Release Notes - AE Version 10

Trace Added for the AE DB Change Utility

You can now set trace in the UCYBCHNG.INI file for the AE DB Change utility.

Specifying Whether Sync Objects Are Checked When Restarting a Canceled Job Without an Abend Action

The new key SYNC_CHECK_RESTART in the UC_SYSTEM_SETTINGS variable determines whether Sync objects are checked when restarting a canceled job without an Abend action. It defaults to Y for yes to keep with the v9 behavior.

In previous v10 releases, this variable did not exist and the behavior was that the Sync object was not checked and jobs were restarted immediately.

ServiceManager Utility for UNIX No Longer Needs to Be Started with SetUID Bit

Due to a fix added to AE 11.2.0, 11.1.2, 10.0.6, and 9.13.0, the ServiceManager utility for UNIX no longer needs to be started with SetUID Bit.

Script Function GET_VAR Changed

The behavior of the Script function GET_VAR has been re-established. In previous versions of the Automation Engine GET_VAR did not resolve recursively. In versions 9SP4 to 10SP4 GET_VAR resolved recursively.
Now GET_VAR does not resolve recursively anymore and the respective key in UC_SYSTEM_SETTINGS has been removed.

New Postcondition Action - ABORT

The new ABORT action is available on the Postconditions tab for workflow tasks. It sets the task to an abort status.

UC_SYSTEM_SETTINGS

The maximum value for the setting MAX_IMPORT_SIZE that defines the maximum size (KB) of an XML file that should be imported has been increased to 30720. This is also important when you want to save files that exceed 3MB. In this case, you also need to define the setting maxMsgSize=4000000 (or more) in the [TCP/IP] section of the CP Server INI file (UCSRVCP.EXE).

OS/400 Agent

This agent's INI file now uses parentheses () around section names instead of square brackets [].

Script Function ACTIVATE_UC_OBJECT Change

When starting a task out of !SCRIPT from an event (Time Event) using ACTIVATE_UC_OBJECT, the started task will have the event's run number as PARENT ID (RunID).

Script Statement :RSET Change

After a restart, the script statement :RSET now returns the value of the script variable (as in v8) and no longer a space.

New Job Status Capturing and Tracking Function for OS/400 Jobs

In order to be able to take immediate action, the possibility to query job statuses of OS/400 jobs has been added. Using SQL statements you may not only display a list of jobs that are in the MSGW (=waiting for messages) status, which might require additional actions. You also may get detailed information about the execution and status of the jobs in question.

New Parameter Available for z/OS Agent

For the configurationA set of constituent components that make up a system. This includes information on how the components are connected including the settings applied. of the z/OS agent a new parameter is available: "jobSubmitContext=" can be set to one of two values, AGENT or USER, whereby the Job will be submitted to the internal reader either in the agent context or in the context of the user, who has been specified in the Login object of the Job.

Script Function CONV_DATE Changes

For the script function CONV_DATE changes of SP2 have been reversed. To ensure compatibility with version 9 of the Automation Engine and the script function WEEKDAY_XX, the weekdays will again be delivered in two uppercase letters based on German.

UI Plug-in

The Automation Engine plug-in for the Enterprise Control Center is no longer included with Automation Engine. Reason: From Enterprise Control Center Version 2.1 and higher, all plug-ins (and also the AE UI plug-in) can be found in ECC's WAR file. The configuration instructions and UI plug-in Release Notes have been removed from the documentation and can now be found in the ECC installation documentation.

Documentation: File Name Change

The names of the files that are used to access the documentation have changed. The new names are as follows:

• HtmlHelp: help.chm
• WebHelp: help.htm
• Message documentation: Messages.chm/Messages.htm

Renaming of Documentation Chapters

The following chapters have been renamed as follows:

• UC4 Script --> Automation Engine Script
  
• UC4 Internal --> Internal
  
• Best Practice --> Best Practices
  
• UC4 ClearView --> Process Analytics

As a consequence, the names of the supplied CHM files have also changed in the HtmlHelp documentation. The new names are as follows: AutomationEngineScriptGuide.chm, InsideAutomationEngine.chm, BestPracticesGuide.chm, ProcessAnalytics.chm.

