, Applications Manager displays a message in the status bar (see below). If you submit a large Process
Flow the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: run_id = <run ID number>' until all components
of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog. The Close button will be grayed out until the task
is in the Backlog. Once the task is in the Backlog the message will read, 'Task was Successfully submitted
run_id = <run ID number>'.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Removing Tabs for Jobs and Process Flows from the Submit Window
If there is more than one tab in the Submit window, you can remove the tab by selecting it and clicking Close Tab.
To close the Submit window and all tabs, click Close.
Invalid Prompts
After you click Submit, Applications Manager checks the prompt values. If the values you assigned to prompts are
invalid, Applications Manager will display an error message. You can correct the values and then submit the Job or
Process Flow.
Adding a Suffix to a Job or Process Flow Name So Predecessor Links Are Not Satisfied
To add a suffix to a Job or Process Flow name, enter the suffix in the Task Name Suffix field. The Job or Process
Flow will run with an underscore followed by the suffix at the end of its name. This will prevent the request from
satisfying any predecessors, since the name is changed.
The Task Name Suffix field will only be available if you have been assigned the Set Task Name Suffixes User
Option by your Applications Manager administrator.

Viewing and Printing Output

One of the most unique features of Applications Manager is its ability to capture output from tasks and make it
available for printing and viewing online. Online viewing gives you immediate access to report s as soon as they
have been generated. Applications Manager captures both the log file of the task and any output generated by the
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

task. The output generated by the task may exist in the out directory where the Automation Engine is installed, or
in a directory on another server associated with the application. Where output is registered is determined by the
Program Type script associated with the Job.

After you submit a task and it executes, you can view the output as plain text, HTML, or rich text format using the
File Viewer window shown above. You can also use an alternate viewer using file associations. For information
on setting file associations, see Opening Output Files with Other Applications . Output can be printed to a local or
system Output Device.
Opening the File Viewer Window
You can access the File Viewer window from:
• The Explorer window.
• The Output window.
The Explorer window is used to monitor and manage Applications Manager tasks, as well as Agents and Queues.
To open the File Viewer window from the Explorer window, right-click a task in the Backlog or History and select
Output from the pop-up menu. For more information on viewing output from the Explorer window, see Task Output
Files: Viewing.
The Output window provides access to task output for Users who have not been given access to the Explorer
window. To open the File Viewer window from the Output window, select a task and click the View button. For
more information on viewing output from the Output window, see Working with the Output Window .
Querying for Tasks
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can query History in the Explorer window and you can query the Output window. You can search for specific
tasks by criteria such as Job name, Process Flow, Agent, and requestor. For more information on querying, see
topics Querying for Tasks in History and Querying the Output Window .
Viewing Output in Other Applications
After a task has completed, you can view the output in the File Viewer window as shown above. You can
also associate types of files with other viewers. For example, if you are generating an .xls file, you can have
Applications Manager automatically launch Microsoft Excel as the viewer. To do this, you must specify the
association in the File Association window. For information on setting file associations, see Opening Output Files
with Other Applications .
Printing Output
After viewing a report, you can preview the printed output and print it to a local Windows printer or to an
Applications Manager Output Device. These options are available from the File Viewer window's File menu and
from the icons in the File Viewer and Output windows. For more information on printing output, see Printing,
FTPing, and Emailing Output Files.

Working with the Output Window

The Output window only exists for legacy purposes. We do not suggest new users use it for any purpose. The
Output window shown below provides access to task output for users that have not been given access to the
Explorer window. By default, only tasks whose Output function was set to LOG will be displayed in the Output
window. These tasks have a logged status. You can see printed, stored, or viewed tasks by running a query and
searching for tasks with one or more of these statuses.

Opening the Output Window

Open the Output window by doing one of the following:
• Open the Activities menu and select Output.
• Select the Output icon from the toolbar.
Output Restricted to User
By default, only the tasks you have submitted will be displayed in the Output window unless the View Other
Users' Output option was assigned to you by your Applications Manager administrator. With this option set, you
will have access to all outputs for the Jobs you have been assigned access to regardless of the User that submitted
the Job. If View SYSOUT Device Output Files and View Other Users' Output are not assigned to your User,
Applications Manager restricts output that is assigned to the SYSOUT Output Device on this window.
Output and User Groups
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When you are setting up User Groups, consider setting up a User Group for end-users that includes access to the
Requests and the Output windows only. This lets end-users submit, view, and print their specific task requests.
Working with the Output Window
The table below describes the available actions on the Output window.

To: Do this:

View output Select a task and click the View button. Applications
Manager displays the output in the File Viewer window.
For information on using the File Viewer window, see
Viewing Output Files with the File Viewer.

Query for specific tasks Click Query on the Output window. You can query
for a specific task by a wide range of criteria such as
Job name, Process Flow name, requestor, and output
status. For more information on querying the Output
window , see Querying the Output Window .

Hide or unhide tasks Select one or more files and click the Hide button. To
select multiple adjacent files, use Shift+click. To select
multiple non-adjacent files, use Ctrl-Click. Hiding output
changes the status of the selected files to STORED and
removes the listing from the viewable list. To hide all
listings in this window, request the OLDPRTS Job.
To display hidden files, you must use the Query
function and query for the STORE status. If after
querying, you select a file and click Hide, its output
function will be changed to LOG.
If the Hide Files on the Output Window option was
not assigned to you by your Applications Manager
administrator, you will not be able to use the Hide
button.

Refresh the display Click the Refresh button. When you first open the
Applications Manager client, tasks that have completed
with a LOG status will be available for viewing without
running a query on the Output window. If other tasks
complete while you have a client session open, they
will not automatically be added to the Output window.
Refresh the display to see them.

Print output Select a task and click the Print button or one of the
Print icons. For more information on printing output, see
Printing, FTPing, and Emailing Output Files.

Customizing Table Columns

You can customize many tables in Applications Manager including the table in the Output window. When
customizing tables, you determine which columns are listed, what each column is named, and how each column is
displayed.
Your Applications Manager administrator can set default values for tables. Therefore, the columns in the Output
window may be different from what is described above. For more information, see Customizing Tables .

Querying the Output Window

If you are looking for a specific task and the number of tasks listed in the Output window is overwhelming, or you
wish to view output from tasks which are not listed by default, you can run a query on the Output window.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Procedure
To perform an output query:
1. Click the Query button on the Output window.
Applications Manager displays the Output query window shown above.
2. Select search criteria for your query.
You can use any combination of query criteria available in the Output query window.
The Output query window fields are described below.
• Jobs
Searches for any task assigned to the specified Job(s), including tasks that ran the Job under an alias name.
To query for a task run under an alias, enter the alias name.
• Process Flows
Searches for tasks that are part of the Process Flow(s). The Process Flows themselves are not returned.
• Agents
Searches for any task run on the specified Agent(s).
• Output Devices
Searches for any task assigned to the specified Output Device(s).
• Requestors
Searches for any task run by the specified requestor(s).
• Output Function
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Searches for tasks based on the output function set for the Job at run-time. There are three statuses:
• LOG: The output is available for printing, but has not been printed. Outputs with this status appear on the
Output window list by default.
• PRINT: Same as LOG, but output is sent to Output Devices as well.
• STORE: You must query to see output files with this status. System output files are typically stored.
• From start time/To start time
These fields accept date/time information. If the Current day option is selected, the From start time and To
start time fields will be inactive.
• Run ID
This field references the unique number (format: 1320.00) assigned to each task by Applications Manager.
When using this field, include the decimal value where appropriate. Decimal values at the end of Run IDs
indicate that tasks have been restarted. Every task has .01 added to its Run ID each time it is restarted.
• Current day
The default is to query by the current virtual day. If you save a query with this option checked, it will be
applied each time you run the saved query.
The date and time of the current day are saved as an offset from the current time. That means that if you
save a query for tasks run in the last two days, it will always run a query for the tasks in the last two days.
There is no way to save a query from a specific date. If you uncheck this option, the From start time and To
start time fields become active. You then can enter specific dates and times for the query.
To query by one or more objects, enter values in each object's field by doing one or both of the following:
• Type in names of the objects separated by commas.
• Select from a list of objects by clicking on the object icon at the end of the field.
3. You may select a default sort order for the query by selecting a Sort option.
The sort order can be overridden from the Output window by selecting a different column name.
4. You may also optionally save this output query to use later by entering a name in the Filter name drop-down
box The output query will be saved when you click OK.
Saved Output queries can be recalled from the Filter name drop-down box for History queries, Output queries,
and filters of the Backlog and History.
5. Click OK.
Applications Manager displays a small animated window as it processes the query. Once the query is
processed, Applications Manager displays the results in the Output window.
Using the Object Assignment Windows
When you click on an icon at the end of one of the applicable fields, Applications Manager displays the object
assignment window where you can pick one or more objects to use in an output query. The windows will list
only the objects to which you have User Group access. Use the arrow buttons to move objects between the
Unassigned and Assigned tables. For more information on assigning objects, see Working in the Applications
Manager Windows.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Use the Other filters field to enter text-based filters.

• You can enter several letters, and all objects beginning with those letters will be included.
• You can use wildcards in the text. You can use the _ wildcard to represent a single character, and the %
wildcard to represent an unlimited number of characters.
• You can include negative filters to exclude tasks from the search using the ! character. For example, entering !
AW% will exclude tasks with the letters AW together in their name.
Any text entered in the Other filters field will be included in the appropriate field on the Select filters window.
Use the Search field to query the Unassigned table. You can apply the search criteria to the Assigned column as
well by unselecting the Show all assigned option.
Viewing Query Results
When you click OK in the Output query window, Applications Manager runs the search and displays the queried
results. The Apply Query checkbox will be checked as shown below. To clear the query, uncheck the Apply Query
box. You can view the queried results again by rechecking the Apply Query box. To apply a saved output query,
select it from the drop-down box
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Viewing Output Files with the File Viewer

After a task executes, you can view its output online from the Applications Manager client. This means you can
view a report as soon as it is available rather than waiting for printed output to be distributed. Online viewing also is
useful if you are trying to debug a new program or if the output is such that you do not need a hard copy.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can enter page and line numbers for viewing, and bookmark pages. Output is automatically displayed in one of
three formats: plain text, HTML, or rich text format.
You can use the File Viewer window shown above or an alternate viewer. For information on viewing output with
alternate viewers, see Opening Output Files with Other Applications .
Viewing Output Files
To view output, open the File Viewer window by doing one of the following:
• From the Explorer window, right-click a task in the Backlog or History and select Output from the pop-up menu.
For more information on accessing the File Viewer window from Explorer, see Task Output Files: Viewing.
• From the Output window, select a task and click the View button. For more information on accessing the File
Viewer window from the Output window, see Working with the Output Window .
From the File Viewer window, you can:
• Copy text to the clipboard with Ctrl-C.
• Go to the start or end of the output file using the Home and End keys when the output text is in focus.
• Scroll through the output by using the horizontal and vertical scroll bars.
• Close the window by pressing the Esc key.
Printing, FTPing, and Emailing Output Files
You can print, FTP, or email output from the File Viewer window using the print icons or from the Print menu on
those windows. For more information, see Printing, FTPing, and Emailing Output Files.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Viewing by Page and Line Numbers

You can jump to a specific page and/or line number by entering them into the Page and LineNo fields at the top of
the window and clicking the corresponding Go To button or pressing Enter.
Finding Specific Text
To find specific text in the output file:
1. On the File Viewer window, go to the Options menu and select Find.
Applications Manager displays the Find window shown below.

2. Enter the text you want to find and click Find Next.
Check the Match Case checkbox for case sensitive searches. Applications Manager searches run from the
current location to the end of the file.
Bookmarking Pages
As you view a file, you can bookmark pages for printing by selecting the Mark Page button. Your marked page
numbers will display in the Pages box located at the bottom of the screen. When you print the output, only the
marked pages will be printed.
Changing Output Formats and Text Size
Applications Manager automatically selects HTML or rich text format styles based on each file's extension (.htm,
.html, .rtf). Other files default to plain text view. When using the plain text view, you can adjust the size of the text
used in the display by selecting a value from the Size list box at the bottom of the viewer. This changes the size
of the text in the viewer, but it does not impact the size of the text used when the report is printed. Output can be
viewed with an alternate viewer if a file association has been defined. For information on setting file associations,
see Opening Output Files with Other Applications .
Viewing the End of Files
To view the end of a text file, go to the Options menu on File Viewer window and select Tail. The tailing option
enables operators to observe the most recent end of file every 10 seconds by showing the report as it is being
printed to standard output. Use this function, similar to the UNIX tail -f <filename> command, when trying to
diagnose problems.

Printing, FTPing, and Emailing Output Files

You can print, FTP, or email output from the Output Files tab of the Task Details window, the File Viewer window,
or the Output window using the print icons shown below or from the Print menu on each window.

Printing Output Files to an OS Printer

To print the output to an OS printer:
1. From the File Viewer window, go to the Print menu and select Print, or click the Print icon.
Applications Manager opens a Print window.
2. Select the options and click OK.
If you have bookmarked one or more pages using the Mark Page button, Applications Manager will only print
the marked pages.
Printing to an Applications Manager Output Device
To print the output to any Output Device defined in Applications Manager:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

1. From the File Viewer, go to the Print menu and select Send To, or click the Send To icon.

Applications Manager displays the Choose an Output Device window shown above.
2. Select an Output Device, copies, and output option and click OK.
Applications Manager prints to the Output Device you selected.
If you have bookmarked one or more pages using the Mark Page button, Applications Manager will only print
the marked pages.
To use the system print option, you must have User Group access to the Output Device you wish to print to and at
least one Output Group it is assigned to. If you do not think you have the necessary User Group access, see your
Applications Manager administrator.
Previewing a Print Task
To preview a print task, go to the File menu and select Print Preview, or click the Print Preview icon.
FTPing an Output File
You can send an output file to your client machine or a network location using the FTP function. To FTP a file:
1. From the Actions menu, select FTP or click the FTP icon.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager displays the FTP window shown above.

2. Select the directory where you want the file placed.
3. Enter the name you want assigned to the file.
4. To initiate the transfer, click Save.
You cannot FTP files if the FTP Output Files option was not assigned to you by your Applications Manager
administrator.
Emailing an Output File
You can email output files without having to define an email Output Device. To email output files to one or more
addressees, go to the Print menu and select Email, or click the Email icon. Applications Manager opens an Email
window shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Separate multiple email addresses with a space or semicolon. To select from emails assigned to Users, click the
Select button. Applications Manager opens a window where you can select the email addresses. You can decide
whether to add the output file as an attachment and include additional text using the box at the bottom of the
screen.
You also have the option to send the output file as an attachment, include it in the message body, attach it as a
PDF file, or include it in an attached zip file.
In order to send emails, you must specify email settings for the Applications Manager Automation Engine/Local
Agent.

Opening Output Files with Other Applications

There may be times that you want to view output files in a different application rather than in the Applications
ManagerFile Viewer window. To do this you define a file association. You might want to open files in another
application if the files are too large to view with the File Viewer window, or if the file includes formatting that only
a specific application will recognize. For example, if a report has a .xls extension, you can associate the file
with Microsoft Excel. From the associated application, you can save the output file to your PC. You define file
associations using the File Association window shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

After you create a file association, files with corresponding names will always, sometimes, or never open with
the associated application when you view the output from the Applications Manager client, depending on the file
association definition. You will also have the option to open any output file with the application you created the file
association for.
The file association(s) you create are associated with your User on your PC. They are not global settings unless
you share file associations for all Users as descried in Sharing File Associations with All Applications Manager
Users.
Adding File Associations
To add an output file association:
1. On the desktop, go to the Options menu and select File Associations.
Applications Manager opens the File Association window.
2. Enter a file pattern in the Pattern field.
The most common pattern for file associations are file extensions (for example .xls).
The Pattern field accepts valid regular expressions. Note that regular expressions are case sensitive.
3. In the Application field, type the name of the executable file for the Application you wish to associate with the
file type, or use the ... button to browse for it on your PC.
4. Select an option from the Use field.

To: Select:

Always open file type in the associated file viewer Always

Prompt before opening the file in the associated file Ask

viewer

Never use the associated file viewer or temporarily Never

disable the association
5. Click Add.
Applications Manager displays the file association in the table at the top of the screen.
6. When you are finished adding file associations, click OK to save them.
Opening Any Output File with a File Association's Application
You can manually open any output file from the Applications Manager client by selecting the Open With icon from
the Output Files tab of the Task Details window or the Output window. In the image below, the Open With icon
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

has been selected, and the Select Program window is open. From the Select Program window, you can select
the application you want to use to view the selected output file.

Sharing File Associations with All Applications Manager Users

If all Users that log into an Automation Engine need to use the same file associations, you can point them to a
common file named fileassoc.properties. File associations for individual Users are stored in the following file:

C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\fileassoc.properties

To assign a common file to all Users, do the following:

1. Add the following line to the Applications Manager Automation Engine Options.properties file, where N:/
Automic/ is a shared directory and fileassoc.properties is the name of the file:

FileAssociations=N:/Automic/fileassoc.properties

You can use mapped drives or UNC paths.

For example:

FileAssociations=//rs62/ndrive/Automic/fileassoc.properties

Also, / should be used instead of \. Using backslashes will prevent properties from being saved.
The location for the Options.properties file is:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

UNIX:

$AW_HOME/web/classes

Windows:

%AW_HOME%\web\classes

2. Log into the Applications Manager client and set up a file association.
Applications Manager will create the file you specified in step 1 in the directory you specified and update it with
the file association information. The file association will now be globally changed for all Users that have access
to the drive you specified.

Monitoring and Managing Tasks in Explorer

From the Explorer window, you can monitor and manage Queues, Agents, and tasks. You can check the status
of Queues, change Queue settings, and assign Queues to Thread Schedules to control the number of tasks the
Queue can process. You can check Agent status, and start, stop, idle, or resume Agents. You can check the
statuses of tasks, restarting or killing the tasks if necessary. A sample Explorer screen displaying the Backlog and
History is shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The Backlog and History

Two main parts of the Explorer window that allow you to monitor and manage tasks are the Backlog and History.
The Backlog is a list of tasks that:
• Are waiting to run.
• Are running.
• Have run and failed, and have stayed in the Backlog for operator intervention.
When a task leaves the Backlog, Applications Manager writes a record for it in History. History is an audit trail of all
failed and completed tasks. For more information on the Backlog and History, see topics Working with the Backlog
and Working with History.
Quick Searches for Tasks in the Backlog
You can type the first few letters of an task from the Backlog's name in the Search field, and Applications Manager
will find it. The Search field accepts valid UNIX regular expressions. For example, to search for all tasks starting
with the letters A and T, you would enter [at] in the Search field.
Reading the Status Bar
The status bar is displayed across the bottom of the Explorer window. Its color alerts you to the status of the
Applications Manager Automation Engine, Agents, and tasks running in the Backlog. When the Explorer window
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

is minimized, the button on the taskbar uses the same color scheme. For more information, see Monitoring with the
Status Bar and Object Icons.
Customizing Explorer Tables
You can choose the columns you want displayed in the Explorer window and customize their order and names. For
more information, see Customizing Tables .
Viewing Output Files and Task Details
You can view output files and other task details for any task in the Backlog or History. You view the task details for
a task by right-clicking it and selecting an option from the pop-up menu. For more information, see Viewing and
Editing Task Details .
Staging Tasks in the Backlog
Staging tasks in the Backlog allows you to edit task details before the tasks are scheduled to run. For more
information, see chapter Staging Tasks in the Backlog.
Monitoring and Managing Queues and Agents
Queues control the flow of tasks. All tasks must pass through a Applications Manager Queue to be executed.
Agents are instances of Applications Manager; an Agent is installed on each machine where tasks are executed.
An Agent can be an Automation Engine's Local Agent, or a Remote Agent. The Automation Engine is also listed
along with the Agents in the Explorer window. You monitor and manage Agents and Queues from the Explorer
window. For more information, see chapter Working with Agents and Queues.
Monitoring and Managing Tasks in the Gantt View
You can monitor and manage tasks in the Backlog using the Gantt View. For information on using the Gantt View,
see chapter Monitoring and Managing Tasks with the Gantt View.

Using the Explorer Window

Use Explorer to monitor and manage the status of your Agents, Queues, and tasks running in the Backlog, and to
focus the display of tasks in the Backlog. You can preview and print the object tree, Backlog, and History.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Opening the Explorer Window

Open the Explorer window by doing one of the following:
• Open the Activities menu and select Explorer.
• Select the Explorer icon from the toolbar.
Three Adjustable Panes
The Explorer window includes the following three panes:
1. The navigation pane on the left side of the screen provides a tree structure with selectable object icons.
2. The content pane on the top right side of the screen displays information based on your selection in the
navigation pane. It can show the Backlog (tasks waiting to be processed), a summary of objects selected in the
object tree, an Application summary, an Agent summary, or a Queue summary.
3. The History pane on the bottom right side of the screen displays records on how tasks ran. The tasks displayed
do not depend on your selection in the navigation pane.
Each of the panes can be resized by dragging the splitter bars, or clicking the splitter bar arrows.
Numbers to the right of the label for the Backlog and History indicate the number of rows currently displayed in
each. Every row is counted regardless of whether it represents a Job, Process Flow, or historical record. Some
tasks may include multiple records in History. For example, a task that aborts and is reset will include two History
records.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Explorer Terms
The following Explorer terms are used in this guide:
• Object tree: The graphical model displayed on the left pane of the Explorer window.
• Object icons: The icons used in the object tree to represent objects such as tasks, Process Flows, and
Queues.
• Object keys: The icons to the left of the expandable objects in the object tree. You can click the object keys to
show and hide objects in the tree.
Printing the Object Tree or a Table
You can preview and/or print the object tree, and the Backlog and History tables by selecting the appropriate
options from the File menu. The image below shows the print preview screen for a task in the Backlog in an
ABORTED status.

