Code Tables (CODE)

Some Operating Systems and applications use special character sets. If the server where the Agent runs uses a different character encoding than the Automation Engine server, then it is necessary to perform a character conversion. Automic Automation uses Code Table objects and standard character conversion sets (such as <ISO-8859-15> and so on) for this purpose. A Code Table object is a matrix that determines how to convert characters. Code Table objects and standard character conversion sets can be assigned to Agents and objects (Jobs and File Transfers). This is how it works:

Character Conversion as Defined at Agent Level

When configuring an Agent, your Automic Automation administrator specifies the Agent's character encoding set in its INI file. The Agent uses it to convert characters as needed when the machine where an Agent runs uses a different character encoding set than the Automation Engine Server.

The Code Table objects that are set as default in the Agent INI file must be saved in Client 0.
Character Conversion as Defined at Object Level (Jobs and File Transfers)

When you configure a Job (JOBS) or a File Transfer (JOBF) object, you can assign them a specific character conversion set on its Attributes page. The character set that you specify here overrides the one specified in the Agent's INI file. In the case of File Transfer objects, you can also specify individual character encoding sets for the source and destination Agents involved in the data transfer.

As a system administrator, you define Code Table objects. You assign them and/or standard character encoding sets to Agents in the UC_HOST_CODE parameter in the [VARIABLES] section of the Agent's INI file. The Automation Engine then reads the Code Table/standard encoding set from the system Client 0 and transfers it to the Agent, which then applies it to all Jobs and File Transfers that require character conversion.

As a developer and object designer, you can overwrite the default Code Table or standard encoding set by defining specific one in the Job and File Transfer definitions.

Object class: Passive object

Object type/Short form: CODE

This page includes the following:

When Are Conversions Necessary?

Automic Automation uses Code Table objects and standard conversion sets for the following:

Data transmission between the Automation Engine and the Agents.
During File Transfer from one Agent to another.
During the preparation of data sequences (Automation Engine script).

Communication with Agents that DO NOT Support UTF-8

The Automation Engine manages its communication using the UC_CODE code table for the data traffic, both between itself and the Agents and between the Agents.

Communication with Agents that Support UTF-8

The Automation Engine manages its communication using UTF-8 both between itself and the Agents and between the Agents.

Code Tables and Standard Character Conversion Sets

The only difference between Code Tables and standard character conversion sets is that Code Tables are Automic Automation objects whereas standard character conversion sets are not. Other than that, their function is the same. This section explains both.

Code Tables

Automic Automation provides the following Code Table objects by default. You can edit them and create new ones:

UC_CODE
- Target Systems
  
  NSK, Oracle Applications, PeopleSoft, SAP, UNIX, VMS, Windows
- Character Set
  
  Basic character set used by the Automation Engine.
ASCII_850
- Target Systems
  
  MS DOS
- Character Set
  
  Includes German umlauts
BS2000_DEUTSCH
- Target Systems
  
  BS2000
- Character Set
  
  Includes German umlauts
BS2000_EDF041
- Target Systems
  
  BS2000
- Character Set
  
  In accordance with EDF041
BS2000_INTERNATIONAL
- Target Systems
  
  BS2000
- Character Set
  
  Alphanumeric with special characters
CODE
- Target Systems
  
  Any
- Character Set
  
  This is the default Code Table object template provided upon installation. You use it to create your own templates.
EBCDIC_00237
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  USA
EBCDIC_00037
- Target Systems
  
  OS400
- Character Set
  
  Germany and Austria
EBCDIC_00500
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  International
EBCDIC_01141
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  Germany and Austria with € symbol
IBM_3270_DEUTSCH
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  Includes German umlauts
IBM_3270_INTERNATIONAL
- Target Systems
  
  z/OS
- Character Set
  
  International

Standard Character Encoding Sets

Standard character encoding sets are NOT objects. They are conversion tables that are embedded in Automic Automation's code and that cannot be changed or deleted. You can easily recognize them because they are always displayed in angle brackets, while Code Table objects are not. These are the available standard character encoding sets:

<ISO-8859-1>
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  Latin1
<ISO-8859-15>
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Latin9
<UCS-2BE>

Only available for File Transfer objects.
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  Universal Code Character Set, older fixed 2-byte character set, big endian
<UCS-2LE>

Only available for File Transfer objects.
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  Universal Code Character Set, older fixed 2-byte character set, little endian
<UTF-8>
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  Unicode UTF-8
<WINDOWS-1252>
- Target Systems
  
  Not applicable
- Character Set
  
  Latin Western Europe

Character Conversion During Job Execution

See Jobs (JOBS).

Character Conversion During File Transfer

See File Transfers (JOBF).

Adding a Code Table

Sometimes, you may need a Code Table that differs from the default ones. The easiest way is to duplicate and adapt an existing one.

If you want a Code Table to be only valid for a particular Client, duplicate a similar one to the numbered non-system client and change it accordingly. You need specific rights for this purpose. The Code Table you add is available in the File Transfers (JOBF).

There can be Code Tables with identical names in different Clients. However, the Code Table names in Client 0 must be unique.

You have to log in again to apply any changes that you do to Code Tables in Client 0.

Tips:

Code Tables that have been assigned to Agents as their default in their INI files must always be saved in Client 0.
Saving Code Tables in Client 0 guarantees that only authorized users can modify them.

Defining Code Table Objects

A Code Table object definition is made up of the following pages:

Standard pages that are always available, no matter what type of object you are defining:

General Page
Version Management Page

Note: The Version Management page only contains saved Documentation object versions if this function was activated in the UC_CLIENT_SETTINGS variable.
Documentation Page

The object-specific page described here.

To Define a Code Table Object

On the Code Table page, specify how to display the codes that you want to assign. You have two options:
- ASCII:
  
  1 character max.
  
  Allowed characters: 8 bit codes.
- HEX:
  
  2 characters max.
  
  Allowed characters: 0-9 and/or A-F uppercase. Lowercase changes automatically to uppercase.
The table cells are input fields and they are disabled by default. Do the following:
1. To enable a cell, click it.
2. To assign it a character, double-click it and enter the character.
3. To assign an alternative character to the cell, right-click it and select Set as Alternative Character from the dropdown menu. Alternative characters are used for conversion if the character assigned to that cell is disabled.
4. To enable a character, select it and click Enable Character.
Removing a character from the table sets the cell back to the default value.