New Automation Engine versioning

As of Version 10, a Automation Engine version number is composed of the following characters:
x.y.z-pre+build.nnn

• x = Major Release (main version)
• y = Minor Release (minor version)
• z = Service Pack (patch)
• -pre = pre-release (optional).
  Possible values: -dev (developer build) or -beta (beta version)
• nnn = the number of the build

Example of a complete version number:
10.2.1-dev+build.234

For more detailed information, refer to the chapter Automation Engine Version Indicators.

Executable Objects Now Include the New Option "Active"

The new option Active, which is available in the Header tab of executable objects, lets you make tasks inactive through their object definition. When the option Active is not set, a task's execution will be skipped and it obtains the new status ENDED_INACTIVE_OBJECT (return code1925).

A new query is available in the UserInterface (Inactive Workflow Tasks). You can turn this on or off in the settings. This query appears when you try to insert an object into a workflow despite it having been made inactive in its object definition (= the option Active in the Header tab is not set).

A subsequent change of the Active option does not affect active long-running tasks (such as Schedule objects, RemoteTaskManagers, and groups).

Allowing Specific Characters within the Alias Names of Workflow Tasks

You can now use the new setting ALIAS_SPECIAL_CHARACTERS in the variable UC_CLIENT_SETTINGS to allow the use of specific characters in the alias names of workflow tasks. Characters that are usually not allowed (such as "-") can now be used in alias names.

New Predefined Variables

• &$MRT# - The object's maximum runtime in seconds.
• &$RUNTIME# - The task's current runtime in seconds.
• &$SRT# - The object's minimum runtime in seconds.

New Object Type: Dashboard

The new Dashboard object can exclusively be used with the product Enterprise Control Center (ECC), which is a web interface that allows you to access various products. The Dashboard object does not provide functions for the Automation Engine and only includes a Header tab and a Documentation tab.

To use dashboards in ECC, simply create them in the Automation Engine and assign the relevant rights.

New Functions

• :CLEAR -Resets a script array to its initial values.
• ARRAY_2_STRING -Converts a script array to a string.
• DEACTIVATE_UC_OBJECT - Deactivates any task that has already finished.
  
• GET_CONNECTION - Reads information from DB-type Connection objects.
  
• PREP_PROCESS_DOCU - Provides the contents of a Documentation tab as an internal list (data sequence) for further processing.
  
• PREP_PROCESS_PROMPTSET - Reads the definitions of PromptSet objects and provides them as an internal list (data sequence) for further processing.
• STR_ENDS_WITH - Checks whether a string ends with a specific other string.
• STR_ISLOWER - Checks whether the characters in a specific string are lowercase letters.
• STR_ISUPPER - Checks whether the characters in a specific string are uppercase letters.
• STR_STARTS_WITH -Checks whether a string starts with a specific other string.
  
• WRITE_PROCESS - Writes the contents of a data sequence to a file.
  

Activity Window: Filter for Remote Status

With the new Filter option, you can reduce the contents of the Activity Window to a specified remote status. This applies to SAP jobs, database jobs, RA jobs, and the SAP RemoteTaskManager.

Output Scan Tab: New "Status Text" Column

The Output Scan tab (available in jobs, file transfers, and the RemoteTaskManager) now includes the new column Status Text. Here, you can enter any value that will be used as the task's remote status when the filter definition applies.

PromptSet Objects: New Property "Custom field"

All elements of PromptSet objects now include the new property Custom field. You can enter any text of your choice in this text field; it will not affect any of the functionality.

You can even read this text by using the new script element PREP_PROCESS_PROMPTSET.

Selective Statistics: New "Remote Context" Tab

With the new "Remote Context" tab, you can filter the statistics for RA attributes and specific parameters of the SAP Solution Manager. For more information, see the tab's documentation.

RA - Connection Objects: Traffic-Light Symbols Signal Connection Status

When you open RA Connection objects, the system now verifies whether a corresponding agent is active and whether a connection is possible. The new traffic-light symbol now shows the connection status in the specific CONN-object tab.

New Script Elements R3_IMPORT_CALENDAR and R3_IMPORT_JOBS

You can now use the new SAP functions R3_IMPORT_CALENDAR and R3_IMPORT_JOBSto transfer jobs and calendars from a SAP system to AE.

R3_IMPORT_JOBSimports all jobs from SAP that have been selected via the script element R3_GET_JOBS. In addition to SAP Job objects, you can also create Workflow objects and Login objects.