Working with the Backlog

Clicking the Backlog object tree icon displays running tasks, aborted tasks, and tasks that have failed and remained
in the Backlog for operator intervention.Two main parts of the Explorer window that allow you to monitor and
manage tasks are the Backlog and History.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Numbers to the right of the label for the Backlog and History indicate the number of rows currently displayed in
each. Every row is counted regardless of whether it represents a Job, Process Flow, or historical record. The
Backlog is a list of tasks that:
• Are waiting to run.
• Are running.
• Have run and failed, and have stayed in the Backlog for operator intervention.
To view all tasks in the Backlog in the content pane on the top right side of the screen, click the Backlog icon in the
object tree. In the image above, one task is running in the Backlog, some tasks are waiting in a PRED WAIT status,
and one task has aborted.
Whether a task remains in the Backlog when it fails is determined by the Stay in queue on abort setting in its Job
definition.
Tasks sometimes fail by aborting, timing out, being killed, etc. When a task fails, a record is written to History under
the current run ID number. If a failed task remains in the Backlog, its run ID is incremented by .01.
For example, in the image above, a task with the run ID 73016 aborted and remained in the Backlog. A record of
the task aborting is written to History, and the task remains in the Backlog with the run ID 73016.01.
From the Backlog, you can:
• Take actions on tasks (see Taking Actions on Tasks in the Backlog).
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• View and edit task details (see Viewing and Editing Task Details ).
When a task leaves the Backlog, Applications Manager writes a record for it in History.

Working with History

History is an audit trail of completed and failed tasks displayed on the bottom of the Explorer window. Two main
parts of the Explorer window that allow you to monitor and manage tasks are the Backlog and History.

Numbers to the right of the label for the Backlog and History indicate the number of rows currently displayed in
each. Every row is counted regardless of whether it represents a Job, Process Flow, or historical record. Some
tasks may include multiple records in History. For example, a task that aborts and is reset will include two History
records.
History is an audit trail that includes records for:
• All completed tasks and occurrences of task failure(s).
• RMI servers or Agents being started, stopped, or having errors.
• The AgentService processes being stopped.
How long task history records are archived in the Applications Manager database is determined by the prompt
setting for the HISTORY_PURGE Job, which is part of the SYSTEM Process Flow. The default value is 60 days.
Your Applications Manager administrator is responsible for setting this value.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The Explorer window includes a partial view of History in its lower right pane.
The amount of History displayed when any User logs in to the client is determined by the HistoryRetentionTime
setting in the Options.properties file.
How long records are displayed in the History pane while a User is logged into an Applications Manager session is
determined by:
• Your History Display Minutes desktop setting. For more information, see Editing General Desktop and ToolBar
Settings.
• Whether you have a History query activated. For more information, see Querying for Tasks in History.
From History, you can:
• Unsatisfy tasks as predecessors (see Unsatisfying Tasks as External Predecessors in History).
• View task details (see Viewing and Editing Task Details).
• Add comments (see Task Comments: Adding and Viewing).
• View History Gantt Views (see Viewing History in a Gantt Chart).
• Re-request tasks as described below.
Re-Requesting Tasks from History
You can now re-request a single task listed in the History pane of the Explorer window. To do so, right-click the
entry and select the Request option. Applications Manager lists the selected Job or Process Flow on a tab on the
Submit window.
When you re-request Process Flow components this way, they will run with the same prompt values as the selected
entry in History. All other settings, including alias name, conditions, predecessors, output settings, and Queues will
use the settings in the Job definition.

Backlog and History Column Descriptions

The default columns in the Backlog and History are described below. You can customize many tables in
Applications Manager including the tables in the Backlog and History.
A sample Explorer window showing the Backlog and History is displayed below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The default columns in the Backlog and History are described below. Columns unique to either the Backlog or
History are noted.
• Queue
The Queue the task is running on, will run on, or has run on.
• Run ID
The unique identification number Applications Manager assigned to the task.
Decimal values at the end of Run IDs indicate the number of times a task has either been killed or has aborted
and stayed in the Backlog. Each time a task is killed or aborts and stays in the Backlog, .01 is added to the
task's Run ID, and a record is added to History using the task's previous run ID.
• C
Uses a Y to identify tasks that include comments.
• D
Uses a Y to identify tasks that include documentation.
• Task Name
The name or alias, if defined, of the task.
• Start Date
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The date the task started executing or is scheduled to start executing.

• Started
Displayed in the Backlog. The time the task is scheduled to start executing. After a task begins executing, the
time it started.
• Finished
Displayed in History. The time the task finished executing.
• Elapsed
The elapsed time the task ran.
• Status
The current status of the task. For a list of status values, see Task Status Values.
For status detail information that tells you why a task is in a particular status, rest the mouse pointer over the
Run ID column for the task and view the Status Detail information in the Backlog Task Summary pop-up table.
• Agent
The Agent or Agent Group where the task will execute (Backlog), or was executed (History). Process Flows
with 'No Selection' set in their Default Agent field will be assigned to the APPWORX_AGENTS Agent Group,
an Agent Group containing all Agents. The Process Flow itself does not run a program or script; only its
components do.
• Requestor
The person that submitted the task or the User entered as the requestor of the ad hoc request or schedule. If
nothing is displayed, a Requestor was not specified for a scheduled task.
• Parent
The Process Flow that contained the component. If the task is not a Process Flow component, this field will be
blank.
Viewing and Customizing Tables and Backlog Task Summaries
You can customize many tables in Applications Manager including the tables in the Backlog and History. When you
are working in the Backlog, a pop-up table is displayed when you hover over the Run ID column for a task. These
pop-up tables are called Backlog Task Summaries, and you can also customize them. When customizing tables,
you determine which columns are listed, what each column is named, and how each column is displayed.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Your Applications Manager administrator can set default values for tables. Therefore, the columns in the Backlog
and History may be different from what is described above. For more information, see Customizing Tables.

Focusing the Backlog Display with Explorer

Using Explorer, you can limit the tasks listed in the Backlog by selecting an icon from the object tree. You can view
a Process Flow Summary listing all Process Flows with one or more tasks in the Backlog by selecting the Process
Flows icon. An example Explorer screen displaying a Process Flow Summary is shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The icon you select in the object tree determines the tasks listed in the Backlog.

To list: Select this icon:

All tasks in the Backlog Backlog

Tasks submitted using the Requests window Ad Hoc

Tasks assigned to a particular Agent The Agent

Tasks in an Agent Group The Agent Group

Tasks assigned to a particular Queue The Queue

Tasks assigned to a particular Queue The Application

Tasks and history records belonging to a particular The Process Flow

Process Flow

Tasks with a particular task status (WAITING, The status

RUNNING, ABORTED, or HOLD)

Tasks by Agent on a particular machine The machine and Agent

Sorting the Tasks in the Backlog by Status

You can click on the Status column header in the Backlog to display three different sort orders: ascending,
descending, and severity of status. When you sort tasks by severity of status, Applications Manager lists the most
severe task statuses first.
Customizing Tables
You can customize many tables in Applications Manager. When customizing tables, you determine:
• Which columns are listed.
• What each column is named.
• How each column is displayed.
Your Applications Manager administrator can set default values for tables. Therefore, the columns displayed in
Explorer may be different from what is shown here. For more information, see Customizing Tables.
Limiting the View of Tasks in the Backlog
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To limit the view of tasks in the Backlog by object:

1. If necessary, click the icon's key to display the child objects. To view tasks in a Process Flow, you may need to
open several icon keys.

2. Select an object from the list of icons.

Applications Manager displays the list of tasks belonging to that object in the upper right pane as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Monitoring with the Status Bar and Object Icons

The status bar shown below is displayed across the bottom of the Explorer window. Its color alerts you to the
status of the Applications Manager Automation Engine, Agents, and tasks running in the Backlog. When the
Explorer window is minimized, the button on the taskbar uses the same color scheme.

The status bar reflects the most severe status in the system. The status bar colors and descriptions are described
below.

Color Description

Green All tasks, Automation Engines, and Agents are running

satisfactorily.

Yellow One or more tasks are on hold. If there are aborted

tasks and tasks on hold, the aborted tasks take
precedence and the status bar will be red.

Red One or more tasks have aborted, or otherwise

not completed with a status of FINISHED. Or an
Automation Engine or Agent has a BUSY or TROUBLE
status.

For a description of the Automation Engine/Agent status values, see Automation Engine/Agent Status Values . For
a description of the task status values, see Task Status Values .
The status bar displays the time that the Explorer window was last refreshed. You can manually refresh by
entering Ctrl-R or by clicking the status bar on the Explorer window. The Explorer window is automatically
refreshed based on the Explorer Refresh Seconds desktop setting. For information on editing desktop settings, see
Editing General Desktop and ToolBar Settings.
The current date and time of the database are displayed to the right of the status bar.
Viewing Components in a Process Flow
Process Flow components in the Explorer tree are listed based on the execution order of each tasks' predecessors.
When you select a Process Flow in the Explorer tree, those same components are displayed in the top right
Explorer pane according to your Backlog search criteria (by default this is based on task status). To view the
structure of a Process Flow, right-click and select Flow Diagram.
Managing Task Statuses with the Object Icons
The Explorer icons in the object tree alert you to task status and give you a quick method for finding aborted/on
hold tasks.
For example, PROCESS FLOW_1 is in the Backlog. PROCESS FLOW_1 includes four Process Flow components.
The first three icons represent Process Flows that ran successfully. When the fourth Process Flow ran, a task
aborted, leading to the sequence of events below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

1. When the task aborted, the status bar turned red to alert the user Pat Brown.
2. Pat opened the Explorer window and could see by the red X indicator on the Process Flows icon that one or
more tasks in a Process Flow had aborted.

Pat could have selected the Backlog, Ad Hoc, or Status icons to find the aborted task, but chose the Process
Flow option out of personal preference.
3. Next, Pat clicked the Process Flows icon key to view a list of running components.

The icon for PROCESS FLOW_1 had a red X indicator, so Pat knew that this Process Flow, or a Process Flow
nested therein, contained an aborted task.
4. Pat clicked the PROCESS FLOW_1 icon key to view the list of tasks belonging to PROCESS FLOW_1.
Pat could see that three Process Flows had finished successfully because the Process Flow icons were gray,
and that a task had aborted in the other Process Flow (because the Process Flow icon had a red X indicator).
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Pat clicked the PROJECTED_NOV icon key to view the components in that Process Flow.
Pat could see by the red X symbol as the second task's icon showing that it aborted. A second listing for the
task, an orange icon with a circle and a diagonal line notes that a history record of the task aborting was written.
Now Pat could view the task details including the output files for the task to see why it aborted, and reset or delete
it. For information on troubleshooting failed tasks, see Troubleshooting Failed Tasks .

Troubleshooting Failed Tasks

In Applications Manager, a failed task usually is assigned an ABORTED status. Depending on the circumstances,
some tasks fail with a status other than ABORTED. All failed statuses are written in red and brought to the top of
the Backlog display. For a list of task status descriptions and actions, see Task Status Values.
When tasks abort, a system output file is generated which is available for viewing from the Applications Manager
client. The system output file is an excellent place to start troubleshooting. Along with runtime information and
parameters passed to the task, the file includes error messages. A sample system file is shown below.
To view system output files, you right click the task in the Backlog or History, select Output, then pick the standard
output file. In the image below, a standard output file named o12031.00 is selected in the File Viewer window.
From the viewer, you can view, print, FTP, or email the output file.
Applications Manager 9.4.1
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The system output file includes basic information about the task such as:
• The name of the program executed.
• The person who ran the task.
• The Applications Manager run ID assigned to the task.
• The parameters used to run the task.
• A record of the basic steps taken to execute the task.
• Standard error reporting.
Getting More Information with Task Level Debug
If the system output file does not provide enough information to solve your problem, you can turn on the task level
debug. When task level debug is on, additional information is written to the task's system output file. If you call
Braodcom Support to help figure out why a task failed, they will most likely ask you to turn on task level debug,
reproduce the problem, and send in the log. Doing this ahead of time will speed you along to the quickest possible
resolution.
To turn on task level debug, create an empty file named BODY in the debug directory of the Automation Engine.

Taking Actions on Tasks in the Backlog

You can select one or more tasks in the Backlog and right-click to:
• Put tasks on hold.
• Kill tasks.
• Reset aborted, killed, or on hold tasks to allow them to run again.
• Delete tasks.
• Remove all predecessors for tasks.
To take an action on one or more tasks in the Backlog, highlight the task(s), right-click and select one of the first
five options from the pop-up window.
The number displayed to the right of each of these options tells you how many of the tasks you selected are eligible
for that action. If a * is displayed to the right of the number, one or more of the highlighted tasks is a Process Flow
in an INITIATED status.
Applications Manager displays a small animated window while an action is processing.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Necessary User Access

To take an action on a task, you need:
• The task's Job/Process Flow definition in one of your User Groups (with or without Edit authorization).
• The Explorer User Authority in a User Group with Edit authorization.
To take actions on tasks in the Backlog run by other Users, you must have the Edit Other Users' Tasks User
Option. For more information, see your Applications Manager administrator.
Taking Actions on Process Flows
Actions affect Process Flows headers and components differently depending on whether the Process Flow is in an
INITIATED status. Details for each action are described below:

Action When the Process Flow is not When the Process Flow is
INITIATED INITIATED

Hold Holds the Process Flow header. Holds all eligible components in the
Does not affect its components. Process Flow.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Action When the Process Flow is not When the Process Flow is
INITIATED INITIATED

Kill A Kill cannot be taken against Kills all eligible components in the
a Process Flow that is not in an Process Flow.
INITIATED status.

Reset Resets the Process Flow header. Resets all eligible components in the
Does not affect its components. Process Flow.

Delete Deletes the Process Flow header Deletes all eligible components in
and all its components.* the Process Flow.*

Remove all predecessors Removes all predecessors for the Removes all predecessors for the
Process Flow header. Does not Process Flow header. Does not
affect its components. affect its components.

* When Process Flows are deleted, skipped, or canceled the following will occur:
• All BEFORE conditions will be canceled.
• The Process Flow's children that are unstarted Process Flows will be initialized.
• All predecessors for the Process Flow's children will be removed.

Putting Tasks On Hold

If a task is in the Backlog but has not yet started, you can put it on hold. The task will remain in the Backlog in a
hold status until you reset it or delete it from the Queue. If a task has started running, you cannot put it on hold.
However, you can kill a running task. For information on killing a task, see Killing Tasks.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Procedure
To put tasks on hold:
1. Select one or more tasks in the Backlog and right-click.
Applications Manager displays the pop-up menu shown above. The number to the right of the Hold, Kill, Reset,
and Delete options references the number of tasks you have selected that are eligible for that operation.
2. Select the Hold option.
Applications Manager displays the Hold confirmation window.
3. Click Yes to hold the task(s).
Applications Manager closes the confirmation window and displays a small animated window to show you that it
is taking the hold action on the task(s).
Result
When you put a task on hold, its status is displayed in a hold status, such as HOLD or HOLD PRED WT.
Applications Manager displays the status bar at the bottom of the window in yellow to alert you that one or more
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

tasks are on hold. A record is written to the task's comment, noting that it was manually put on hold. The task
remains on hold until you reset the status or delete the task from the Backlog.

Taking Tasks Off Hold

To take tasks off hold:
1. Select one or more tasks which are on hold in the Backlog and right-click.
2. Click the Reset option.
Applications Manager will display the Reset confirmation window.
3. Click Yes to reset the task(s).
Applications Manager closes the window and changes the task's status to LAUNCHED.

Killing Tasks
If a task is running, you can kill it by selecting the task and using the Kill command. When you kill a task, it stays
in the Backlog until you delete or reset it. When you kill a task, Applications Manager makes an entry in History
showing that the task was killed.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Procedure
To kill running tasks:
1. Select one or more running tasks in the Backlog that you wish to kill and right-click.
Applications Manager displays the pop-up menu shown above. The number to the right of the Hold, Kill, Reset,
and Delete options references the number of tasks you have selected that are eligible for that operation.
2. Click the Kill option.
Applications Manager displays the Kill confirmation window.
3. Click Yes to kill the task(s).
Applications Manager closes the confirmation window and displays a small animated window to show you that
it is taking the kill action on the task(s). Once the task(s) go into a KILLED status, the Backlog label will be
displayed in its default color.
Result
While Applications Manager is killing a task, the task's status in the Backlog changes briefly to KILL. Once the task
is killed its status changes to KILLED, and an entry is made in History to show this (see image below). A record is
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

written to the task's comment, noting that it was manually killed. The killed task stays in the Backlog until you delete
it or reset it.

When you kill a task in Applications Manager running in a UNIX environment, Applications Manager issues the
kill -15 UNIX command followed by the kill -9 UNIX command.

Resetting Aborted and On Hold Tasks

If a task aborts and remains in the Backlog, is killed, or is put on hold, you can reset it directly from the Explorer
window. Before restarting a task, you can review its details including general task details, prompts, and conditions,
and correct any problems. When you restart a task that is aborted or on hold, its status changes to LAUNCHED. As
soon as a thread becomes available in the Queue, the status changes to QUEUED.
An aborted task stays in the Backlog if the Stay in queue on abort option was set when the Job was created. If
this option was not set, the task is cleared from the Backlog and an entry is displayed in History. You cannot restart
a task from the Explorer window once it has been removed from the Backlog. However, you can resubmit the task
by going to the Requests window.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Procedure
To reset one or more tasks from the Backlog:
1. If appropriate, change the task details.
For more information on changing task details, see Viewing and Editing Task Details.
2. Select one or more tasks in the Backlog and right-click.
Applications Manager displays the pop-up menu shown above. The number to the right of the Hold, Kill, Reset,
and Delete options references the number of tasks you have selected that are eligible for that operation.
3. Select the Reset option.
Applications Manager displays the Reset confirmation window.
4. Click Yes to reset the task(s).
Applications Manager closes the confirmation window and displays a small animated window to show you that it
is taking the reset action on the task(s). Once the task(s) go into a LAUNCHED status, the Backlog label will be
displayed in its default color.
Result
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

A record is written to the task's comment noting that it was manually reset. When a thread becomes available for
the Queue, Applications Manager will start the task(s).

Deleting Tasks
If a task in the Backlog is in a non-running status, you can delete it. For example, tasks with a status of
LAUNCHED, PRED WAIT, ABORTED or KILLED can be deleted. You can also delete Process Flows from the
Backlog. If you delete a Process Flow, all components in the Process Flow are deleted as well. When you have
deleted a task, you cannot reset it from the Explorer window.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Procedure
To delete tasks:
1. Select one or more tasks in the Backlog and right-click.
Applications Manager displays the pop-up menu shown above. The number to the right of the Hold, Kill, Reset,
and Delete options references the number of tasks you have selected that are eligible for that operation.
2. Select the Delete option.
Applications Manager displays the Delete confirmation window.
3. Click Yes to delete the task(s).
Applications Manager closes the confirmation window and displays a small animated window to show you that it
is taking the delete action on the task(s). Once the task(s) go into a DELETED status, the Backlog label will be
displayed in its default color.
Result
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When you delete tasks, they are removed from the Backlog. A record of the task deleted from the Backlog is now
displayed in History with a DELETED status as shown below. An entry is also made in the task's comment, noting
that it was manually deleted. After deleting a task, you cannot reset it from the Explorer window.

How Deleting Process Flow Components Affects Process Flows

When you delete a task from a Process Flow, Applications Manager handles the predecessor links as follows:
• Internal predecessor links associated with the task are inherited by the next component in the Process Flow.
• External predecessor links for the task are removed.
If you delete the last internal predecessor link associated with a task, that component is moved to the upper right
corner of the Process Flow and will be eligible to run with any other component that shares its row.

Removing All Predecessors for Tasks

If a task in the Backlog is waiting for one or more predecessors before it can run, you can remove the
predecessor(s) to force it to run. To remove all predecessors for one or more tasks, select the task(s), and right-
click. Choose the Remove All Predecessors option from the pop-up menu.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To remove all predecessor links for a task in the Backlog, right-click the task and select Remove All Predecessors
from the pop-up menu as shown above. The task will then be eligible to run as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If you wish to view and remove select predecessors for a task, you can do so on the Predecessors tab of the Task
Details window. For more information, see Pending Predecessor Links: Viewing and Removing.
When you remove predecessor links for a task in the Backlog, the changes are applied only to that instance of the
task. They do not affect the definition of the Job or Process Flow.
Removing External Predecessors by Queue
To remove a task's external predecessors on insert to the Backlog, assign it to the
REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue. You can create the REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue
by hand or by importing it. For more information, see Removing External Predecessors by Queue.

Viewing and Editing Task Details

You can right-click any task in the Backlog or History and select an option from the pop-up menu shown below to
view its task details. The option you select determines which tab will be active on the Task Details window.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Editing Task Details

You can alter the details of tasks in a non-running status in the Backlog by doing any of the following:
• Editing general parameters such as a task's Queue, Login, or start time.
• Adding, changing, or deleting prompt values and predecessor links.
• Adding, changing, deleting, or copying conditions.
The changes you make apply only to the current instance of the task, and will not affect the task the next time it is
submitted.
To view the details for tasks submitted by other Users, you must have the View Other Users' Tasks User Option
assigned to you by your Applications Manager administrator. To edit their details, you must have the Edit Other
Users' Tasks User Option. To edit all the details for tasks in the Backlog, you will also need access to the objects
assigned to the Job/Process Flow.
Understanding Documentation, Output Files, and Task Comments
The following tabs on the Task Details window provide information about the task:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Documentation: Information written by the person who created the Job or Process Flow. Documentation
provides relevant information about the processing of a task. It can be comments, suggestions, or instructions.
Documentation cannot be altered from the Explorer window.
• Output Files: Output files created on the Agent machine when the task is run. Output files include system and
application files for the task. Output files can be opened for viewing using the File Viewer window.
• Comments: Information about the running of a task. Applications Manager automatically creates comments that:
• Tell about condition actions that affect the running of a task.
• Detail DELETE, HOLD, RESET, and KILL actions taken by a User.
• Give details on tasks with a LAUNCH ERR status.
Additionally, you can include your own comments to provide relevant information about the processing of a task.
Comments are not files, and should not be confused with documentation or output files.

General Task Details: Viewing and Editing

General task details determine how and where a task runs, and with what options. When you edit task details for a
task in the Backlog, the changes are applied only to that instance of the task. They do not affect the definition of the
Job or Process Flow.
Editing General Task Details in the Backlog
To change the parameters associated with a task in the Backlog:
1. Right-click the task and select Task Details from the pop-up menu.
2. Applications Manager displays the Task Details window with the General tab selected as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

3. Make the desired changes on the General tab.

You can select the other tabs to view and/or edit additional details for the task.
4. To accept the changes on all tabs, click OK.
View-only fields
• Alias
The alias name for the Job/Process Flow. You can specify an alias name when the Job or Process Flow is:
• Added to a Process Flow as a Process Flow component.
• Requested with the REQUEST JOB condition action.
• Requested using a task name suffix.
• Requested with awrun.
• Job
The name of the Job or Process Flow set in the Job/Process Flow definitions.
• User
The User or requestor assigned to the task. Users and requestors are the same thing. They are set for a Job or
Process Flow in a schedule or requests. Requestors can be set to 'No Selection' in schedules, in which case no
User will be listed.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Run ID
A unique number assigned to a task by Applications Manager at the time the task runs.
• Process Flow Name
The parent Process Flow, if this task is a Process Flow component.
• Process Flow Order No.
The order number of the task in its Process Flow, if the task is a Process Flow component.
• Request Date
The actual time that the task was placed into the Backlog. Corresponds to the so_request_date database field.
• Started
The actual time that the task was started by the Automation Engine and processed by the Agent. Corresponds
to the so_job_started database field.
• Ended
The actual time the task finished processing on the Agent. Corresponds to the so_job_ended database field.
• Status
The task status. For a description of the task status values, see Task Status Values.
• Process ID
A unique number assigned to a task by the operating system.
• Status Detail
Details that give additional information on the reason for a task's status.
• Other Details
When clicked displays a pop-up window with the application status and reference fields. These are used with
the PeopleSoft extension and some custom solutions.
• Notification, Output Scan, Environment Variables
Lists the Notification, Output Scan, and Environment Variable objects assigned to the task and where they are
assigned.
Editable fields
• Max Run Time
Used to prevent runaway programs. It determines how long the program can run before timing out
(DDD:HH:MI). A time of 0 lets the task run forever. If a task times out, it is given a status of TIMEOUT.
• Priority
Determines when a Job is run in relation to other tasks in the same Queue. A task with a lower priority number
will be run before tasks with higher numbers. The range is 1-99. The default priority is 50.
Tasks submitted with 0 priority will have the status of NO PRIORITY in the Backlog and will not run.
The execution order of tasks waiting to run in a QUEUED status is decided in the following order:
1. Queue priority
2. Job priority
3. Start date and time
Therefore, if two tasks are waiting to run in different Queues, and those Queues have the same priority, the
Jobs' priorities are checked. If Queue and Job priorities are the same, their start date and times are compared.
• Login
The Login the system will use when the task is executed. Logins allow operators and programmers to run
programs that access a database or host without having to know the login and password.
Primary and secondary Logins can be specified for Jobs. The primary Login can be overridden (if one is defined
for the Job) by:
• Jobs requested with the REQUEST JOB condition action.
• Process Flow components.
• Queue
The Applications Manager Queue the task will run through. Queues are assigned to Jobs and Process Flows.
If a schedule is defined for a Job or Process Flow, and the schedule is assigned to a Queue, the schedule's
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Queue will override the Jobs or Process Flow's Queue. The Queue setting for a Process Flow does not affect
its components, unless the Insert components into Process Flow's Queue Automation Engine option is
turned on.
The Process Flow's Queue is used for components only when the Insert components into process flow's
queue Automation Engine option is turned on.
Queues can be specified for requests (as long as the Request Queues User Option is assigned).
• Agent
The Agent where the program is stored and run.
• Start Date
The time that the task was scheduled to start. Corresponds to the so_start_date database field. Start dates for
tasks in the Backlog are determined by either:
• Requests (may be post-dated).
• Schedules for Jobs and Process Flows.
• The schedule of a component's Process Flow.
• Send To
Specifies the Output Device or set of devices where the output will be sent (for example: EMAIL, ACCOUNTING
LASER, ATLANTA LASER).
• Output Option
Used for specifying dynamic output options for the selected Output Device. This value or list of values is defined
by the Output Interface assigned to the Output Device.
• Output Function
Determines how output is handled. There are three choices:
• LOG: Legacy setting, should not be used unless you need to use the Output window rather than the
Explorer window.
• PRINT: The output is printed.
• STORE: The output is not printed.
• Copies
Sets the default number of copies to be printed.
• Restart once on abort
When selected, Applications Manager will automatically restart a task the first time it aborts, but will not restart it
if it aborts a second time.
When this option and the Stay in Queue on abort option are both set, and the task aborts, you will see three
listings for it in the Explorer window.
• The original listing for the Run ID <run_id> in History shows that the task ran.
• A second listing <run_id>.01 in History shows that it aborted.
• The current listing <run_id>.02 in the Backlog represents the restarted task.
The Restart once on abort setting is specified in each task's definition, and can be overridden with a condition.

Task Prompts: Viewing and Editing

Prompts pass user input to the program run by a task. Prompts for a task, either a Job or a Process Flow, can be
viewed and edited from the Backlog and viewed from History. Prompts are defined by the individual that created the
Job or process flow.
Viewing Prompts
To view the prompts for a task, right-click a task in the Backlog or History and choose Prompts. Applications
Manager displays the Task Details window with the Prompts tab selected as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Editing Prompts in the Backlog

To edit the prompts for a task in the Backlog:
1. Right-click the task and choose Prompts from the pop-up menu.
Applications Manager displays the Task Details window with the Prompts tab selected.
2. Click to select a prompt.
3. You can edit the prompt values for each task.
When you edit prompts for a task in the Backlog, the changes are applied only to that instance of the task. They
do not affect the definition of the Job or Process Flow.
You can select the other tabs to view and/or edit additional details for the task.
4. Click OK to accept the changes and exit to the Explorer window.

Pending Predecessor Links: Viewing and Removing

Applications Manager controls task flow with predecessors. When a task is waiting to run due to predecessor
requirements, you can view its pending predecessors. If you want to run the task immediately, you can remove the
pending predecessor links.
Viewing Pending Predecessors
To view pending predecessors for a task, right-click the task and select Predecessors from the pop-up menu.
Applications Manager displays a table listing each task that is a predecessor as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The Predecessors tab is divided into two panes:

• The External Scheduled Predecessors pane in the upper part of the tab lists the tasks which are
predecessors of the selected task and are not in the Backlog. If tasks are not in the Backlog, but are scheduled
to run in the current virtual day, their scheduled start time will be shown in the Schedule column.
• The Predecessors in Backlog pane in the lower part of the tab lists the tasks which are predecessors of the
selected task and are currently in the Backlog.
To view the predecessor statement for a task, select the task and click the Pred statement button. Applications
Manager displays the predecessor statement in the Predecessor Expression window shown below.

To view the task details for a task in the table, right-click the task and select an option.
Understanding Predecessor Link Types
Descriptions for each link type are given below:
• Started: Predecessor must have started or been skipped. Represented by a solid yellow line.
• Success since last run: For external predecessors only. Predecessor must complete with a status of
FINISHED since the last time this Job ran. Represented by a dashed blue line.
• Success (default): Predecessor must complete with a status of FINISHED or be removed from the Backlog.
Represented by a solid green line.
• Success only when FINISHED: For external predecessors only. Predecessor must complete with a status of
FINISHED. Represented by a solid blue line.
• Success (skip on failure): Predecessor must complete with a status of FINISHED. If status is ABORTED,
DIED, or TIMEDOUT, the component is skipped. Represented by a dashed green line.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Failure: Predecessor must complete with a status of ABORTED, DIED, or TIMEDOUT. Represented by a solid
red line.
• Failure (skip on success): Predecessor must complete with a status of ABORTED, DIED, or TIMEDOUT. If
status is FINISHED, the component is skipped. Represented by a dashed red line.
• Complete: Predecessor completes with any status including FINISHED, DIED, or ABORTED. Represented by
a solid black line. Predecessor links to a Process Flow must use this predecessor link type or the Success link
type.
Removing Predecessor Links
To remove predecessor links from either pane of the Pending Predecessors window, check the box in the
Remove column for the task and click the Apply button. Applications Manager deletes the predecessor link. If
there are no other predecessor links, the task should run. This has the same effect as deleting a predecessor link
from the referenced task's Flow Diagram tab.
Deleting predecessor links from this tab does not delete tasks from the Backlog.
If you wish to remove all predecessor links for a task in the Backlog, you can do so by right-clicking and
selecting the Remove All Predecessors option from the pop-up menu. For more information, see Removing All
Predecessors for Tasks.
When you remove predecessor links for a task in the Backlog, the changes are applied only to that instance of the
task. They do not affect the definition of the Job or Process Flow.
Removing External Predecessors by Queue
To remove a task's external predecessor links on insert to the Backlog, assign it to the
REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue. You can create the REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue
by hand or by exporting it. For more information, see Removing External Predecessors by Queue.

Successors in the Backlog: Viewing

When a task is in the Backlog, it may be a predecessor to other tasks. Other tasks that have predecessor links to a
task are called its successors.
Viewing Successors
To view successors for a task, right-click the task and select Successors from the pop-up menu. Applications
Manager displays a table listing each successor as shown below.

To view the task details for a task in the table, right-click the task and select an option.

Task and Predecessors in a Flow Diagram: Viewing, Adding, and Editing

Predecessors must be met before a task will be eligible to run. They are evaluated prior to any BEFORE conditions
the task might have. They can be viewed from the Backlog and History.
The Flow Diagram tab shown below has a left pane where the Process Flow or Job is displayed, and a right
pane where the Predecessor Editor is displayed. Process Flow components in the Predecessor Editor box
will be written in the format <Process Flow name>/<component name>. You can right-click a predecessor in the
Predecessor Editor box to change or edit it. You can resize the panes by dragging the splitter bar, and minimize or
maximize the panes using the arrows at the top of the splitter bar.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

From the Flow Diagram tab, you can monitor and manage objects in much the same way as from Explorer. You
can edit predecessor links as well as take actions on tasks such as delete, hold, restart, and kill.
Viewing Predecessor Links in a Flow Diagram
To view the predecessor links for a task in a flow diagram, right-click the task and select Flow Diagram from the
pop-up menu. Applications Manager displays the Task Details window with the Flow Diagram tab selected.
External references to scheduled tasks that are not yet in the Backlog will have a dashed border.
Adding and Editing Predecessor Links in a Flow Diagram
You can add, edit, or delete internal and external predecessor links for non-running tasks in the Backlog. An
internal predecessor link is a link to a component within the parent Process Flow. An external predecessor is a
link to a component outside the parent Process Flow. When you edit a link, you can change the link type, redirect
the link to another component, or delete the link. You can also add external predecessor links for these tasks. You
cannot add components to a Process Flow from the Backlog.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When you add, edit, or delete predecessor links for a task in the Backlog, the changes are applied only to that
instance of the task. They do not affect the definition of the Job or Process Flow.
You can select the other tabs to view and edit the task's general task details, prompts, documentation, output, and
more.
Disabling Pop-Up Tables
You can disable the pop-up tables by unchecking the Show status info option under the Options menu. The
Show status info setting can be saved for your workstation by selecting Save Preferences from the File menu.
Taking Actions on Tasks and Viewing or Editing Task Details
You can right-click tasks in the Flow Diagram tab to take actions on them or to view or edit their task details the
same way you would in the Explorer window. For more information on taking actions on tasks, see Taking Actions
on Tasks in the Backlog. For more information on viewing and editing task details, see Viewing and Editing Task
Details.

Task Conditions: Viewing and Editing

Conditions control the execution of tasks. They can be evaluated before, during, and after a task executes, and
after a task is deleted. Conditions for a task can be viewed from the Backlog and History. Conditions can be added,
edited, or deleted from tasks in the Backlog for a single running of the task.
Procedure
To view the conditions for a task, right-click the task and select Conditions from the pop-up menu. Applications
Manager displays the Task Details window with the Conditions tab selected as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To add, edit, delete, or copy a condition for a task in the Backlog, select the appropriate button. When you make
changes to conditions for a task in the Backlog, the changes are applied only to that instance of the task. They do
not affect the definition of the Job or Process Flow. You can select the other tabs to view or edit the task's general
task details, prompts, documentation, output, and more.
Where Conditions Are Defined
Conditions can be defined for Jobs, Process Flows, and Process Flow components. The conditions are not
included when the Job/Process Flow is assigned to a Process Flow unless the Use Job Conditions option is
checked for the component.

Task Documentation: Viewing

Documentation is written by the person who created the Job or Process Flow. It provides relevant information
about the processing of a task. Documentation can be comments, suggestions, or instructions. You can access
documentation from the Backlog or History, when it has been included.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Documentation Assigned to Objects

Documentation can be assigned to three different objects in Applications Manager:
• Jobs:Job documentation is used when a Job is going to be requested ad hoc, or when the documentation for a
Job would be useful—regardless of how it is invoked.
• Process Flows: Process Flow documentation is used to provide information about the entire Process Flow.
• Process Flow Components: Process Flow component documentation is used to provide information that is
specific to a Process Flow component.
All documentation for a task is displayed on the Documentation tab of the Task Details window.
Types of Documentation
There are two types of documentation: abort and general. Abort documentation provides instruction or information
for when the task aborts. General documentation provides information about the function of the Job or Process
Flow. Both types of documentation are available for viewing at all times regardless of task status.
Procedure
To view the documentation for a task in the Backlog or History:
1. Right-click the task in the Backlog or History and select Documentation from the pop-up menu. If
Documentation is grayed out on the pop-up menu, the task has no documentation.
You can right-click Process Flow components in the Backlog or History panes or in the icon tree.
Applications Manager displays the Task Details window with the Documentation tab selected as shown below.

If the task has HTML documentation, you can uncheck the HTML box to view the source HTML code.
2. In the top portion of the window, select the type of documentation you wish to view.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager displays the documentation you selected in the bottom portion of the window.
You can select the other tabs to view and/or edit additional details for the task.
3. Click OK to close the window.

Task Output Files: Viewing

After a task finishes executing, it is moved into History. You can see how the task was executed by viewing the
task's standard output file. This can be useful for troubleshooting tasks that fail. You can also view output files
generated by the task.
Procedure
To view the output files generated by a task after it completes executing:
1. Right-click the task and choose Output Files from the pop-up menu.
Applications Manager lists the system and application output files for the task on the Output Files tab of the
Task Details window.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

When Job definitions include Program Types that ship with Applications Manager, standard output and error
file names begin with an 'o'. Output files generated by the task begin with a 'b'. If custom Program Types are
assigned to your Jobs, their output files may be named differently.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The list for Process Flows will include the output files of all its components.
2. To print an output file without opening the File Viewer window, select a task and click the Print button or one of
the Print icons. For more information on printing output files, see Printing, FTPing, and Emailing Output Files.
3. To view a file, select the file and click View.
Applications Manager displays the File Viewer window. For information on using the File Viewer window and
printing output files, see Viewing Output Files with the File Viewer.
You can select the other tabs to view and/or edit additional details for the task.

Task Comments: Adding and Viewing

Task comments provide information about the running of a task. Applications Manager automatically creates
comments that:
• Detail actions taken by a User.
• Tell about condition actions that affect the running of a task.
• Give Output Scan details when rules are met.
• Give details on tasks with a LAUNCH ERR status.
Additionally, you can include your own comments to provide relevant information about the processing of a task.
You access, add, and query comments from the Backlog or History.

Viewing and Adding Comments for a Task

To view comments and add an comment to a task:
1. Right-click the task and choose Comments from the pop-up menu.
Applications Manager opens the Task Details window with the Comments tab selected as shown above. If
there are any entries for the task, they are displayed in the Log box. Each entry includes the user name of the
person who wrote the comment, and the date and time it was submitted. In the image above, there are two
entries associated with this task.
2. To add an entry to the task, enter text in the New Entry box at the top of the window and click Add.
Applications Manager adds the entry to the Comment box.
3. To save the entry and keep the window open, click Apply.
4. To save the entry and close the window, click OK.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

After you have added an comment entry, you cannot change it. It becomes a permanent part of the task's history.
Querying Comments for Other Tasks
To view comments for another task:
1. From the Task Details window, select the Comment Query tab.
The table on the top of the screen displays all previous comments for the selected Job or Process Flow.

2. Select a comment from the table to view its text below.

3. To view comments for other Jobs/Process Flows, select the Job/Process Flow from the Job drop-down box You
can also query by keywords in the text.
Viewing a Comment Report
To view a report of comments, select Explorer Reports from the Reports menu on the Explorer window. This will
open the Reports window with the Explorer reports selected. Select the AW_OPERATOR_LOGS report and click
Show.

Unsatisfying Tasks as External Predecessors in History

There may be times when you run a task that serves as an external predecessor to one or more other tasks, and
you need to rerun the task. This may happen when the task completes successfully, but is run with incomplete
data.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To disallow predecessor links to this task, you must unsatisfy it as a predecessor. Once a task is unsatisfied as a
predecessor, it is as if it did not run. All predecessor links to it will not be satisfied until the Job, Process Flow, or
Process Flow component runs again.

Procedure
To unsatisfy a task as a predecessor for all potential predecessor links, right-click the task listing in History and
select Unsatisfy for Predecessors from the pop-up menu. Applications Manager changes the task's status to
UNSAT-FINISH and unsatisfies this running of the task as a predecessor for all predecessor links which reference
it, as shown below. The predecessor links of other tasks will now need to be satisfied by another instance of this
Job, Process Flow, or Process Flow component.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Viewing History in a Gantt Chart

To view one or more tasks in History in a Gantt chart format, select the tasks, right-click and choose the History
Gantt view option. If you select Process Flows or Process Flow components, Applications Manager displays all
tasks in the corresponding Process Flow(s).
Procedure
To view one or more tasks in History in a Gantt chart format:
1. Select one or more tasks in History.
2. Right-click and choose the History Gantt view option as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager opens the History Gantt view window shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If you select Process Flows or Process Flow components, Applications Manager displays all tasks in the
corresponding Process Flow(s).
For detailed information on the features available in all Gantt windows, see chapter Monitoring and Managing
Tasks with the Gantt View.
3. If you wish, you can right-click a task and select Flow Diagram to view its predecessors in a flowchart view.

Comparing Run Times in a Gantt Chart

Using a History query and the History Gantt view window, you can compare run times of tasks in History.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Procedure
To compare run times of tasks in History:
1. Select two or more records for Jobs and/or Process Flows in History that you want to compare.
You may want to run a History query of the tasks you wish to compare. For information on running History
queries, see Querying for Tasks in History.
In the image above, two instances of the INV_STATUS Job are selected.
2. Right-click the History Gantt view option from the pop-up window.
Applications Manager opens the History Gantt view window shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

3. In the History Gantt view window, select Set start times to midnight from the Actions menu.
4. Applications Manager displays all start times as midnight so you can compare run times as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

How Applications Manager Handles System Failures

If your system fails for minutes, hours, or days, the Applications Manager modular Process Flows ensure orderly
recovery. Applications Manager keeps a record in its Oracle database of each task and the task's status. When
you bring your system back up, Applications Manager restores each task to the status it had at the time the system
went down.
How Applications Manager Handles Tasks in the Backlog
If the machine where the Applications Manager Automation Engine is installed goes down, Applications Manager
goes through a recovery procedure when the machine comes back up. The table below describes how Applications
Manager handles tasks that have already been submitted and are displayed in the Backlog.

Task status at time of crash Task status after recovery

Starting or Running Applications Manager checks to see if the task process

ID exists. If it exists, the status will be RUNNING. If the
task process ID does not exist, the status will be DIED.
You can restart the task from the Backlog.

Thread Wait Status will be THREAD WAIT.

Date Pending If the scheduled start date is still in the future, the status
will be DATE PENDING. If the start date has passed,
Applications Manager will launch the task as soon as
possible after the system is brought back online.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Task status at time of crash Task status after recovery

Finished The task will be moved to History with a status of

FINISHED.