R3_IMPORT_CALENDARtransfers the days of a specific SAP factory calendar or holiday calendar to a Calendar object.

Script Element R3_GET_JOB_SPOOL: New XLS Format for Output File

The parameter FORMAT= in the SAP script element R3_GET_JOB_SPOOL now includes the new option "DAT". Use this to save the output file (FILE=) in XLS format (table).

SAP Forms: Long Names of Output Files Displayed

The Forms tab for SAP jobs now shows the long name of the selected output device (parameter DEST[INATION]=) and is available in R3_ACTIVATE_REPORT, for example. The long name is displayed to the right of the text field, provided that the Forms are connected to the SAP system.

This is an additional view in the Forms. You can still use the output device's short name as a parameter value.

R3_ACTIVATE_JOBS - New Parameter NO_DATE

The parameter NO_DATE is now available in the SAP script elements R3_ACTIVATE_JOBS and R3_ACTIVATE_INTERCEPTED_JOBS (to date only available in R3_GET_JOBS). You can thus start jobs without specifying a start time.

R3_COPY_VARIANT - New Parameter PROTECTED

Use the new parameter PROTECTED= in the script element R3_COPY_VARIANT  to set or keep the protected flags of copied variants.

SAP BW: New Variable for the Number of Automatic Restarts of Process Chains

In SAP jobs with BW chains, the agent now creates the script variable &@restart_count# for each child process. This script variable stores the number of automatic child process restarts that have been made. You can also use the variable &@sap_bw_max_restart_count#, which includes the maximum number of restarts. This variable and its value appear in the Detail Window of the tasks.

R3_MODIFY_VARIANT - New Parameter MERGE=

The new optional parameter MERGE= is now available in the SAP script element R3_MODIFY_VARIANT. Use this to determine whether non-defined variant parameters should be kept (YES) or reset to a blank value (NO). By default, this script element does not change non-defined fields (same behavior as in previous versions). When you specify MODE=APPEND, the parameter MERGE= is automatically always YES.

This parameter is available as of SAP Note 1702115.

R3_ACTIVATE_REPORT and R3_SET_PRINT_DEFAULTS: New Print Parameters

The following new optional print parameter are available in R3_ACTIVATE_REPORT and R3_SET_PRINT_DEFAULTS:

• SUPPRESS_SHADING= Suppresses colors and shades.
  
• WITH_STRUCTURE= Includes structured information.
  
• DEFAULT_SPOOL_SIZE= Limits line width to 255 characters.
  
• PRINTER_MAIL_ADDRESS= The address of an email printer.
  
• SPOOL_PAGE_FROM= The page from which to start printing.
  
• SPOOL_PAGE_TO= The page until which to print.

The UC4 Interface is no longer required for the following parameters:

• TEXTONLY=
• FRAMES=
  

Note that the above parameters can only be used with a specific SAP version or higher. SAP Note 1678864 provides further details about this.

BW_ACTIVATE_INFOPACKAGES: New Parameter LOG=

With this new optional parameter, you can print the log messages of InfoPackages to the job report. For compatibility reasons, the default setting for these messages is that they are not logged.

BW_GET_INFOPACKAGES: New Parameter JOB_STATUS=

The new optional parameter JOB_STATUS= can be used to select jobs that have been started by InfoPackages according to their status.

ExecuteObject - New Method "putPromptBuffer"

The new method putPromptBuffer allows you to set PromptSet variables for the started object. For an example, see the related topic in the ApplicationInterface.

Changed Deactivation Behavior

The following changes and improvements have been made:

• Workflows that include active tasks cannot be deactivated. The same rule applies for the tasks of all sub-workflows.
  
• Tasks that have been started by a workflow can only be deactivated by deactivating the top workflow (for which the above rule applies).

The deactivation process will fail if one of the above rules is not fulfilled.

The new command "Deactivate (forced)" is now available for finished workflows. When you apply the "Deactivate (forced)" command, the finished workflow will be deactivated even if the workflow or a sub-workflow below it contains active tasks.

The "Deactivate (forced)" command can only be applied on top level workflows.

The commands "Deactivate" and "Deactivate (forced)" always deactivate workflows including their subordinate tasks.