Aborted If the Restart once on abort option is selected for

the Job, and this is the first time the task has aborted,
Applications Manager will run the task as soon as
possible after the system is brought back online.

The Effect of Agent and Network Failures

The following table describes what happens when a task is running and the Agent, Agent machine, or network goes
down.

When a task is running AND the machine AND the network THEN
and the Agent running the Agent

is up is up is up The status is RUNNING.

goes down The status of the task

in the Backlog is not
changed, however the
Agent will continue to
monitor the task. When
the network comes back
up, Applications Manager
checks with the Agent
and updates the status as
RUNNING, FINISHED, or
ABORTED.

goes down is up The status of the task

in the Backlog is not
changed. When the
machine and Agent come
back up, Applications
Manager marks the task
as DEAD. You can restart
the task from Applications
Manager.

goes down is up is up The status of the task

in the Backlog is not
changed. When the
Agent comes back up,
Applications Manager
checks if the task
completed. If the task
completed, Applications
Manager Reports the
status. If the task did not
complete, Applications
Manager will look for the
task's PID. If it finds the
PID, it will mark the status
as RUNNING. If it does not
find the PID, it will mark the
status as DEAD.

How Schedules Impact Recovery

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Jobs and Process Flows scheduled to run during the down time will run once when the system is brought back up.
They will then return to their normal schedule. It does not matter how many times the Job or Process Flow was
scheduled to run during the down time. Each Job or Process Flow will run only one time before returning to its
normal schedule, unless a date was entered in the Reschedule from field.
If the Oracle Tables Are Lost
If the Applications Manager Oracle tables are lost as a result of the system failure, all status information will be
lost. You will need to restore the Oracle database and let Applications Manager resume processing based on the
schedule information restored by the backup.

Querying and Filtering Explorer

History queries help you find records in the Applications Manager database for tasks that have run and Agent/RMI
statuses that have changed. Results for History queries are displayed in the History pane of the Explorer window.
When a History query is active, the History pane is not refreshed. If you want to view updated query results, you
must re-run the query.
Backlog & History filters allow you to limit the entries in the Backlog and History displays on the Explorer window.
Results from Backlog & History filters are limited to the tasks and records currently in the Backlog and History
display. When a Backlog & History filter is active, the lists in the Backlog and History panes on the Explorer
window continue to refresh.
You run History queries and Backlog & History filters by picking an option from the Filter menu on the Explorer
window as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

What Is the Backlog?

The Backlog is a list of tasks that:
• Are waiting to run.
• Are running.
• Have run and failed, and have stayed in the Backlog for operator intervention.
To view all tasks in the Backlog in the content pane on the top right side of the screen, click the Backlog icon in the
object tree shown in the image above. In the image above, some tasks are running, some are waiting in a PRED
WAIT status, and one task has aborted.
Whether a task remains in the Backlog when it fails is determined by the Stay in queue on abort setting in its Job
definition.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can type the first few letters of an task from the Backlog's name in the Search field, and Applications Manager
will find it. The Search field accepts valid UNIX regular expressions. For example, to search for all Jobs starting
with the letters A and T, you would enter [at] in the Search field.
What Is History?
History is an audit trail including records for:
• All completed tasks and occurrences of task failure(s).
• RMI servers or Agents being started, stopped, or having errors.
• AgentService processes being stopped.
How long task history records are archived in the Applications Manager database is determined by the prompt
setting for the HISTORY_PURGE Job, which is part of the SYSTEM Process Flow. The default value is 60 days.
Your Applications Manager administrator is responsible for setting this value.
The Explorer window includes a partial view of History in its lower right pane.
The amount of History displayed when any user logs in to the client is determined by the HistoryRetentionTime
setting in the Options.properties file.
How long records are displayed in the History pane while you are logged into a Applications Manager session is
determined by:
• Your History Display Minutes desktop setting. For more information, see Editing General Desktop and ToolBar
Settings.
• Whether you have a History query activated.

Querying for Tasks in History

To perform a History query for the Explorer window, open the Filter menu and choose History Query. Applications
Manager displays the History Query window shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You select search criteria for your query. You can query by one or more options by entering values in as many fields
as you like. Fill in the fields by doing one or both of the following:
• Typing in values
• Selecting values from a list
You may select a default sort order for the query by selecting a Sort option at the end of a field. The sort order can
be overridden from the History pane by selecting a different column name.
When you are through defining the query, click OK. Applications Manager displays a small animated window as it
processes the query. Once the query is processed, Applications Manager displays the results in the History pane of
the Explorer window.
Field descriptions for the History Query window are described below. Directions for the two methods of filling in the
fields follow.
• Jobs
Searches for any task assigned to the specified Job(s).
To query for a task run under an alias, enter the alias name.
• Process Flows
Searches for Process Flow(s) and components.
• Applications
Searches for any task assigned to the specified Application(s).
• Agents
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Searches for any task run on the specified Agent(s).

• Queues
Searches for any task run on the specified Queue(s).
• Requestors
Searches for any task run by the specified User(s)/requestor(s). To use this field, you must have those Users in
an User Group with Edit authority.
• Status
Searches for any task assigned the specified task status(es). For a description of the task status values, see
Task Status Values.
• From start time/To start time
These fields accept date/time information. If the Current day option is selected, the From start time and To
start time fields will be inactive.
If you save a query for tasks run in the last two days, it will always run a query for the tasks in the last two days.
There is no way to save a query from a specific date.
• Run ID
This field references the unique number assigned to each task by Applications Manager. When using this field
do not include the decimal values.
• Current day
The default is to query by the current virtual day. If you save a query with this option checked, it will be applied
each time you run the saved query.
If you uncheck the option, the From start time and To start time fields become active. You can then enter
specific dates and times for the query.
Typing in Values
You can type comma-separated names in the fields. These fields also allow the use of:
• Wildcards: The _ wildcard is used to represent a single character, and the '%' wildcard represents an unlimited
number of characters.
• Negative filters: The ! character is used as a negative filter to exclude tasks from the search. For example,
entering !AW% will exclude tasks with the letters AW together in their name.
Selecting Values from a List
When you click on an icon at the end of one of the applicable fields in the History query window, Applications
Manager displays the object assignment window where you can pick one or more objects. The windows will
list only the objects to which you have User Group access. Use the arrow buttons to move objects between the
Unassigned and Assigned tables. For information on assigning objects, see Working in the Applications Manager
Windows.
Use the Search field to query the Unassigned table. You can apply the search criteria to the Assigned column as
well by unselecting the Show all assigned option.
You can use negative filters to exclude tasks from the search based on the items you select by checking the
Negative Filter box before assigning objects. When an object is added as a negative filter, it will have the !
character before its name in the Assigned table.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Use the Other filters field to type in comma-separated names. This field allows for wildcards and negative filters as
described in the "Typing in Values" section above.
Any text entered in the Other filters field will be included in the appropriate field on the Select filters window.
Adding the Queried Results to History
By default Applications Manager limits the records in the History pane to the results of the query. If you would rather
add the queried results to the current History display, click the Add to Current History box on the History Query
window.
When you add the queried results to the current History display, the records will be added to the History pane and
the Apply Query box on the Explorer window will not be checked. The records added from the query will remain
in History for the number of minutes you have defined in your History Display Minutes desktop setting. To see them
again, you can run another query. For more information on the History Display Minutes desktop setting, see Editing
General Desktop and ToolBar Settings.
Saving a Query
You may also optionally save a History query to use later by entering a name in the Filter name drop-down box
The History query will be saved when you click OK.
Saved History queries can be recalled from the Filter name drop-down box for History queries, Output queries, and
filters of the Backlog and History.
You can delete a saved query by selecting it and clicking Delete.
Viewing Query Results
When you run a query, the Apply Query checkbox will be selected and the column headers will be displayed with a
light orange background as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager will not refresh the query's results. If you want to view updated query results, you must re-run
the query.
To view the unqueried History, uncheck the Apply Query box. You can view the queried results again by
rechecking the Apply Query box. If you select the History Query menu item again, Applications Manager returns
you to the Query Definition window. Applications Manager displays the search criteria you defined on your last
query. To run a new query, select new data and click OK.

Filtering the Backlog and History

Backlog & History filters allow you to limit the entries in the Backlog and History displays on the Explorer window.
Results from Backlog & History filters are limited to the tasks and records currently in the Backlog and History
display.
To perform a Backlog & History filter of the Explorer window, open the Filter menu and choose Filter Backlog and
History. Applications Manager displays the Select filters window shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You select search criteria for your filter. You can filter by one or more options by entering values in as many fields
as you like. Fill in these fields by doing one or both of the following:
• Typing in values
• Selecting values from a list
You may select a default sort order for the query by selecting a Sort option at the end of a field. The sort order can
be overridden from the Backlog or History panes by selecting a different column name.
When you are through defining the filter, click OK. Applications Manager displays a small animated window as
it processes the filter. Once the filter is processed, Applications Manager displays the results in the Backlog and
History panes of the Explorer window.
Field descriptions for the Select filter window are described below. Directions for the two methods of filling in the
fields follow.
• Jobs
Searches for tasks assigned to the specified Job(s), including tasks running the Job under an alias name.
To query for a task run under an alias, enter the alias name.
• Process Flows
Searches for the selected Process Flow(s) and their components.
• Applications
Searches for any task assigned to the specified Application(s).
• Agents
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Searches for any task run on the specified Agent(s).

• Queues
Searches for any task run on the specified Queue(s).
• Requestors
Searches for any task run by the specified requestor(s).
• Status
Searches for any task assigned the specified task status(es). For a description of the task status values, see
Task Status Values.
This is a common field where negative filters are used. For example, if !ST% is entered in this field, Applications
Manager will not display components in various staged statuses in the Backlog including: STAGED, STG SKIP,
STAGED HOLD, STG_PW HOLD, and STAGED_PW.
• From start time/To start time
These fields accept date/time information. If the Current day option is selected, the From start time and To
start time fields will be inactive.
If you save a filter for tasks run in the last two days, it will always run a filter for the tasks in the last two days.
There is no way to save a filter from a specific date.
• Run ID
This field references the unique number assigned to each task by Applications Manager. When using this field
do not include the decimal values.
• Current day
The default is to query by the current virtual day. If you save a query with this option checked, it will be applied
each time you run the saved query.
If you uncheck this option, the From start time and To start time fields become active. You then can enter
specific dates and times for the query.
• Future Hours
This field is used to look ahead X number of hours for staged tasks and requested tasks with a start date/time in
the future. It works in conjunction with the From start time and To start time fields, with Applications Manager
calculating the greatest time span based on both criteria.
Typing in Values
You can type in comma-separated names in the fields. These fields also allow the use of:
• Wildcards: The _ wildcard is used to represent a single character, and the % wildcard to represent an unlimited
number of characters.
• Negative filters: The ! character is used as a negative filter to exclude tasks from the search. For example,
entering !AW% will exclude tasks with the letters AW together in their name.
Selecting Values from a List
When you click on an icon at the end of one of the applicable fields in the History query window, Applications
Manager displays the object assignment window where you can pick one or more objects. The windows will
list only the objects to which you have User Group access. Use the arrow buttons to move objects between the
Unassigned and Assigned tables. For information on assigning objects, see Working in the Applications Manager
Windows.
Use the Search field to query the Unassigned table. You can apply the search criteria to the Assigned column as
well by unselecting the Show all assigned option.
You can use negative filters to exclude tasks from the search based on the items you select by checking the
Negative Filter box before assigning objects. When an object is added as a negative filter, it will have the !
character before its name in the Assigned table.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Use the Other filters field to type in comma-separated names. This field allows for wildcards and negative filters as
described in the "Typing in Values" section above.
Any text entered in the Other filters field will be included in the appropriate field on the Select filters window.
Viewing Filter Results
Applications Manager runs the search and displays the filtered results. The Apply Filter checkbox will be selected
and the column headers will be displayed with a orange background as shown in the image below. To view the
unfiltered Backlog and History, uncheck the Apply Filter box. You can view the filtered results again by rechecking
the Apply Filter box. If you select the Filter Backlog & History menu item again, Applications Manager returns
you to the Select filters window. Applications Manager displays the search criteria you defined on your last filter.
To run a new filter, select new data and click OK. To select a saved filter, select it from the drop-down box between
the two checkboxes in the History pane.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Staging Tasks in the Backlog

By default, scheduled tasks appear in the Backlog when they are ready to run. To bring them into the Backlog
ahead of time, you can stage tasks up to 48 hours in the future.
Staging tasks in the Backlog gives you the opportunity to:
• View scheduled tasks in the Backlog before they run.
• Alter a task's details before it runs.
• Delete a task before it runs.
For information on altering task details, see Viewing and Editing Task Details.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

How Tasks Are Staged

Tasks are staged by running the either the STAGING or STAGING_BY_SCHEDULE Jobs. When you run one
of these Jobs, you tell Applications Manager which tasks to stage by specifying prompt values. They can be
scheduled or requested ad hoc. For more information, see Staging Tasks.
Staging and the Virtual Day
The virtual workday is a point in time each day that limits how far back Applications Manager will search in the
Backlog and History for a predecessor. When a task is staged, its virtual day is set based on its start time.
Lights Out vs. Operations-Intensive
There are two basic Applications Manager environments:
• Lights out: No one monitors Applications Manager. Tasks run based on their schedules, predecessor links, and
conditions. An email or page is sent out when tasks or Agents have trouble.
• Operations-intensive: Operators monitor and manage Applications Manager. Some tasks are scheduled, while
others are requested ad hoc. Operators are often called to change runtimes of tasks or to edit tasks before they
run.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Most customers function somewhere in the middle.

Staging for Lights Out Shops
If you are strictly a lights out shop, there is little need to stage tasks. You would not need to schedule the STAGING
or STAGING_BY_SCHEDULE Jobs. In the rare cases when you need to make changes for the running of a task,
you could request one of them ad hoc for one task only.
Staging for Operations-Intensive Shops
If you are an operations-intensive shop, you may want to stage tasks in a few different ways. One would be to
stage all tasks that will run during each operator's shift. All tasks for an eight hour period would be listed in the
Backlog. This way operators can see everything that is going to run and quickly edit tasks when they are instructed
to. A second method would be to stage only particular tasks. You might do this if several tasks are scheduled, but
only a few typically need to be edited. A third method would be to only stage tasks when changes need to be made.
Operators might do this if they do not want a lot of scheduled tasks shown in the Backlog.

Staging Tasks
Applications Manager staging allows you to edit tasks before they run. You tell Applications Manager which tasks
to stage by specifying prompt values and running either the STAGING or STAGING_BY_SCHEDULE Job. These
Jobs can be scheduled or requested on an ad hoc basis. Jobs and Process Flows should not be edited, and you
should not run exports or imports while these Jobs are running.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Two Staging Jobs

The STAGING and STAGING_BY_SCHEDULE Jobs both ship with Applications Manager. They allow you to stage
Jobs and Process Flows. The difference between the two Jobs is their second prompt.
Which staging Job you want to run depends on whether you want to stage Jobs and Process Flows based on all of
their schedules or some of their schedules. For example, you may want to stage a Job that includes two schedules
that run with different prompt values for different departments. To make sure you stage the correct task, you would
stage the Job by running STAGING_BY_SCHEDULE.
Prompt Values
The staging Jobs include the following prompts.
• Applications to be Staged
Use the Select button to select one or more Applications Manager Applications.
• Flows/Jobs or Flows/Jobs->Schedule Name
Use the Select button to select:
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• For STAGING: individual Jobs and Process Flows with schedules from the Application(s) selected in the first
prompt.
• For STAGING_BY_SCHEDULE: schedules from Jobs and Process Flows with schedules from the
Application(s) selected in the first prompt.
If one or more Applications are selected, but no Process Flows or Jobs, then all Process Flows/Jobs of the
selected Applications will be staged. Any scheduled Process Flows or Jobs not staged will be inserted in the
Backlog at their regularly scheduled time.
• Include Hour/Minute Schedules
Determine whether you wish to include Process Flows/Jobs with Hours or Minutes selected in their schedule's
Units box.
• Hours ahead to be staged
Determine the number of hours ahead you want to stage tasks.
By default, this prompt has a maximum value of 48 hours. This is so no one accidentally stages out too far. If
you wish to stage tasks out longer, you must edit the prompts in the Job's definition.
If the Use virtual day for Process Flow component days of week option is selected for the Automation
Engine, tasks cannot be staged beyond 24 hours from the start of the virtual day.
Warning: Staging tens of thousands of tasks can affect Backlog performance.

When you stage a task, the value in its schedule's Next run date field will be updated to its next run.
Creating Multiple Schedules
You can create multiple schedules for these Jobs that use different prompt values. For example, you might create
the following schedules:
• WORKDAY: Runs Monday through Friday at 9:00 A.M. and lists all Process Flows and Jobs for 8 hours without
including hour/minute schedules.
• EVERY_HOUR: Runs every hour and lists all Process Flows and Jobs including hour/minute schedules.

Managing Staged Tasks

Staged Jobs and Process Flows in the Backlog are shown in a DATE PENDING status as shown in the image
below. Components of a Process Flow in DATE PENDING status will show one of the following statuses:
• STAGED: The component will stay in a staged status until its Process Flow is initiated.
• STAGED_PW: The component has been staged and is waiting for one or more predecessor requirements to
be met. It will not be eligible to run until its parent Process Flow is initiated and its predecessor requirement are
met.
• STG SKIP: The component is part of a Process Flow but is not eligible to run. This happens when a day of the
week is unchecked or a skip Calendar is selected in the Schedule box on the component's General sub-tab.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

For a description of all task status values, see Task Status Values.
You can filter staged tasks in the Backlog using the Future Hours field for a Backlog & History filter. For more
information, see Filtering the Backlog and History.
Editing Staged Tasks
Staging tasks in the Backlog gives you the opportunity to alter a task's details before it runs. Editing staged tasks is
exactly the same as editing any other non-running task in the Backlog. For information on altering task details, see
Viewing and Editing Task Details.

Working with Agents and Queues

You can monitor and manage Agents and Queues from the Explorer window. You can add, edit, or delete Queues
and Thread Schedules from the Object Admin menu.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Queues control the flow of tasks. All tasks must pass through an Applications Manager Queue to be executed. You
control Queue throughput by assigning a Queue to a Thread Schedule. You can define an unlimited number of
Queues.
Agents are instances of Applications Manager; an Agent is installed on each machine where tasks are executed.
An Agent can be an Automation Engine's Local Agent, or a Remote Agent. The Automation Engine is also listed
along with the Agents in the Explorer window. The Automation Engine schedules and controls task execution on all
the Agents assigned to it.
You monitor and manage Agents and Queues from the Explorer window.
Monitoring and Managing Agents
From the Explorer window, you can:
• View information in the Agent Summary including the status of the Automation Engine and Agent(s). An Agent
Summary is shown below.

• View tasks by Automation Engine, Agent, or Agent Group.

• View Agents by machine.
• Start, stop, idle, or resume the Automation Engine and/or Agent(s).
• Reset an Agent in a BUSY or TROUBLE status to display a STOPPED status if you do not want its status to
affect the status bar.
• Assign Thread Schedules to the Automation Engine and Agent(s).
• View and print Automation Engine and Agent log files.
• Rollover the log file for the AgentService process.
Activating/Inactivating Agents
When an Agent is not active, the status of the Agent is INACTIVE. All tasks in the Backlog and newly submitted
tasks to the Agent will move to History with a status of INACTIVE. You activate or inactivate an Agent by checking
or unchecking the Active box in that Agent's definition.
Monitoring and Managing Queues
From the Explorer window, you can:
• View information about all Queues in the Queue Summary. A Queue Summary is shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• View tasks by Queue.

• Activate or inactivate multiple Queues.
• Change a Queue's priority.
• Assign Queues to Thread Schedules to control the number of threads the Queue reserves and the number of
tasks it can run concurrently.
Defining Queues
Queues are created using the Queues window. For detailed information, see Defining Queues.

Monitoring Agents
You can view an Agent Summary by clicking the Agents icon from the object tree.
Agents are installed on each machine where tasks are executed.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Each Automation Engine has one Local Agent and can control numerous Remote Agents and application Agents.
Several Agents are defined and the Remote Agent TRUNK is selected in the image above. From the Explorer
window you can view:
• An Agent summary by clicking the Agents icon in the object tree.
• All Agents on a machine by clicking the machine name under the Machines icon in the object tree.
• Agent status based on icons in the Explorer tree and descriptions in the Agent Summary.
Column Descriptions for the Agent Summary
The Agent Summary displays the status of each Agent. The columns are described below.
• Agent
Name of the Agent, Agent Group, or Automation Engine.
• Status
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Current status of the Agent. For information on possible status values, see Automation Engine/Agent Status
Values .
• Type
Designates each listing as an Automation Engine or Agent type.
Although the Automation Engine and its Local Agent are defined as a single object in Applications Manager,
they are listed separately in the Agent Summary, and separate actions can be taken on them.
• Elapsed
Elapsed time of the Agent status.
• CPU
Percentage of CPU usage on the Agent machine. The CPU usage is updated about once every minute for each
Agent and the Automation Engine. CPU percentages are rounded to the nearest five percent.
• Max Tasks
Number of threads available for the Agent.
• Bklg
Number of tasks in the Backlog.
• Run
Number of tasks RUNNING.
• Hold
Number of tasks on HOLD.
• Abtd
Number of tasks ABORTED in the Backlog.
• Process Flow
Number of Process Flows in the Backlog.
You can customize many tables in Applications Manager, including the Agent Summary. When customizing tables,
you determine:
• Which columns are listed.
• What each column is named.
• How each column is displayed.
Your Applications Manager administrator can set default values for tables. Therefore, the columns in the Agent
Summary may be different from what is described above. For more information, see Customizing Tables .

Managing Agents
You manage the Automation Engine and its Agents in several ways. From the Explorer window you can:
• Take an action on a single Agent or Automation Engine by right-clicking an Agent's icon in the object tree or by
right-clicking a listing in the Agent Summary.
• Take an action on one or more Agents or the Automation Engine by highlighting them in the Agent Summary
and right-clicking.
• Take an action on all Agents and the Automation Engine by right-clicking the Agents icon in the object tree.
• Take an action on all Agents on a machine by right-clicking the machine name under the Machines icon in the
object tree.
• Change an Agent or Automation Engine's Thread Schedule by right-clicking the Agent or Automation Engine.
Actions you can take on Agents are start, stop, idle, resume, and reset. These actions can be taken on the
Automation Engine as well. Each action is described below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To manage Agents, you must have the Take Actions on Agents User Option assigned to you by your Applications
Manager administrator.
Idling and Resuming Agents or the Automation Engine
If you want to stop processing newly submitted tasks through an Agent you can idle it. The Agent will go to an Idled
status and the icon for the Agent will be displayed with a yellow triangle over it in the Explorer tree. Tasks in the
Backlog set to run on an Agent in an Idled status will have a task status of AGENT WAIT. To take the Agent out of
the idle status, you resume it.
Starting Agents or the Automation Engine
Starting an Agent will start processes on that Agent if they are stopped and change the Agent's status to Running.
The Agent may change to an interim Starting status before it moves to Running. Starting an Agent is equivalent to
issuing the startso <Agent name> command. It may take some time to update the status when starting Agents or
the Automation Engine.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Stopping Agents or the Automation Engine

You should generally idle Agents rather than stop them if you want to stop processing tasks on a particular
machine. Stopping an Agent will put it into a Stopped status, but it will not stop any processes. If an OAE or
PEOPLESOFT Agent is stopped, Applications Manager won't poll the application for task status updates. Stopping
an Agent is equivalent to issuing the stopso <Agent name> command. It may take some time to update the status
when stopping Agents or the Automation Engine. When stopped, Agents show a Stopped status and the icon for
the Agent in the Explorer tree is gray. Tasks in the Backlog set to run on an Agent in a Stopped status will have a
task status of AGENT WAIT.
Showing BUSY or TROUBLE Agents as Stopped by Resetting
There are times when the machine where an Agent is installed is taken down for maintenance. When this happens,
the Agent will go into a BUSY or TROUBLE status in the Applications Manager client. If you know why the Agent is
in one of these statuses, and there is no need for action, you may not want the Agent's status to affect the color of
the status bar. You can right-click it and choose Reset from the pop-up menu. Resetting an Agent only changes its
viewable status to Stopped. The reset Agent will have no effect on the status bar.
Changing Thread Schedules for the Automation Engine and its Agents
Automation engine and Agent Thread Schedules set the maximum number of concurrent tasks that can run
through any combination of Queues. To change an Automation Engine or Agent's Thread Schedule, right-click the
Agent icon and select Threads from the pop-up menu. Applications Manager displays the Threads window shown
below where you select a Thread Schedule.

Thread Schedules are assigned to Automation Engines, Agents, and Queues. You can also specify a local or
Remote Agent's Thread Schedule in its definition. For information on defining Thread Schedules, see Defining
Thread Schedules.

Viewing and Printing Automation Engine and Agent Logs

The Automation Engine and Agent logs in the log directory are the primary source of information used for
diagnosing database and network connection errors, and for checking Agent status. The log directory also contains
server, import, install, and Applications Manager executable logs.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Viewing Automation Engine/Agent Logs

To view the process logs for an Automation Engine or Agent from Explorer:
1. Right-click on the Automation Engine or an Agent and select View Log from the pop-up menu.
Applications Manager opens the Agent logs window. All logs will be displayed for the selected Agent. Only
RmiServer.log files will be displayed for the Automation Engine.
2. Select the log you wish to view.
You can limit the list using the Search field or by selecting a log type from the drop-down list.
3. Click the View button.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The log will display in the File Viewer window. For detailed information using the File Viewer window, see
Viewing Output Files with the File Viewer.
Printing, FTPing, and Emailing Logs
To print, FTP, or email a log file without opening the file viewer, select a task and select an option from the Print
menu or one of the Print icons. For more information on printing output, see Printing, FTPing, and Emailing Output
Files.
Zipping Log Files
You can zip log files to compress them by selecting the file and clicking the Zip button. When the file is zipped, you
will still be able to view it from the Applications ManagerFile Viewer window.
You cannot zip current log files that are still receiving information.
Rolling Over AgentService.log and RmiServer.log Files
You can roll over the current file to create new AgentService.log files for Agents or the RmiServer.log files for the
Automation Engine. To rollover one of these logs, right-click on an Agent or Automation Engine and select Agent
Log Rollover or RmiServer Log Rollover. You might want to rollover a log file when debug is turned on and you
want to isolate what is written in a log.
Customizing the Agent Logs Table
You can customize many tables in Applications Manager, including the table in the Agent logs window. When
customizing tables, you determine:
• Which columns are listed.
• What each column is named.
• How each column is displayed.
Your Applications Manager administrator can set default values for tables. Therefore, the columns in the Agent
logs window may be different from what is shown above. For more information, see Customizing Tables.

Monitoring Queues
You can view the Queue Summary in Explorer.
Controlling the load on your system is critical. In Applications Manager, you control the workload by setting the
number of concurrent tasks that can pass through the Queues.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Viewing the Queue Summary

You can view Queue status based on icons in the Explorer tree and descriptions in the Queue Summary. To view
a Queue Summary, select the Queues icon from the object tree. Applications Manager displays a list of Queues in
the upper right pane as shown in the image above.
Column Descriptions for the Queue Summary
The Queue summary displays the status of each Queue. The columns are described below.
• Queue
Name of the Queue.
• Status
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Displays whether the Queue is active or inactive. Active Queues apply the thread settings. When you inactivate
a Queue, no tasks will be processed through it. The tasks will remain in the Backlog with a QUEUE WAIT status
until the Queue is activated.
The object tree icons for inactive Queues will be covered by a yellow triangle.
• Pri
The priority assigned to the Queue. Priority defines the order in which the Queue is scanned for task initiation.
Tasks in a higher priority Queue will be processed before tasks in a lower priority Queue. The lower the number
you assign to a Queue, the higher priority it will have to run tasks. If all threads in a high priority Queue are
being used, Applications Manager will process tasks in lower priority Queues until the maximum number
of threads is reached. You can control the load on your system and the availability of computing resources
by giving careful thought to how you prioritize Queues and set their thread limits. For information on Queue
priorities, see Administering Queues .
• Threads
Number of threads assigned to the Thread Schedule displayed in the Schedule column.
• Bklg
The number of tasks in the Backlog waiting to run on the Queue.
• Schedule
The Thread Schedule assigned to a Queue. Thread Schedules control the maximum number of concurrent
tasks that can run through the Queue at any given time. For information on defining Queues and Thread
Schedules, see Administering Queues .
You can customize many tables in Applications Manager, including the Agent Summary. When customizing tables,
you determine:
• Which columns are listed.
• What each column is named.
• How each column is displayed.
Your Applications Manager administrator can set default values for tables. Therefore, the columns in the Queue
Summary may be different from what is described above. For more information, see Customizing Tables.

Changing Queue Settings

You can control the number of tasks that flow through a Queue in several ways:
• Select a Thread Schedule for the Queue based on the Min Thread and Max Thread values.
Minimum threads ensure that you always have a specified number of 'standby' threads available for priority
'rush' tasks. Maximum threads control the maximum number of tasks that can run concurrently in the Queue.
For more information on Thread Schedules, see Defining Thread Schedules.
• Set a priority for each Queue.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Changing Queue Settings

To change a Queue's settings, select the Queue, right-click, and select Change from the pop-up menu as shown in
the image above. Edit the fields using the information provided below.
• Name
This non-editable field displays the name of the Queue.
• Thread Schedule
The Thread Schedule controls the maximum number of concurrent tasks that can run through the Queue and
the number of threads that are reserved for the Queue at any given time. For more information, see Defining
Thread Schedules.
• Priority
Defines the order in which each Queue is scanned for task execution if the maximum number of threads for an
Agent is reached. Queues are scanned starting with the number 1 and ending with 99.
Execution order of tasks within a Queue is determined by the priorities assigned to their Job definitions.
• Active
Click this checkbox to activate the Queue.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Active Queues apply the thread settings. When you inactivate a Queue, no tasks will be processed through it.
The tasks will remain in the Backlog with a QUEUE WAIT status until the Queue is activated.
You can also activate or inactivate one or more Queues from the Queue Summary by highlighting the Queues,
right-clicking, and selecting the appropriate option. When you change Queue settings from the Queue Summary,
the Queue definition is altered in the database.
Applications Manager User Groups allow you to edit Queues. If you cannot edit them, see your Applications
Manager administrator.

Administering Queues
You control the flow of tasks to servers by using Applications Manager Queues. All tasks pass through an
Applications Manager Queue to get to a server. You control Queue throughput by assigning each Queue to a
Thread Schedule. You can define an unlimited number and type of Queues.
Thread Schedules control the number of concurrent tasks that can run through a Queue. When you define a
Thread Schedule, you specify the number of threads, the minimum threads, and the start and stop times for the
schedule. A Thread Schedule can be divided into sub schedules, letting you change the number of threads for
different times of the day.

For example, you might assign only one thread from midnight to 6:00 A.M., four threads from 6:00 A.M. to 5:00
P.M., and two threads from 5:00 P.M. to midnight. This gives you the ability to fine-tune workloads on your system.
The diagram below shows several different Queues.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Queue 1 has zero threads from midnight to 8:00 A.M., three threads from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., and one thread
from 4:00 P.M. to 23:59:59. Queue 2 has one thread from midnight to 8:00 A.M., and three threads for the rest of
the day.
When Threads Are Set to Zero
If the thread setting for a Queue is zero, any tasks scheduled to run through that Queue will not be launched. The
tasks will be displayed in the Backlog with a status of QUEUE WAIT.
For example, you can set threads to zero to prevent end-user submissions from overwhelming the system during
the working day. To do this, set up a Queue with a schedule that includes zero threads from 7 A.M. to 6 P.M., and
10 threads at all other times. End-users would be able to submit tasks into the Queue during the normal business
day, but the tasks would simply be held until 6 P.M. when the Queue opens up. This way, all tasks submitted during
one day could be run overnight and made available the following day.
Selecting Minimum Threads with Thread Schedules
You can assign a minimum thread value to a Thread Schedule. Any Queue assigned to a Thread Schedule will be
able to have at least that number of threads available in a 'standby' mode.
For example, QUEUE_A (shown below) is guaranteed to have two available threads regardless of any tasks
requested or scheduled in other Queues. If the total threads for the Agent is set to 10, that would mean a maximum
of 8 tasks could run at any time through all the other Queues.

Queue Priority Max threads Min threads Cumulative Running

QUEUE_A 1 6 2 2

QUEUE_B 1 7 1 3

QUEUE_C 2 8 3 6

QUEUE_D 2 8 1 7

QUEUE_E 3 10 0 7 3

QUEUE_F 3 10 0 7
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Queues are grouped and run by priority. For example, in the table above you have two Queues in each of the
three priority levels (1, 2, 3). If the Agent Thread limit is set to 10, and the minimum thread limit is set to 2 for
Queue_A and 1 for Queue_B, that leaves only seven threads available to Queues with other priorities. Based on
the Queues used in the example table above, if Queue_F were the only Queue running tasks, only three tasks
would be allowed to run because seven min threads with a higher priority level are already reserved.

Defining Queues
You control the flow of tasks to servers by using Applications Manager Queues. All tasks pass through an
Applications Manager Queue to get to a server. You control Queue throughput by assigning each Queue to a
Thread Schedule.

Applications Manager User Groups control access to Queues. If you do not have access to them, see your
Applications Manager administrator.
Procedure
To add a Queue:
1. From the Queues Selector window, click New.
Applications Manager opens the Queues window shown above.
2. Complete the fields using the information in the following table.
• Name
The name may be up to 30 characters long.
• Thread Schedule
The Thread Schedule controls the maximum number of concurrent tasks that can run through the Queue and
the number of threads that are reserved for the Queue at any given time. For more information, see Defining
Thread Schedules.
• Priority
Defines the order in which each Queue is scanned for task execution if the maximum number of threads for
an Agent is reached. Queues are scanned starting with the number 1 and ending with 99.
The execution order of tasks waiting to run in a QUEUED status is decided in the following order:
1.1 Queue priority
2.1 Job priority
3.1 Start date and time
Therefore, if two tasks are waiting to run in different Queues, and those Queues have the same priority, the
Jobs' priority is checked. If Queue and Job priorities are the same, their start date and times are compared.
• Active
Click the Active checkbox to activate the Queue.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Active Queues apply the thread settings. When you inactivate a Queue, no tasks will be processed through
it. The tasks will remain in the Backlog with a QUEUE WAIT status until the Queue is activated.
Editing Queues in Explorer
Applications Manager operators with the necessary User Group access can alter Queue definitions from Explorer.
For more information, see Changing Queue Settings.

Defining Thread Schedules

A Thread Schedule is assigned to each Applications Manager Queue. Thread Schedules determine the number of:
• Minimum reserved threads for a Queue.
• Maximum threads that can run concurrently through a Queue.
You can divide a Thread Schedule to cover different time periods during a day. For example, during normal work
hours you may want to limit a Queue to two concurrent tasks, then in the evening reset the Queue to 10 concurrent
tasks. Each Thread Schedule must cover the full 24 hours in a day.

Applications Manager User Groups control access to Thread Schedules. If you do not have access to them, see
your Applications Manager administrator.
Procedure
To define a Thread Schedule:
1. From the Thread Schedules Selector window, click New.
Applications Manager opens the Thread Schedules window shown above.
2. Enter a name and description for the Thread Schedule on the General tab of the Thread Schedules window
shown in the image above.
Note that there is one entry in the table on the General tab.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

3. If you wish to specify times to set specific minimum and maximum threads, click New.
Applications Manager opens the Thread Schedule details window where you can specify the details for each
entry in your schedule.
4. Complete the fields on the Thread Schedule details window using the information in table below and click OK.
• Start Time
The start time for this entry (hh:mm).
• Stop Time
The stop time for this entry (hh:mm).
• Min Thread
The number of the Automation Engine's threads you wish to reserve for a Queue. The values can range
between 0 and the maximum number of threads available on the Automation Engine. If one or more
minimum threads are assigned to a Queue's Thread Schedule, then even higher priority Queues (Queues
with a lower number set in their Priority field) will have this many fewer threads available to them. This is
even true when no tasks are running in the Queue that is reserving the threads.
• Max Thread
The maximum number of tasks that can run concurrently in the Queue. The value can be between 0 and
9999. If you set the value to 0, the Queue will not accept any tasks during the time period specified. Tasks
assigned to this Queue will show a QUEUE WAIT status.
Only tasks in a RUNNING status count toward the Max thread setting.
Applications Manager adds a new entry to the table with the values you specified. You can add as many entries
to the table as needed to set different minimum and maximum values for different times of the day.
Updating and Deleting Thread Schedule Entries
To update or delete a Thread Schedule entry, select the entry in the table and select Edit or Delete.
Selecting Thread Schedules for Agents
You can select a Thread Schedule for an Agent to specify the maximum number of concurrent tasks that can run on
that Agent at one time in all Queues.

Removing External Predecessors by Queue

If you want to remove a Job or Process Flow header's external predecessors on insert to the Backlog, you can
assign it to the REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue. The predecessors will not be shown in the task
details or evaluated. If components in a Process Flow that is assigned to the REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT
Queue have internal or external predecessors, they are evaluated normally.
It does not matter how the REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue gets assigned to the Job or Process Flow.
It can be:
• The default Queue of the Job or Process Flow definition.
• Assigned in a schedule.
• Selected for an ad hoc request on the Submit window.
If a task is inserted into the Backlog in the REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue, and you reassign it to
another Queue, the external predecessors are still removed. You cannot change a task's Queue from any other
Queue to the REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue.
Creating the REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT Queue
The REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT does not ship with Applications Manager. If you wish to use it you can
create it by hand or run an Applications Manager import and select REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT. The
REMOVE_EXT_PREDS_ON_INSERT.exp file ships in the import directory.

Forecasting Jobs and Process Flows

With the Forecast, Graphical Forecast, and Production Schedule features, you can view Process Flows and their
components in the Backlog and History and view a list of scheduled Jobs and Process Flows.
Viewing Forecasts and Graphical Forecasts
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Using the Forecast feature, you can view a list of scheduled Jobs and Process Flows. An example forecast is
shown below.

You can view a graphical forecast of scheduled Jobs and Process Flows. Graphical forecasts are displayed in
the Forecasted Gantt view window shown in the image below. For more information on graphical forecasts, see
Viewing Graphical Forecasts.
The data displayed in forecasts is generated and loaded into Applications Manager by running the FORECAST
Job. When you create a schedule for the FORECAST Job, you determine the time frame of the forecast and how
often it is run. For more information on running the FORECAST Job, see Setting the FORECAST Job Parameters.

Running a Production Schedule

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can get a more detailed look at tasks that are scheduled to run by generating a production schedule. An
example production schedule is shown below.

Skip {Process Flow}Report Name

---- ----------------------------------------------------
Saturday Feb 23 2002 00:00
{SYSTEM}Saturday Feb 23 2002 00:00
{SYSTEM}DELDEFAULT
NDOW {SYSTEM}HISTORY_PURGE

Monday Feb 25 2002 00:00

{SALES_REPORTS}Monday FEB 25 2002 00:30
{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_A
B If CURRENT TIME > 06:00:00 then SKIP TASK
{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_B
B If CHECK FILE NO /reports/region_b.dat
{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_C

Viewing Forecasts
The Forecast window shows you a list of scheduled Jobs and Process Flows.
Procedure
To open the Forecast window shown above, do one of the following:
• Open the Activities menu and select Forecast.
• Select the Forecast icon from the toolbar.
Applications Manager displays a list of forecasted Jobs and Process Flows shown below.

Each scheduled Job/Process Flow includes the start date and time and the Job or Process Flow's name. Process
Flows also include a key icon used to expand or collapse them.
To view the Jobs within a Process Flow, click the Process Flow's key. To expand all keys for a Process Flow and its
children, select the Process Flow, go to the View menu and select Expand Process Flows. To expand the keys in
all Process Flows, choose Expand All. To print or preview a forecast, use the print buttons.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Viewing Predecessors in a Forecast

Process Flow components are listed based on the execution order of each tasks' predecessors. If you want to
view their Process Flow's structure, right-click a component and select Graphical Predecessors from the pop-up
window. Applications Manager displays a flow diagram for the predecessors as shown below.

You can also select Predecessor Statement to only view the predecessor statement(s) for a Job, Process Flow, or
Process Flow component as shown below.

Running the FORECAST Job

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Data displayed in forecasts is generated and loaded into Applications Manager by running the FORECAST Job.
When you create a schedule for the FORECAST Job, you determine the time frame of the forecast and how often it
is run. For more information on running the FORECAST Job, see Setting the FORECAST Job Parameters.

Viewing Graphical Forecasts

The Forecasted Gantt view window shows you a list of scheduled Jobs and Process Flows in a Gantt chart
format.

Procedure
To open the Forecasted Gantt view window shown above.
1. Do one of the following:
• Open the Activities menu and select Graphical Forecast.
• Select the Graphical Forecast icon from the toolbar.
Applications Manager displays the Forecast filter window shown below.

2. If you wish to filter the tasks displayed in the Forecasted Gantt view window, edit the options described below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Field Limits the display of data from the FORECAST Job

to:

Start date Tasks scheduled after this start date.

End date Tasks scheduled before this start date.

Sub levels Process Flow components within a maximum nested

depth.

Include minute and hour Not include tasks that are scheduled by minutes or
hours (when unchecked).

Data displayed in the Forecasted Gantt view window is generated and loaded into Applications Manager by
running the FORECAST Job. When you create a schedule for the FORECAST Job, you determine the time
frame of the forecast and how often it is run. For more information on running the FORECAST Job, see Setting
the FORECAST Job Parameters.
By entering information into the fields on the Forecast filter window, you are filtering beginning with the next
scheduled task and ending with the last scheduled task loaded by running the FORECAST Job. You cannot
enter a date/time beyond the setting from the last run of the FORECAST Job.
The Forecasted Gantt view window will not include any tasks that are currently in the Backlog, even if the
tasks are staged. For more information on staging tasks, see chapter Staging Tasks in the Backlog.
3. Click OK.
Applications Manager displays a small animated window as the tasks are loaded for the Forecasted Gantt view
window.
Applications Manager displays the graphical forecast in the Forecasted Gantt view window. For information on
reading Gantt windows, see Reading the Gantt View Window.
4. If you wish, you can right-click a task and select Graphical Predecessors to view its predecessor links in a flow
diagram.
Gantt Legend
The legend describes the graphics used in the Gantt view windows. To display the legend, click the Legend button
in the menu bar. The Legend includes some symbols not used on the Forecasted Gantt view window. To close the
Gantt Legend window, click the X in the title bar.

Setting the FORECAST Job Parameters

The data displayed in a forecast is generated and loaded into Applications Manager by running the FORECAST
Job. When you create a schedule for the FORECAST Job, you determine the time frame of the forecast and how
often it is run.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Depending on your organization's needs, you can schedule this Job to run every day, or several times each day.
Additionally, if you want to set the forecast on an ad hoc basis, you can submit the Job as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The FORECAST Job includes the following prompts.

• Start Date Time
The start date and time for the forecast. The default value for the prompt is a series of numbers created using
the #aw_now Substitution Variables. They represent the current date and time. In the image above, the default
value is 20090211105811. This translates to:
• Year: 2009
• Month: February (02)
• Day of month: 11th
• Time: 10:58:11 A.M.
• End Date Time (default is 1 day past start date)
The end date and time for the forecast. If no value is entered for this prompt, the default value is 24 hours past
the start date. You can enter a different date using the same format as the Start Date Time prompt.
Hint: Cut and paste the number from the Start Date Time field and modify.
• Max Depth
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The levels of sub Process Flows you wish to show in the forecast.
• Minimum Schedule Units
Select whether you want to limit the forecast to list tasks by day, hour, or minute.

Generating Production Schedules

If you want to see a report of all Jobs and Process Flows that are scheduled to run between specified dates, you
can run the PRODSCH Process Flow. The Process Flow runs two Jobs: SCHCREATE and SCHPRINT. The output
for the SCHPRINT Job reports the tasks by date and time. It includes the following information:
• The date and time each Job and Process Flow is scheduled to run
• The name of each component in each Process Flow
• The conditions associated with each component
The report can show only the tasks that will run, or all tasks that will run and all tasks that are eligible to run but will
not run due to conditions defined for the Job or Process Flow. The sample production schedule report shown in
this topic displays two Process Flows: SYSTEM and SALES_REPORTS. The Skip column in the analyst's report
displays an abbreviation indicating why the Job will not be run. Notice that NDOW displays for HISTORY_PURGE.
Process Flow names are in {braces}. Job names follow the Process Flow names. The SALES_REPORTS Process
Flow runs three Jobs: REGION_A, REGION_B, and REGION_C. The first two Jobs each have a BEFORE
condition.
Generating a Production Schedule
To generate a production schedule report:
1. Request and submit the PRODSCH Process Flow and enter the start and end dates.
2. Choose Yes or No for the analyst's status values.
Choose Y to show all tasks including those that will not run due to the days of the week settings and conditions.
This is useful for analysts that are reviewing schedules to make sure they will do what was intended. Choose N
to display only those tasks that will run. This report is most useful for operators who are monitoring the system.
3. Enter the minimum schedule number.

To display Use this value

Tasks scheduled to run daily -3

Tasks scheduled to run hourly -4

Tasks scheduled to run on minute intervals -5

If selecting an interval other than -3, you should review your start and end dates because the shorter interval
settings will produce larger reports.
4. Submit the Job and view the output for the SCHPRINT Job.
Sample Production Schedule

Skip {Process Flow}Report Name

---- ----------------------------------------------------
Saturday Feb 23 2009 00:00
{SYSTEM}Saturday Feb 23 2009 00:00
{SYSTEM}DELDEFAULT
NDOW {SYSTEM}HISTORY_PURGE
Monday Feb 25 2009 00:00
{SALES_REPORTS}Monday FEB 25 2009 00:30
{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_A
B If CURRENT TIME > 06:00:00 then SKIP TASK
{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_B
B If CHECK FILE NO /reports/region_b.dat
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

{SALES_REPORTS}REGION_C

Production Schedule Output Abbreviations

The five abbreviations used in the Skip column of the production schedule are described below.

Abbreviation Definition

NACT Not active

NDOW Not run, day of week

SONNHD Skip, not in Calendar (being run using a Calendar and it

is not in the Calendar)

RONHD Run, in Calendar (being run using a Calendar and it is

in the Calendar)

SONHD Skip, in Calendar (skip using a skip Calendar)

Monitoring and Managing Tasks with the Gantt View

The Backlog Gantt view window displays the contents of the Backlog in a Gantt chart format. It is real-time and
updated based on the Explorer Refresh Seconds setting. All actions that can be taken against tasks in the Backlog
can be taken against tasks in the Gantt view.

The Backlog Gantt view window displays an expandable task tree on the left, and the Gantt chart on the right. You
can change the size of the two panes by dragging the vertical splitter bar that divides the panes.
Each task (Job or Process Flow) is displayed on its own row. Rectangles represent the expected run times of the
tasks: black for Process Flows and blue for Jobs. Arrows drawn between the rectangles indicate predecessor links.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Displaying the Gantt View

To open the Backlog Gantt view window shown above, do one of the following:
• Open the Activities menu and select Backlog Gantt view.
• Select the Backlog Gantt view icon from the toolbar.
Applications Manager displays a small animated window as the tasks are loaded for the Backlog Gantt view
window.
Finding Tasks in the Gantt View
You can find a task in the Backlog Gantt view window by going to the Actions menu and selecting Find. Regular
expression searches help you find Jobs and Process Flows by name. For more information, see Finding Tasks in
the Gantt View Window.
Gantt Legend
The legend describes the graphics used in the Gantt view. To display the legend, go to the Actions menu and click
the Legend.
Taking Actions on Tasks and Viewing/Editing Task Details
You can right-click tasks in the Backlog Gantt view window to take actions on them or to view or edit their task
details the same way you would in the Explorer window. For more information on taking actions on tasks, see
Taking Actions on Tasks in the Backlog. For more information on viewing and editing task details, see Viewing and
Editing Task Details.
Displaying Gantt Task Summaries
When you are working in the Backlog Gantt view window, a pop-up menu is displayed when you hover over a task
as shown below. You can customize the information displayed in this menu by selecting Tables from the Options
menu and picking the Gantt task summary option. For more information, see Customizing Tables.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Reading the Gantt View Window

The Gantt view provides a good deal of information about the tasks running in the Backlog. The Gantt view window
displays tasks in chronological order with time displayed horizontally.

Process Flows
Process Flows are represented by a rectangle with a black border. The rectangle extends from the scheduled start
time to the scheduled completion time based on the average run time for the Process Flow. The average run time is
based on the sum of the average run times of all tasks in the Process Flow.
When a Process Flow is initiated, a green bar is displayed in the rectangle. The green bar indicates the current
run time for the Process Flow. The green bar is displayed until the Process Flow completes or is killed. When a
Process Flow completes, the run time bar turns black.
If a task in a Process Flow aborts, a red X is placed over the Process Flow name in the task tree. Note a Process
Flow never aborts, only the components in a Process Flow.
From an operations standpoint, you can display only the unexpanded Process Flows in the Gantt chart and easily
monitor the system. If a problem arises with a Process Flow, or you want to see more details about individual
components in a Process Flow, you can expand the Process Flow.
Jobs
Jobs are represented by a rectangle with a blue border. The rectangle extends from the scheduled start time to the
completion time based on the average run time for the Job.
Actual run times for Process Flows and Jobs are represented by solid bars running through the center of the
rectangles. The color of the bar indicates the status of the task.

Bar Color Description

No color bar Task is waiting to run.

Green Task is running.

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Bar Color Description

Yellow Task is on hold.

Red Task has aborted.

Black Task has completed successfully.

Adjusted Start and End Times

Adjusted start and end times for Process Flows and Jobs are represented by the Start and End symbols. Before
the time a task is scheduled to run, these symbols will align with the start and end times of a Process Flow or Job.
If a Process Flow or Job starts earlier or later than scheduled, these symbols move to reflect the difference in times.
For a complete discussion of the adjusted start and end times, see Interpreting Adjusted Start and End Times.
Displaying Predecessor Links
You can display predecessor links for a task in the Gantt view by hovering the mouse pointer over the task's bar in
the Gantt chart as shown below.

Interpreting Adjusted Start and End Times

Adjusted start and end times show you calculated start and end times based on the current information available to
Applications Manager.
The Gantt view represents planned start and end times with rectangles: black for Process Flows, blue for Jobs. If
a Process Flow or Job is running ahead or behind schedule, the adjusted start and end times are indicated by the
symbols shown below:
• Adjusted start time:
• Adjusted end time:
Process Flow Examples
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To help you interpret the start and end time symbols as they relate to Process Flows, several examples are given
below.

When a Process Flow is: The bar looks like this:

Waiting to run and is still on schedule

Waiting to run and is expected to start ahead of

schedule

Waiting to run, but is behind schedule

Running on schedule

Running ahead of schedule

Running behind schedule

Job Examples
To help you interpret the start and end time symbols as they relate to Jobs, several examples are given below.

When a Job is: The bar looks like this:

Waiting to run and is still on schedule

Waiting to run and is expected to start ahead of

schedule

Waiting to run, but is behind schedule

Running on schedule

Running ahead of schedule

Running behind schedule

Finding Tasks in the Gantt View Window

The Find feature of the Backlog Gantt view window allows you to easily find any task in the Backlog. Regular
expression searches help you find Jobs and Process Flows by name.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Procedure
To find a task in the Backlog Gantt view window:
1. Go to the Actions menu and select Find.
Applications Manager opens the Find component window shown above. The Find component window lists
all Jobs and Process Flows alphabetically. Process Flow components including sub Process Flows are listed
starting with their initial parent Process Flow.
You can enter a valid UNIX regular expression in the Search field to have Applications Manager filter the list of
tasks. In the image above, .*DAT is entered in the Search field to limit the list of tasks to ones with the letters
'DAT' in their name.
2. Select a task from the Find component window.
Applications Manager highlights the task in the Backlog Gantt view window.

Setting the Gantt View Preferences

You can customize the Gantt chart by selecting the options under the Preferences menu.
Keep History
When selected, this option will keep completed Process Flows in the Gantt view. Normally, completed Process
Flows are not displayed in the view. The Process Flows will remain in the Gantt view until you close the Gantt view
window.
Show Horizontal Lines
When selected, this option displays horizontal lines across the Gantt view.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Show All Predecessors

When selected, predecessor links are shown at all times.
Show Only Selected Predecessors
When selected, you must select a task from the tree to show its predecessor links.
Show Predecessors When Dragged Over
When selected, you must drag the mouse over a task's bar in the Gantt view to display its predecessor links.

Printing from the Gantt View

Using the commands under the Print menu on the Gantt view window, you can set page options, preview the
printed chart, and print the chart.
Page Setup
The Page Setup command will display a dialog similar to the one shown below. Use this dialog to set the paper
size, orientation, and margins.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Print Preview
The Print Preview command displays the dialog shown below. You can print directly from this dialog if you wish.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Print Gantt
The Print Gantt command displays the standard Windows print window shown below where you can set various
output options.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Automation Engine/Agent Status Values

The possible Agent status values are listed, along with a description of the status and a suggested course of action.

Status Description/Action

BUSY Description: The Automation Engine died abnormally.

The Automation Engine and/or Agent(s) may go
into BUSY status from time to time when there is
high Applications Manager activity or the system is
experiencing high loads. An Agent might also go into a
BUSY status if the file system is full.
Action: If the Automation Engine/Agent(s) stay in
BUSY statuses for extended periods when the system
load is low and the Applications Manager activity is low,
the logs of each should probably be reviewed for any
exceptions. Also, check to see if the RMI server process
is running. If the RMI server is not running, look at the
Automation Engine log file before restarting.

CHECK LOG Description: The Automation Engine or an Agent has

an error.
Action: Check the Automation Engine or Agent's log file
for detailed information.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

CPU WAIT Description: The Automation Engine or Agent does

not have enough CPU capacity available to process
additional tasks. The CPU capacity is set for the
Automation Engine and each Agent with the CPU Limit
setting.
Action: Task will be processed as soon as there is
available CPU capacity.

Unavailable Description: An Agent encountered an error while

running.
Action: Look at the Agent log files in log directory.
Check the files for errors and verify that all parameters
are set correctly for the Agent.

IDLED Description: The Agent is running but not processing.

Action: To allow processing to continue, right-click the
Agent and select the Resume option.

INACTIVE Description: The Agent is inactivated; all tasks will go

to History with an INACTIVE task status.
Action: To set tasks to run normally again, check
the Active field in the Automation Engine or Agent
definition.

MGRSTOPPED Description: The Agent processes of a Java Agent

have been stopped by the AgentService process.
Action: You can restart the Java Agent from Explorer,
or from the command line by issuing the startso
<Agent name> command.

No_Service Description: The AgentService process is down and

the Agent has been stopped.
Action: Restart the Agent from the command line.

Running Description: The Automation Engine or Agent is

presently executing on the system.
Action: No action is required.

START_ERROR Description: The process necessary to run tasks could

not be launched.
Action:Check that there are adequate system
processes and disk space where Applications Manager
is installed. Also, check for adequate disk space in the
/temp directory. Check ulimit to ensure that the User
account does not have a process limit assigned to it
(UNIX only).

START_FAILED Description: The Agent did not get a response

indicating that a task was launched successfully (no
Process ID was returned).
Action: Possible error with pm file. Check that there
are adequate system processes and disk space where
Applications Manager is installed. Also, check for
adequate disk space in the /temp directory (UNIX only).
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

STARTING Description:The Automation Engine or Agent is

starting on the system. This is an interim status that will
change to RUNNING.
Action: No action is required.

Stopped Description:The Automation Engine or Agent is

stopped. This does not mean that RmiServer,
AgentService or any other process is stopped, only
that the thread for the Automation Engine or Agent is
stopped.
Action: You can restart the Automation Engine or
Agent from Explorer, or from the command line, by
issuing startso <Agent name> for an Agent or startso
<Automation Engine> for the Automation Engine.

Srvc_Down Description: The AgentService process went down

while the Agent was running.
Action: Stop and restart the AgentService process
with a startso agentservice command from the
command line.

TROUBLE Description: Set by the Automation Engine when

it decides that the Agent is not doing its task (for
example, the Automation Engine sent it a task to start
5 minutes ago, but the Agent never started it). The
so_back_process.so_last_activity has not been
updated for the amount set in the Sleep time field + 60
seconds.
Action:
Check the following:
• Make sure the RMI server is running.
• Automation engine: Locked row in database. May
need to run listpids.sql to find any hung Oracle
processes and stop them.
• Agent: Verify that there is adequate disk space.
• Look at the Automation Engine and Agent log files
in log directory. Check the files for errors and verify
that all parameters are set correctly for the Agent.
• Look into system CPU and memory usage for other
processes that might be impacting Applications
Manager operation.

Unavailable Description: An Agent encountered an error when

starting up.
Action: Look at the Agent log files in log directory.
Check the files for errors and verify that all parameters
are set correctly for the Agent.

Task Status Values

The possible task status values are listed, along with a description of the status and a suggested course of action.
Statuses that are unique to a particular extension are described in that extension's documentation. Be aware, too,
that statuses may be renamed by some condition actions and run time scripts.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

ABOR-DB ERROR Description: The task aborted, then in a condition, an

error occurred causing a DB ERROR status change.
Since the task already completed, the status was set to
the first few letters of that completion status (i.e. ABOR)
plus a hyphen and DB ERROR.
Action: See DB ERROR status.

ABORTD Description: The task has terminated in an

unsuccessful manner on the Agent. This is an
interim status that will change almost immediately to
ABORTED.
Action: Wait for the status to change to ABORTED.

ABORTED Description:Applications Manager has processed the

task and it terminated unsuccessfully.
Action: To see why the task aborted, check the system
output file and view/edit the task details in the Backlog.

AGENT WAIT Description: The task is assigned to an Agent that

does not have enough threads or CPU available to
process the task.
Action: The task will be processed as soon as there
are available threads/CPU capacity. If this status occurs
often, you may want to change the Thread Schedule
assigned to the Agent.

BAD BATCH Description: There is no defined application

information for BATCH registered in Applications
Manager.
Action: Define a BATCH Application.

BAD CONDITN Description:A SQL statement or check file BEFORE or

AFTER condition has returned an error in the task.
Action: Edit the conditions and/or their SQL statements
for the task in the Backlog and in the Job/Process Flow
definition. Make sure you have sufficient tablespace
where applicable.

BAD CONNECT Description: The Host Login and password

combination that is specified for the task is in error.
Action: Check the Login and password assigned to the
Job or Process Flow component.

BAD DATE PRM Description:The date format required by the argument

type is incompatible with the prompt.
Action: Check the dates entered for a prompt if one
exists, or check the dates passed to a prompt or
condition by a Substitution Variables.

BAD LIBR Description:The Library associated with this Job

includes a path that cannot be found.
Action: Edit the Library's path.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

BAD LOGIN Description:The Login specified for the task is invalid.

Action: There may be a database problem. Check
with your DBA to make sure the correct Database ID is
specified in the Job definition.

BAD MJN Description:The task's Job sequence number is

incorrect and does not match the currently registered
Job known to Applications Manager.
Action: Have your DBA check the Applications
Manager database to see if there is a bad entry in the
so_job_table table.

BAD MODULE Description: A bad Job name was entered for a

REQUEST JOB action in a condition.
Action: Edit the condition that generated the entry in
the Backlog.

BAD QUEUE Description: A condition with the CHANGE QUEUE

action has been met. The designated alternate Queue,
however, does not exist in Applications Manager.
Action: Edit the condition that generated the entry in
the Backlog.

BAD SQL STMT Description: A SQL statement associated with a

dynamic Substitution Variables used by this task is
incorrect.
Action: Dynamic Substitution Variables can be used
in prompts and conditions. Check what Substitution
Variables are used in the prompts and conditions for
this Job or Process Flow.

BAD TYPE Description: The data type specified for the task is
incorrect.
Action: Check the data type definition assigned to the
prompt.

BAD_AGENT Description: The Agent assigned to the Job does

not exist. This status will only occur if the Agent was
defined through a direct entry into the Applications
Manager database.
Action: Select an Agent for the Job.

CANCELLED Description: A condition on this task, or on a previous

component in the Process Flow, has cancelled the
remaining Process Flow components.
Action:Check the conditions specified in the
components of this Process Flow.

CONDITN WAIT Description: The task is waiting for a condition to be

met before executing.
Action: No action is required. You can check the
conditions for this task in the Backlog.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

DATE PENDING Description: This task is not yet ready to run. Tasks are
not ready to run if:
• They have been staged by running either the
STAGING or STAGING_BY_SCHEDULE Jobs and
selecting prompts.
• Someone post-dated the start date/time for a Job or
Process Flow when requesting it.
• A condition with a DELAY TASK action prohibits the
task from running.
Action: No action is required. The task will run when its
reaches its start date and time, or when its conditions
allow it to. You can edit the task details of the Job or
Process Flow in the Backlog.

DB ERROR Description: An internal database error has occurred

while processing this task. Possible causes include:
• Subvars in prompts or conditions that use SQL have
returned an error when run from the command line,
such as SQL with a bad database link.
• The inability of the Applications Manager processes
were unable to connect to the Automation Engine's
database (network problems).
• A database or database server crashed.
Action: Try resetting the task—if that works, then
the error was resolved prior to the reset. Useful
troubleshooting information can be found in the
following locations:
• The system output file (viewable from the Output
Files tab of the Task Details window).
• The comments (viewable from the Comments tab of
the Task Details window).
• The AgentService and RmiServer process logs in
the log directory.

DEAD Description: The process associated with this task

can no longer be found on the host system. This is an
interim status that will change almost immediately to
DIED.
Action: Wait for the status to change to DIED.

DELETED Description: The task has been deleted from the

Backlog.
Action: Find out why the operator deleted the task and
resubmit the task if necessary.

DIED Description: The process associated with this task can

no longer be found on the host system. This happens
if a process takes more than five minutes to begin
execution after initiation. Usually there is a problem with
the Agent that prevents the task from executing.
If the task's status is still RUNNING at the time that the
process disappears from the host system, the task may
have been killed from the operating system.
Action: Check to see if the Agent is running. Check to
see if the task was killed from the operating system.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

ERRORS Description: If you see this status in the Backlog,

Applications Manager detected an error in a condition.
You may also see listings for the RMI server or your
Agents in History with an ERRORS status. These are
informational only. For more information, see the status
of your Automation Engine and Agents.
Action: To see why the task with a bad condition went
into this status, check the system output file and view/
edit the task details in the Backlog.

FILE ERROR Description: The tmp file could not be created.

Action: Check that the disk is not full or for improper file
and directory permissions.

FIN-DB ERROR Description: The task finished, then in a condition, an

error occurred causing a DB ERROR status change.
Since the task already completed, the status was set to
the first few letters of that completion status (i.e. FIN)
plus a hyphen and DB ERROR.
Action: See DB ERROR status.

FINISHED Description: The task has successfully completed its

operation.
Action: No action required.

HOLD Description: The task has had its execution delayed

indefinitely because:
• The task has a condition with a HOLD TASK action.
• The Hold Task box was checked for a Job/Process
Flow that was requested on an ad hoc basis.
• The task in the Backlog has been put on hold.
Action: The task will remain on hold until the status is
changed by an action associated with another condition
or by a User.

HOLD PRED WT Description: The task is on hold and is waiting for one
or more predecessor requirements to be met.
Action: The task will not be eligible to run until both of
the following occur:
• The hold status is changed by an action associated
with another condition or by a User.
• The predecessor requirements for the task are met.

HOST FAILURE Description:An error occurred when the host attempted

to execute the command required to perform the task.
This usually indicates a lack of process slots on the
system or an inadequate sub process limit for the
Applications Manager account.
Action: Check with your Applications Manager
administrator.

INACTIVE Description: This task was skipped because the

Active option in its Job, Process Flow, or Agent
definition is unchecked.
Action: No action required.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

INITIATED Description: One or more of the components in

this Process Flow have been initiated and all the
components in the Process Flow have not yet finished.
Action: No action required.

KILL Description:A request to terminate the task while it was

executing on the host was issued by a User or by an
action associated with a condition. This is an interim
status that changes almost immediately to KILLED.
Action: See the explanation for the KILLED status.

KILL1 Description: Used by the OAE extension when the

Automation Engine is evaluating a task that is being
killed. When the Agent successfully kills the task, it
sets the task's status to KILL. The Automation Engine
evaluates any post-processing conditions and sets its
status to KILLED.
Action: See the explanation for the KILLED status. If
you wish, you can resubmit the task.

KILLED Description:Applications Manager has processed the

task after a request for termination has been made for
it. The task has therefore been removed from the host
system.
Action: If the task is still in the Backlog, you can reset
it.

KILLING Description: Used by the OAE extension when the

Automation Engine has sent the command to the Agent.
When the Agent successfully kills the task, it sets
the status to KILL. The Automation Engine evaluates
any post-processing conditions and sets the status to
KILLED.
Action: See the explanation for the KILLED status. If
you wish, you can resubmit the task.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

LAUNCH ERR Description: The Automation Engine had an error

launching the task. Possible causes include:
LAUNCH ERROR
• Oracle errors when launching the task
• Machine disk space issues
• Machine performance issues, or network issues
(such as a hung port, network slowness, or firewall
changes)
With regard to network issues, LAUNCH ERR can
mean that the task start command didn't reach the
Agent (Automation Engine-->|Agent), or it can mean
that the Agent didn't respond back (Automation Engine|
<--Agent).
Action: Before calling Broadcom support, check the
following for errors:
• Task's comments (in the Backlog or History, right-
click the task and go to Comments)
• Unregistered task log files on the machine. Check
in the out directory on the machine where the task
was supposed to run. It may have started running,
but couldn't register the output.
• The RmiServer.<time stamp>.log file in the
Automation Engine's log directory. This file may
include errors starting with AwE.
• The latest AgentService log files for the local or
Remote Agent. These may include errors starting
with ERR.
If you find errors, search for them in the Knowledge
Base on the Broadcom Support Web site or call
Support. Before contacting Support, have the log files
listed above ready to send.

LAUNCHED Description: The task has been launched, but its status
has not yet been determined.
Action: No action required.

MAX RESTARTS Description: The task has been restarted 99 times.

This is the maximum number of times a task can be
restarted.
Action: To run the task, delete and resubmit.

MGRSTOPPED Description: This status is displayed only in History. It

is associated with the Agents. It indicates the date and
time the AgentService process stopped.
Action: No action required. This is only a historical
record.

Min Run Time Description: The task finished more quickly than the
time specified in the Min run time field of the Job's
definition. Applications Manager developers specify a
min run time when they expect a Job to run for at least
the time they specify.
Action: Investigate why the task finished so quickly.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

NO PRIORITY Description: This task has been scheduled with a

priority of zero. Since no priority has been assigned to
the task, it cannot be executed until a priority is set.
Action: Change the priority for the task in the Backlog
and/or edit the Job/Process Flow definition.

PRED WAIT Description: The task is waiting for a predecessor

requirement to be met before executing.
Action: No action required. Predecessors can be edited
for the running of a task in the Backlog if the task is in a
non-running status.

PW-DELETE Description: The component in a Process Flow

was waiting for a predecessor requirement to be
met before executing and it has been deleted. The
component remains in the Backlog as a placeholder for
predecessor inheritance.
Action: No action required.

PW-SKIP Description: The task was waiting for a predecessor

requirement to be met before executing and it has been
skipped.
Action: No action required.

QUEUE WAIT Description: The Job is assigned to a Queue that does

not have enough threads available to process the task.
Action: The task will be processed as soon as there is
an available thread. If this task should be running, make
sure that:
• The Queue has not been inactivated.
• The Thread Schedule assigned to the Queue has
an adequate number of threads in its Max run
time setting to allow the appropriate number of
concurrently running tasks.
Queue definitions can be altered from the Explorer
window or from the Queues window.
You can change the Queue for the particular running of
a task in the Backlog on the Task Details window.

QUEUED Description: The task has been sent to an Applications

Manager Queue, but has not been processed by the
Automation Engine to determine execution eligibility.
The status should quickly be updated.
The execution order of tasks waiting to run in a
QUEUED status is decided in the following order:
1. Queue priority
2. Job priority
3. Start date and time
Therefore, if two tasks are waiting to run in different
Queues, and those Queues have the same priority, the
Jobs' priorities are checked. If Queue and Job priorities
are the same, their start dates and times are compared.
Action: No action required.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

RECURSIVE Description: The components within this Process Flow

are recursive, calling one another in an infinite loop.
This only happens in Process Flows that were created
in a previous Applications Manager version.
Action: Edit the Process Flow to change its
components' predecessor requirements.

RESV THRDS Description: The Job's Queue has reserved threads

but none are available.
Action: The task will be processed as soon as there is
available threads.

SELF WAIT Description: The Single run option is set for the Job
or Process Flow, and there is another instance of the
task running. The first must complete before the second
instance will be initiated.
Action: No action required. If you want to allow two
instances of the task to run concurrently (even within
a Process Flow), uncheck the Single run option in the
Job/Process Flow definition.

Skip!Active Description: This Process Flow component was

skipped because ioption is unchecked.
Action: No action required.

Skip!DayofWk Description: This Process Flow component was

skipped because the corresponding day of the week
was not assigned to it.
Action: No action required.

Skip!RunCal Description: This Process Flow component was

skipped because a run Calendar assigned to it did not
include this day.
Action: No action required.

SkipCal Description: This Process Flow component was

skipped because a skip Calendar including this day was
assigned to it.
Action: No action required.

SkipCond Description: The task will not be run because an action

associated with a condition has specified that the task
be skipped.
Action: Check the conditions for the Job/Process Flow.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

STAGED Description: This Process Flow component is part of a

Process Flow that has been staged. Tasks are staged
by:
• Running either the STAGING or
STAGING_BY_SCHEDULE Jobs and selecting
prompts.
• Post-dating the start date/time for a Job or Process
Flow when requesting it on an ad hoc basis.
The components will stay in a staged status until their
Process Flow is initiated.
Staged and post-dated Jobs and Process Flows in the
Backlog will be shown in a DATE PENDING status.
Action: No action is required. The task will run when
its reaches its start date and time. You can edit the task
details of the Process Flow or its components in the
Backlog.

STAGED HOLD Description: This Process Flow component is on hold

and has been staged.
Action: The task will not be eligible to run until both of
the following occur:
• The hold status is changed by an action associated
with another condition or by a User.
• The task reaches its start date and time.

STAGED_PW Description: This Process Flow component has been

staged and is waiting for one or more predecessor
requirements to be met.
Action: The task will not be eligible to run until both of
the following occur:
• The task reaches its start date and time.
• The predecessor requirements for the task are met.

STARTED Description: This status is displayed only in History.

It is associated with the RMI server or an Agent. It
indicates the date and time the RMI server or Agent
started.
Action: No action required. This is only a historical
record.

STG SKIP Description: This Process Flow component has been

staged and is being skipped in the Process Flow. This
happens when a day of the week is unchecked or a
skip Calendar is selected in the Schedule box on the
component's General sub-tab. When its Process Flow
runs, this task will move to History with a Skip!Active
status.
Action: No action required.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Status Description/Action

STG_PW HOLD Description: This Process Flow component is on hold

and has been staged and is waiting for one or more
predecessor requirements to be met.
Action: The task will not be eligible to run until all of the
following occur:
• The hold status is changed by an action associated
with another condition or by a User.
• The task reaches its start date and time.
• The predecessor requirements for the task are met.

STOPPED Description: This status is displayed only in History.

It is associated with the RMI server or an Agent. It
indicates the date and time the RMI server or Agent
stopped.
Action: No action required. This is only a historical
record.

TIMEDOUT Description: The Automation Engine has processed

the task after it has exceeded its permitted run-time
allotment.
Action: Determine why the task was taking so long to
run. If appropriate, change the maximum run time for
the Job, or change the task's conditions.

TIME-OUT Description: The task has taken longer than the

maximum run-time period specified in the Job definition
or a maximum run-time period specified in a condition.
This is an interim status that should change quickly to
TIMEDOUT.
Action: See TIMEDOUT for actions.

UNAVAILABLE Description: The required Agent is not running.

Action: Start the Agent.

UNKNOWN Description: The Agent cannot update the Automation

Engine for unusual reasons.
Action: Check the Agent log file for errors.

UNSAT-FINISH Description: Someone has removed this task as a

predecessor to all referenced tasks. The predecessor
links of other tasks need to be satisfied by another
running of this task. For more information, see
Unsatisfying Tasks as External Predecessors in History.
Action: No action required.

WARNING Description: an Applications Manager run-time

extension changed the status of a Job to WARNING.
Usually this status is assigned to a task that has errors
but has gone to completion.
Action: Check the log for the task to see what errors
occurred.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

7 Development Guide
The Development Guide is a comprehensive procedures manual that covers all aspects of
Applications Manager development.
The Development Guide is a comprehensive procedures manual that covers all aspects of Applications Manager
development. It is part of the complete Applications Manager documentation set which includes:
• Getting Started Guide
• Installation Guide
• User Guide
• Development Guide
• Administration Guide
• Oracle Applications Extension Guide
• PeopleSoft Extension Guide
Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used throughout this guide:
• User interface field names, menu items, and window names are written in bold.
• File names and text within scripts are written in bold.
• Variable text is written within <brackets>. In the example below <run ID number> represents the actual run ID
number of a requested Job.
If you submit a large Process Flow, the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: Run ID = <run ID
number>' until all components of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog.

About This Guide

The Development Guide is a comprehensive procedures manual that covers all aspects of Applications Manager
development. It is part of the complete Applications Manager documentation set which includes:
• Getting Started Guide
• Installation Guide
• User Guide
• Development Guide
• Administration Guide
• Oracle Applications Extension Guide
• PeopleSoft Extension Guide
Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used throughout this guide:
• User interface field names, menu items, and window names are written in bold.
• File names and text within scripts are written in bold.
• Variable text is written within <brackets>. In the example below <run ID number> represents the actual run ID
number of a requested Job.
If you submit a large Process Flow, the message will read, 'Task submission in progress: Run ID = <run ID
number>' until all components of the Process Flow have been placed into the Backlog.

Applications Manager Development

When we talk about development in Applications Manager, we are referring to the creation of Jobs to run tasks,
and the addition of Jobs to Process Flows. If you are a developer, you will most likely:
• Create Jobs to run programs and scripts.
• Create Process Flows to run a series of Jobs.
• Add dependencies to Process Flow components to establish the correct execution order in Process Flows.
• Define Job parameters.
• Add IF - THEN logic to Jobs and Process Flows to ensure the correct conditions exist before they execute.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• Automate retrieval of values from databases to eliminate data entry errors.

• Schedule Jobs and Process Flows to automate production.
Objects
As you build Jobs and Process Flows, you will use a number of objects including:
• Applications to categorize Jobs and Process Flows
• Libraries to specify paths to programs
• Program Types to interface with programs and applications
• Database and Host Logins
• Substitution Variables to store values used in Job parameters
• Queues to control load on your systems
• Output Devices to distribute output
There are many other objects that you may use, or that may be used by the Applications Manager administrator or
operators.
Naming Conventions
You should put some thought into naming conventions for your objects because you cannot readily rename objects
in Applications Manager. This is not a problem if an object is not used in very many places because you can copy
the object, give it a new name, then replace the old object with the new object. But if you have used the object in
many places, copying and replacing is not practical.
Replacing Scripts with Jobs and Process Flows
One of the greatest returns on your investment in Applications Manager can be realized by replacing your scripts
with Applications Manager Jobs and Process Flows. Long scripts that have been used to run nightly batch
processing can be broken up, and each program run by the script can be replaced by a Job. Those Jobs can then
be combined to create a Process Flow that duplicates, or improves, the Job flow in the original script. Elements in
the script that handle output should be replaced by Applications Manager Output Devices.
If the scripts require manual intervention by operators, every attempt should be made to use Applications
Manager predecessors, conditions, and Substitution Variables to automate these manual steps. Predecessors
and conditions can ensure that the Jobs in a Process Flow execute in the correct sequence and that the correct
conditions have been met for the tasks to execute successfully. Substitution Variables can be used to automatically
enter values for parameters where the values are retrieved from your corporate database at the time of execution.
These three features (predecessors, conditions, and Substitution Variables) give you the power to automate
operations to a greater extent than is possible with any other distributed scheduler.
Scheduling
Depending on the size of your organization, you may be responsible for scheduling Jobs and Process Flows, or this
responsibility may fall to production analysts. Either way, Applications Manager has an extensive set of features
for scheduling Jobs and Process Flows. You should be able to create schedules that closely match your corporate
data processing procedures.
Viewing Object Reports
Applications Manager comes with a set of predefined Reports that give you information about your Applications
Manager objects. You can also import an extensive set of Applications Manager History Analysis Reports that you
can use to review how tasks were processed through Applications Manager. You can also create your own custom
Reports.

Guidelines for Starting Out in Applications Manager Development

There are a number of different ways to get started with Applications Manager. If you are very organized, you
can begin by defining most of the objects you will use to build Jobs and Process Flows, then build the Jobs and
Process Flows. Or you can begin by building Jobs, and defining the other objects as you need them. How you
proceed is up to you. Both approaches will get you where you want to go. The basic steps you can use to begin
with creating Jobs are outlined below.
Step 1: Create Jobs
In Applications Manager, a Job runs a single program. To create a Job, you specify a Library, Application, Program
Type, program, Queue, Login, and Output Device. At the heart of the Job is the program or script it runs.
What Jobs do you need to create? A good starting point is to create a Job for each program in your existing shell
scripts. If you do not have shell scripts, create a Job for each program you want to run.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You define Jobs once, but can assign them to multiple Process Flows.
Step 2: Define Objects
As you define Jobs, you use a variety of simple and compound objects. A compound object is made up of one
or more simple objects. You can define objects as needed. Examples of simple and compound objects are listed
below.

Simple objects Compound objects

Applications Jobs

Libraries Process Flows

Program Types Queues

Data Types Output Groups

Step 3: Create Process Flows

After creating Jobs, you can combine them to create Process Flows. an Applications Manager Process Flow is
equivalent to a script that runs many Jobs. You can create schedules for a Process Flow as a whole, and also
specify eligibility settings for each component.
Step 4: Define Queues
All tasks submitted to your system from Applications Manager must pass through an Applications Manager Queue.
A Queue is a pipeline that can be used to control the flow of tasks to the server. By defining the appropriate set
of Queues, you can set a limit on the number of tasks that can be processed at any one time for different periods
during the day.
When you define a Queue, you assign the Queue a Thread Schedule. The Thread Schedule sets the number of
concurrent tasks that can be processed by the Queue. The number of tasks can be different for different times of
the day.

Starting Out with Existing Scripts

If you have been using scripts to run your operations, you can begin by taking one of the scripts and replicating
its functionality in Applications Manager. In Applications Manager, a Process Flow is equivalent to a script. Like a
script, a Process Flow runs one or more programs on a schedule. Unlike a script, Applications Manager lets you
pull together the necessary components from the Applications Manager database to create a Process Flow instead
of typing all the information into a long script. The function of a script that may have taken hours to write can now
be emulated in Applications Manager in a few minutes.
Below is a description of the steps you take to turn an existing script into an Applications Manager Process Flow.
Procedure
To take a script and turn it into an Applications Manager Process Flow:
1. Identify all the programs run in the script.
Programs might transfer files, load data, run reports, or run statistics.
2. For each program, create a Job.
With Jobs, you specify where the program is located, the name of the program, and where the output should be
printed.
If a program requires input, define a prompt for each parameter.
You can specify scheduling information for the Job or add it to a Process Flow. In this example, we will add it to
a Process Flow, which in turn will be scheduled.
3. Save each Job definition.
Each Job you have defined can be used in any number of Process Flows.
4. Create a Process Flow, adding the Jobs you created.
The Process Flow links the Jobs together and executes them in the order you specify. A Process Flow
accomplishes the same thing as a script.
5. If appropriate, add predecessor links and conditions under which each Job will execute.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

6. Add scheduling information to the Process Flow by choosing the time and days you want the Process Flow to
run.
If appropriate, add scheduling eligibility to each component in the Process Flow.
7. Save the Process Flow.
After saving the Process Flow, Applications Manager will begin running it on its defined schedule(s).

Naming Convention Guidelines

The initial implementation will require the creation of a comprehensive set of naming convention guidelines for
Applications Manager objects, particularly Jobs, Process Flows, and aliases for Process Flow components.
The best practice recommendation is to build upon the familiarity of an existing naming convention, rather than
create a scheme entirely from scratch. An existing scheme provides welcome familiarity and can be expanded to
allow for new circumstances.
Naming Conventions That Work
The following are suggestions for Applications Manager naming conventions:
• Choose names that reflect the basic function of the object. The Job name FTP is very good.
• Strive for generic names rather than specific names. Using general names with general, utilitarian objects allows
you to use one object in many places, rather than having to build a new object for each different situation. Again,
FTP is a good name for a Job. COMPRESS_EXTENTS might be another.
• Login object names should take advantage of the commenting facility in Applications Manager to clarify
where the Login will connect and to help avoid identically named objects (which aren't allowed in Applications
Manager). For example, a Login object can be named 'fred@db1'. The @ symbol and all text after it are treated
as a comment by Applications Manager. For login purposes, only 'fred' is used as the user name.
• It is often more clear to those monitoring Applications Manager if Job and/or Process Flow names include some
type of ownership designator. For example, a Process Flow named NETBACKUP_OPS might be identified as
an operations group Process Flow.
• If creating Queues for each Application, the Queue can be named the same as the Applications.
Naming Conventions That Don't Work
The following are suggested things to avoid for Applications Manager naming conventions:
• Avoid existing naming conventions if they are clearly unworkable or create many names that are very similar in
appearance. For example, Process Flows called 'MMN200A', 'MNN200A', and 'MNM200A' can be very difficult
to distinguish between.
• Avoid adding any time qualifier to object names. For example, MONTHLY_TRANSFER may work fine for now
but what happens if the transfer frequency changes to daily or monthly? This would require a name change to
the object or defining another object with a new name. Just plain TRANSFER might be better.
• Do not name Jobs 'SCHED-<Process Flow name>', unless they are Process Flow requestor Jobs.
Using Department Designation Prefixes
We generally recommend that you avoid putting the same (obvious) prefix on the front of many object names (for
example, ORA_COPYFILE, ORA_MOVEFILE, and ORA_RMFILE). In a list of many objects, lots of names with the
same first few characters can be very difficult and slow to read.
Remember, these naming conventions are only suggestions. Although we suggest avoiding prefixes, some users
prefer to add Application (and Job/Process Flow designations) to their object names. For example, the name
AP_PF_PAYMENTS designates PAYMENTS as being part of the Accounts Payable Application, and a Process
Flow.
You can get around using these naming designations for Jobs and Process Flows by selecting Applications and
using J/P columns to sort lists on windows where Jobs and Process Flows are selected.

Adding, Editing, and Deleting Applications Manager Objects

You add, edit, and delete objects using the selector windows. The Queues Selector window is shown below.
To open a selector window, do one of the following:
• Select an icon from the toolbar on the desktop.
• Select an item from the Object Admin menu on the desktop.
• Select the icon next to an object's field when defining another object (see the Schedule field in the image
below).
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Adding and Editing Objects

To add, edit, or delete an Applications Manager object:
1. Open the selector window that corresponds to the object you wish to add or edit.

Only the objects assigned to you via User Groups will be displayed in the selector window. In the image above,
the Queues Selector window is open.
The Jobs and Process Flows selector windows include an Application box. Applications specify a group of
Jobs and Process Flows. The Application you select determines which Jobs and Process Flows are listed in the
table. For more information on Applications, see Defining Applications.
Selector windows are not displayed on the taskbar because they do not contain unique information. For more
information on using the Applications Manager desktop, see the User Guide.
2. To update an existing object, select the object and click Edit. To refresh the list of objects on the selector
window, click Refresh.
You can type the first few letters of an object's name in the Search field, and Applications Manager will find it.
The Search field accepts valid UNIX regular expressions. For example, to search for all Jobs starting with the
letters A and T, you would enter [at] in the Search field. For more information on syntax accepted by regular
expressions, see Appendix A: Regular Expression Tables.
3. To define a new object, click New.
Applications Manager opens an object definition window. If you are defining a new object, the fields will be
empty except where defaults come preselected.
Required fields are marked with a '*' symbol to their right.
4. Enter values for the fields on the various tabs of the object.
When you enter or change a field value, Applications Manager displays a blue triangle next to the current tab's
label to signify unsaved changes. A red triangle signifies unsaved changes made to a sub-element of a tab. For
more information, see Updating Unsaved Changes.
If a supporting object is selected in another object's field, and a User does not have access to the supporting
object, that field will be grayed out. For example, assume the MONITOR Thread Schedule is assigned to the
BATCH Queue. A User named Pat has the BATCH Queue in an edit User Group, but she doesn't have the
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

MONITOR Thread Schedule in any User Groups. Pat can edit the BATCH Queue, but she cannot change its
Thread Schedule, because the field is grayed out for her (showing MONITOR as its selection).
5. If you wish, you can select the User Groups tab to assign the object to one or more User Groups. For more
information on assigning objects to User Groups, see the Administration Guide.
If you are assigned to a Maintenance user group, the object will automatically be assigned to your User
Group. You can view a list of objects that you have access to from the View menu by selecting View Assigned
Objects. If you do not have access to the object, see your Applications Manager administrator.
6. Select the appropriate button:
• To save the object's definition and close the window, click OK.
• To add/update the object's definition and keep the window open, click Apply.
• To close the window without updating the object's definition, click Cancel.
Deleting Objects
To delete an object, highlight the object in its selector window and click Delete. If the object you are deleting is
referenced by one or more objects, you must remove the references before it can be deleted. If you try to delete an
object without first removing the references, Applications Manager will display a message saying it is in use. For
information on viewing references for an object, see Viewing Object References.
If Jobs or Process Flows are in the Backlog, you cannot delete their definitions. You will need to wait until they
complete executing.

Copying Applications Manager Objects

There may be times when you want to create several Applications Manager objects that are similar except for a few
minor changes. For example, you may want to create two Jobs that run two different programs, but the information
for the programs is identical except for the program names.

Prerequisites
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

There are several prerequisites to keep in mind when copying Applications Manager objects:
• You must have edit access to the original object. This access is controlled by User Groups. If you created the
original object, you probably have edit access to it.
• You must have User Group access to all the User Groups that are assigned to the object.
• The object you want to copy must be displayed on its object type selector window.
If you are copying an object recently created by another User, it may not be displayed in the selector window. You
may need to refresh the display by clicking the Refresh button.
Copying Objects
To copy an Applications Manager object, select the object in its selector window and choose the Copy button.
For information on using selector windows, see Adding, Editing, and Deleting Applications Manager Objects.
The EXPRESS Queue is selected in the Queues Selector window above. After you choose the Copy button,
Applications Manager opens the new object definition. To save the new object, give it a name (and description, if
required).
Since they are only a name and description, you cannot copy Output Groups.
Copying Jobs and Process Flows
When you copy a Job or Process Flow, the prompts are always copied. You have the option of coping its
conditions, documentation, and schedules.

To copy a Job or Process Flow:

1. From the Jobs or Process Flows selector window, highlight the Job or Process Flow you wish to copy.
2. Click Copy.
Applications Manager displays the Copy Job or Copy Process Flow window shown above.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

3. Enter the name and description for the new Job or Process Flow.
4. Select the appropriate checkboxes to copy conditions, documentation, or schedules.
5. To accept the information and close the window, click OK.
Applications Manager closes the Copy Job or Copy Process Flow window, adds the Job or Process Flow to
the selector window, and opens the new Job or Process Flow's window.

Viewing Object Reports

To view Reports for an object type, open that object's selector window and click Reports.Applications Manager
comes with a set of Reports that provide information about the Applications Manager objects. You can also import
an extensive set of Applications Manager History Analysis Reports that you can use to review how tasks were
processed through Applications Manager. You can also create your own custom Reports. A Report that audits
schedule changes is shown below. Additional Reports may be created by Users if they have the necessary User
Group access. For information on creating Reports, the Administration Guide.

You can view Reports for each of the operations windows and selector windows.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To view Reports for: Do this:

An object type Open that object's selector window and click Reports.

An operations window Open the operations window and choose the Report
type from the Reports menu.

This opens the Reports window and selects the Report type that corresponds to the window you opened it from. In
the image below, the Reports button is selected on the Jobs Selector window, opening the Reports window with
the Jobs type highlighted.
To view Reports for another object type, select that object type from the Type box. If an object is not listed in the
Type box, there are no Reports for it. To view a Report, select it and click the Show button.

Enabling Audit Reports

To run Applications Manager auditing Reports, your Applications Manager Administrator must enable auditing for
the Automation Engine. For more information, see the Administration Guide.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Prompt Values
Some Reports require you to enter prompt values. If the Report you select requires prompt values, you must
respond to them in the Report Parameters window shown below. After entering the prompts, click OK and
Applications Manager will display the Report in its own window.

Changing the Lines per Page

You can specify the number of lines displayed on each page in a new window using the Lines per Page field. The
new setting will go into effect when you click the Redisplay button. Doing so will update the time and date in the
Report header. It will not recompile the SQL.
How Task History Report Data Is Generated
Data used in task history Reports is generated and loaded into Applications Manager by running the
CALC_HISTORY_STATISTICS Job. If a task history Report data does not seem current, it could be because this
Job has not run recently. For more information, see the Administration Guide.

Viewing Object References

Applications Manager is object-oriented: you can create an object once, then use it many times. For example,
you can create a Job and assign it to many Process Flows. If you wish to delete an object, you must remove its
references first. You can view all references for an object by selecting an object in a selector window and clicking
the Usage button as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

To view or edit the definition a referenced object, select the object and click Edit.

Updating Unsaved Changes

When you enter or change a field value, Applications Manager displays a blue triangle next to the current tab's
label to signify unsaved changes. To save the changes and close the window, click OK. To save the changes and
keep the window open, click Apply.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

In the Jobs window shown above, unsaved changes have been made on the General tab.
If you click Cancel, Applications Manager displays the window shown below. From this window you can click Yes to
discard the pending changes for the tabs listed, or No to remain on the tab in the object's definition.

Creating Jobs
A Job is the basic building block in Applications Manager. For each program you want to run (such as FTP,
application, or database load), you must create a Job. A Job specifies all the information required to run a program
including:
• General information: the task that will be run and its program information
• Execution options and output settings
• Prompts: information that is passed to the program as variables
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Jobs can be run individually with a schedule or on an ad hoc basis from the Requests window. They also can
be run as a component of a Applications Manager Process Flow. The Jobs window is shown below with the
PROCESS_FLOW_REPORT Job displayed.

Requesting a Job from its Definition

You can request a Job from it's definition. This opens the Submit window, like the Request window does. This is
beneficial for testing changes you make to the object.
How Jobs Fit into Applications Manager
If you have been using scripts to run your operations, you have launched programs from within a script. In
Applications Manager, you create a Job to launch each program. After creating a Job, you can run the Job by itself,
or add it to a Process Flow. The image below shows the relationship between scripts, Jobs, and Process Flows.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Keeping with the Applications Manager object-oriented approach to operations, you can use a Job in as many
different Process Flows as you wish. If you change a Job definition, the change is applied to every Process Flow
that includes the Job. You do not have to change the definition in each Process Flow. This saves you a great deal
of time maintaining your system.
Related Chapters
This chapter focuses on the basics of creating a Job. For additional information, see the following:
• Working with Predecessors
• Adding Prompts to Jobs and Process Flows
• Working with Substitution Variables and Replacement Values
• Working with Conditions
• Scheduling Jobs and Process Flows

Defining Jobs
To add a Job to Applications Manager, go to the Object Admin menu on the desktop and select Jobs.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager User Groups control access to Jobs. If you do not have access to them, see your
Applications Manager administrator.
Jobs and Process Flows should not be edited while running the STAGING Job or executing exports and imports.
For Rapid Automation Agent documentation including Agent-specific Login object tabs, see the the following.
• The Banner Rapid Automation Agent for Local Clients Documentation
• The Banner Rapid Automation Agent for the Automic Web Interface Documentation
• All other Rapid Automation Documentation
Procedure
To add a Job to Applications Manager:
1. From the desktop, open the Jobs Selector window in one of two ways:
• Select the Jobs icon from the toolbar.
• Go to the Object Admin menu and select Jobs.
For more information, see Adding, Editing, and Deleting Applications Manager Objects.
2. From the Jobs Selector window, click New.
Depending on your configuration, you may need to select a Job type from the Select job type window shown
above. The Job type you select will determine the default selections for certain fields, such as the Program Type
and Login.
Applications Manager opens the Jobs window.
To create OAE or PeopleSoft Jobs, go to the Agents Selector window, select the appropriate Agent and use
the Aux button.
3. Define the Job by assigning values to the fields on the General tab. For more information, see Entering General
Information for Jobs.
4. If you wish, you can edit the information on the other tabs in the Jobs window at this time. For information on
each of the tabs of the Jobs window, see Using the Tabs of the Jobs Window.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

5. Click Apply to add the Job definition to the list of Jobs, or OK to add the new definition to the list of Jobs and
close the Jobs window.
6. Applications Manager displays an error message to alert you to any required fields that have not been filled in.
Editing and Deleting Jobs
To edit or delete a Job, select the Job on the Jobs Selector window and select the appropriate button. For
information on using selector windows, see Adding, Editing, and Deleting Applications Manager Objects.
If a Job is used in one or more Process Flows, you must remove it before you can delete the Job. If a Job is used in
a Process Flow and you try to delete it, Applications Manager will display a message saying the Job is in use.
If a task for a Job is in the Backlog, you cannot delete it. You will need to wait until the task has completed
executing before you can delete its definition.

Using the Tabs of the Jobs Window

The Jobs window includes several tabs as shown below.

Some of the tabs are more commonly used than others. Additionally, the Process Flows window includes several
of the same tabs as the Jobs window. For these reasons, some tabs on the Jobs window are described in this
chapter and others are described in later chapters.
Job Tabs Discussed in this Chapter
The following tabs are discussed in this chapter:
• General: Specifies the name and description of the Job. It also tells Applications Manager where to find the
program or script the Job will run and how to run it. Many of the fields on this tab are required. For details, see
Entering General Information for Jobs.
• Execution Options: Determine what happens when a Job runs. For details, see Entering Execution Options for
Jobs.
• Output: Controls what happens to the output of the Job. For details, see Specifying Output Options for Jobs.
• Documentation: Provides a location to enter relevant information about the processing of a task. By selecting
an individual Job and choosing Documentation, operators can access these comments, suggestions, or
instructions for an individual task. For details, see Adding Job Documentation.
• User Groups: Controls access to the Job. User Groups can be added to a Job from the User Groups tab as
well as from the User Group itself. User Groups are usually defined by your Applications Manager Administrator.
For details, see Assigning User Groups to Jobs.
Job Tabs Discussed in Other Chapters
The following tabs are discussed in later chapters:
• Schedule: Creates schedules to run the Job. Schedules can be based on days of the week, specific days of
the month, and days in a Calendar. You create more than one schedule for a Job. For details, see chapter
Scheduling Jobs and Process Flows.
• Prompts: Pass arguments or parameters to a program or script. For more information, see chapter Adding
Prompts to Jobs and Process Flows.
• Predecessors: Specify external predecessor links for the Job. External predecessor links are dependencies
on other stand-alone Jobs, Process Flows, or Process Flow components. While predecessors are used in all
Process Flows, they are only defined for Jobs in special case scenarios. For details, see chapter Working with
Predecessors.
• Conditions: Conditions control the execution of tasks. They provide IF/THEN logic for your Job. Conditions
can be evaluated before, during, and after a task executes, or after a task is deleted. For details, see chapter
Working with Conditions.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Example: Creating a Job to Run an Existing Script

One of the main goals of Applications Manager is to get you out from under the burden of writing UNIX and
Windows scripts. However, we realize that you may have already invested a great deal of time writing scripts that
work well. You can run your existing scripts from Applications Manager quickly and easily. Then, as time permits,
you can convert the scripts to Applications Manager Jobs and Process Flows.
Pros and Cons of Running Existing Scripts
You can use Applications Manager to run your existing scripts by creating a Job for each script. You do not have to
make any modifications to the scripts. However, you lose many of the benefits of the Applications Manager object-
oriented approach to operations. The pros and cons of running existing scripts are outlined below.
Pros:
• You can get up and running with Applications Manager in a minimum amount of time.
• You can use some of the Applications Manager conditional features at the Process Flow level.
• You can capture standard out and standard error output and view it online.
Cons:
• You cannot restart Process Flows in the middle.
• You cannot use Applications Manager conditions to control the flow of components within a Process Flow.
• You lose the ease of maintenance because you still have to maintain scripts.
• You cannot capture output generated by programs run by the script unless that output is sent to standard out.
Example
Assume you have users who would like to view a listing of all the employees in your company by department. You
have a SQL script named employees.sql that allows you to do this. The SQL script is shown below:

>cat employees.sql
set verify off
set feedback off
set termout off
spool &so_outfile
column ename heading 'Employee|Name'
column dname heading 'Dept|Name'
select emp.ename, dept.dname
from emp, dept
where dept.dname = '&dept_name'
and emp.deptno = dept.deptno;
spool off

When the variable dept_name is passed to the employees.sql script, it returns all the employees in that
department.
Creating the Job
The first step in creating a Job to run the employees.sql script is to define a new Job and fill in the information on
the Job's General tab. A sample Job named EMPLOYEES that runs the employees.sql script is shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The specifics of all the fields on the General tab are discussed in later topics. For now, note that there is a
Program box that tells Applications Manager what to run. The path in the Location field is based on selections
made in each of the fields in this box Note that AWSQLP is selected in the Type field. This designates the Job as a
SQL*Plus Job.
Assigning a Login to the Job
Because SQL tasks need to access a database, a Database Login must be assigned to the Job on the Execution
Options tab as shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Applications Manager Logins give users access to a database or Host Login without requiring that they know the
password.
Adding a Prompt to the Job
To allow users to pass a dept_name variable to the employees.sql script, you need to add a prompt to the Job as
shown below.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

The prompt above uses the Dept_Name data type to pass a value to the dept_name variable. The Dept_Name
data type includes a SQL statement that allows users to select a single entry from a list of departments.
Good to Go
With the required fields completed on the General, Login, and Execution Options tabs, the Job is ready to run
from the Requests window. It can also be added to a Process Flow object.

Entering General Information for Jobs

For a Job to execute a program, you must provide information about the program on the General tab of the Jobs
window shown below. This information tells Applications Manager where to find the program the Job will run and
how to run it. Fields marked with an '*' to the right are required.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

You can define certain objects by clicking the icon to the right of their field. Applications Manager will display the
selector window where you can define the new object. For example, you can click the Application icon to display
the Application selector window.
Entering Job Header Information
All values in the Job header are required. They are described below:
• Name
The name may be up to 30 characters long. Job names can include letters, numbers, periods, colons,
underscores, and hyphens. The first letter of a Job name must be a letter or number.
Do not name Jobs 'SCHED-<Process Flow name>', unless they are Process Flow requestor Jobs.
• Description
The description may be up to 100 characters long.
• Application
Applications are the general category to which Jobs and Process Flows belong (for example: inventory,
accounts payable). They are used on the Requests window to limit the list of Jobs and Process Flows. For
more information on defining Applications, see Defining Applications.
• Agent/Group
The Agent where the program will execute. This field allows you to select Agents and Agent Groups. To run the
Job on:
• A single machine defined as an Agent, select the Agent.
• Either of two or more Agents assigned to an Agent Group, select the regular Agent Group.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

• All Agents assigned to an Agent Group, select the multi-execution Agent Group.
For information on which Agents are assigned to what groups, or which Agent Groups are multi-execution, see
your Applications Manager administrator.
When Agent Groups are assigned to Jobs, particular Agents may be specified for Process Flows, Process Flow
components, requests, or in schedules. For more information, see How Agent Assignments Are Handled for
Process Flow Components.
• Queue
The Job will run on this Queue even when added to the Process Flow, unless the Insert components into
process flow's queue Automation Engine option is set. For more information on setting Automation Engine
options, see the Administration Guide.
If the Job is run using a schedule and that schedule includes a Queue, that setting overrides the Job's Queue.
If the Job is submitted on an ad hoc basis, the User may have the option to change the Queue on the Submit
window.
• Single run
When selected, two instances of the Job cannot run concurrently. The second instance will show a status of
SELF WAIT until the first completes..
• Active
When selected, the Job will run when scheduled or included in another Process Flow and be available from the
Request window. If not selected, the Job will not run when scheduled or included in another Process Flow, and
it cannot be run from the Requests window.
• Stay in queue on abort
When selected, the aborted Job remains in the Backlog so it can be examined, repaired, and reset. The Queue
is not blocked by this aborted Job, unless the Queue has only one thread and the Allow aborted task to block
single threaded queue Automation Engine option is checked.
When this option is not checked, and the Job aborts and leaves the Backlog, it will satisfy any Success
predecessors it may have with other tasks. Failure and Failure (skip on success) predecessors will not be
satisfied.
If this option is not selected and the Job aborts, it leaves the Backlog and a record is written to History. The
Job may be examined from History to determine why it aborted, but because there is no longer a record in the
Backlog, it cannot be repaired or reset.
When this option is selected, and the Restart once on abort option is not selected, and the Job aborts, you will
see the original Run ID <run_id> in History and the current listing <run_id>.01 in the Backlog.
This setting can be overridden with a condition. This is most commonly done for Process Flow components.
Entering Program Information
In order for a Job to execute a program or run a Process Flow, you must define its program information in the
Program box on the General tab. Jobs created for some Applications Manager extensions such as OAE and
PeopleSoft may have different fields in their Program box than what is shown in the image above for standard
Jobs. For more information, see your Applications Manager extension documentation.
The Program fields for standard Jobs are described below:
• Library
The path to the program source or executable. The Program Type defined in the Type field may supply a
subpath. For information on defining Libraries, see Defining Libraries.
• Library path
This non edit field displays the path of the Library selected in the Library field.
• Program Type
This defines which type of program the Job will run, such as shell scripts, host command, or SQL*Plus.
Applications Manager comes with several Program Types already defined. For more information on defining
Program Types, see Defining Program Types.
• Program name
The name of the program that will be executed by the Job. Program names can be typed into this field, or
selected based on the Job's Agent, Library, and Program Type using the Select button. When you click the
Select button, Applications Manager displays a list of valid file names in the path defined by the Agent, Library,
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

and Program Type. If you use the Select button for a Job assigned to an Agent Group, you will be able to
search for the file on the Agent you select. If you type in a program name, Applications Manager does not verify
that it exists.
• Location
As you enter the program information, Applications Manager displays the path and file name in this non-editable
field.

Defining Applications
The Application field provides a way to assign Jobs as well as Process Flows to an organizational group. The
groups might be programs, machines, divisions, or some other characteristic. When editing or requesting Jobs and
Process Flows, you can select an Application and the Jobs and Process Flows displayed will be limited to those
that are assigned to the Application.

Applications Manager User Groups control access to Applications. If you do not have access to them, see your
Applications Manager administrator.
Procedure
To define a new Application:
1. From the Applications Selector window, click New.
Applications Manager opens the Applications window shown above.
For information on using selector windows, see Adding, Editing, and Deleting Applications Manager Objects.
2. Complete the fields in the Applications window using the information below.
• Name
The name may be up to 30 characters long.
• Description
The description may be up to 100 characters long.
• Notification
Optionally use Notifications to send messages and output files based on task status to email addresses or
any Output Device defined in Applications Manager. For information on defining Notifications, see Defining
Notifications.
• Environment Variables
Optionally specify one or more Environment Variables as a single Applications Manager object. For
information on defining Environment Variables, see Defining Environment Variables.
 Applications Manager 9.4.1

Defining Libraries
When you create a Job, you specify the location of the program or script to run on a host. The Library defines a
path, which will be the first part of that location. A subdirectory of the Library path can be specified when you select
a Program Type for the Job. You can use the same Library for Jobs that run on different operating systems by
specifying a path for each.

Applications Manager User Groups control access to Libraries. If you do not have access to them, see your
Applications Manager administrator.
Procedure
To define a new Library:
1. From the Libraries Selector window, click New.
Applications Manager opens the Libraries window shown above.
For information on using selector windows, see Adding, Editing, and Deleting Applications Manager Objects.
2. Enter a Library name.
The name is a short identifier for the path.
3. Enter a path for one or more operating systems.
Library paths can be hard-coded or they can include Environment Variables. The advantages of using
Environment Variables are:
• The same variable can be defined with different paths on all Agents of a particular operating system.
• You can export and import Libraries and be assured that the Jobs using them will point to the right path in the
other Applications Manager instance.
When Environment Variables are used, you must define the variable for each Applications Manager Agent.
You cannot use Environment Variables that are defined with Applications Manager Environment Variable
objects.
For UNIX machines, define the variable at the end of the $AW_HOME/site/sosite file in Bourne Shell format. To
define a variable called INVERTORY_APP, you would enter:

INVENTORY_APP=/inventory/programs; export INVENTORY_APP

For Windows machines, define the variable at the end of site/envvar.bat as follows:

set INVENTORY_APP=\inventory\program

Modifying Libraries that Ship with Applications Manager

 Applications Manager 9.4.1

If you wish to modify one of the Libraries that ships with Applications Manager, create a new Library using the
Copy function. The Libraries that ship with Applications Manager will be overwritten each time you upgrade.

Defining Program Types

A Program Type defines how a program accepts input and handles output. Applications Manager comes with
several predefined Program Types (see chapter Program Type Descriptions.

Applications Manager User Groups control access to Program Types. If you do not have access to them, see your
Applications Manager administrator.
Multiple Operating Systems Supported
Each Program Type can support UNIX and Windows operating systems if the corresponding fields in the OS
portion of the General tab are completed. This eliminates the need to define separate Program Types for each
OS as required in previous versions of Applications Manager. In the example shown above, the same Program
Type script (host command) is used for all three operating systems, but the syntax used in the command paths are
different. Other interfaces might require different scripts for each OS, and there