Time-delayed automatic deactivation is now specified in minutes (previously in days). Values in the database are converted automatically during update.

Tasks can now also be deactivated via script. The new script element DEACTIVATE_UC_OBJECT is available for this purpose.

Preventing Multiple Restarts

Tasks can only be restarted once their previous restart has finished. You cannot restart tasks while there is still an active restart instance.

Workflow tasks: Preconditions and the Value *OWN for Agents

Previously, an error occurred when the conditions of the Preconditions tab were being processed if:

• the value *OWN was set in the condition for an agent (=using the task's agent),
• the workflow task was generated at runtime, and
• the task ran in an AgentGroup.

This has been changed; the condition no longer fails but uses the AgentGroup's first active agent.

Restarting Tasks with SYNC Object Conditions

The Sync object will no longer be checked in restarted tasks that include SYNC object conditions when no abend action has been defined in the Sync tab. The Sync object will be checked as usual when one or several abend actions were defined before the task was restarted.

Login object - Selecting the RA Solution

In Login objects, the column "Type" now lists the names of all loaded RA Solutions. The value "CIT" is no longer available.

In the login entries of RA agents, you can now select the relevant RA Solution as the type.

Note that "CIT"-type login entries will not automatically be adjusted when you update your system.

SAP BW: Data for Chain Steps Published as Script Variables

In SAP jobs with BW chains, the agent creates several script variables for each child process. These variables and their values are available automatically in the (child) post process tab, and appear in the Detail Window of the tasks. For the list of variables and their values at the Chain, Step, and Step Job levels, see SAP BW: Data for Chain Steps Published as Script Variables.

Previous release included the E_TYPE_TEXT and E_VARIANT_TEXT script variables, which are now renamed to &@sap_bw_type_text and &@sap_bw_variant_text.

Activity Window: Grouping several restarts of the same task

For the sake of a clearer overview, all the restarts of a task will now be grouped together in the Activity Window. The last task restart represents the main node. When you expand this, you will see all the task's previous restart runs (provided that they have not yet been deactivated).

Task grouping is only available in the hierarchical view of the Activity Window.

SAP Forms: Script Element Names Now Displayed in Selection Menu

The Forms tabs of SAP jobs now additionally display the name of the SAP element (in brackets) in the selection menu.

SAP Forms: Check-Box and Radio-Button Parameters Remain Unchanged

Editing script elements via the Forms tab no longer affects check-box or radio-button parameters that were not changed. Previously, these parameters were automatically replaced by a valid default value when the Forms modifications were saved.

You can now set variables for all these parameters via script; these will be kept even when the modified Forms are saved.

SAP Forms: Defined Script Elements Numbered and Displayed in a User-Friendly Format

Defined script elements are now listed in numbered form in the left part of the SAP Forms tab according to their order in the script.
A short description of the function is now displayed instead of the name of the script element.
Example for R3_MODIFY_VARIANT: Protect variant "STANDARD".

Improved Order of Job Report Options

In previous versions, the Job Report options Generate on error only and Is generated by script (to be found on the platform-dependent tab of Job objects) appeared to be linked to the File option. This has been corrected to a more user-friendly order, as these settings affect the file as well as the database report.

Detail window: Links in Variable Values

You can now open links (texts starting with http://) provided within the values of listed object variables. When you click on the link, it will open in the default browser. This is the same procedure as for links that are provided in the Documentation tabs.

R3_ACTIVATE_REPORT: The print parameters TEXTONLY and FRAMES are now also available in the standard interface.

Script element R3_ACTIVATE_REPORT: The print parameters TEXTONLY and FRAMES are now also available in the XBP Interface (previously only in the UC4 Interface).

BW Process Chains: Last Start Time Available in Reports

The PLOG reports of SAP jobs include the start date and the start time of process chains and now also their last start time.

WebHelp in new HTML5 format

The WebHelp is now based on HTML5 and has a new, improved AE-style design and a user-friendly interface.

The left WebHelp area now shows the content tree and a Glossary area, which includes all the glossary terms as well as their definitions. The search field is now provided in the header line (previously in the left area).

Documentation as PDFs

You can now choose between Automation Engine documentation in HtmlHelp format, in WebHelp format, and as PDFs. Note that as of now, the PDFs provided in the Automic Download Center will always be up-to-date.

The supplied documentation folders are "htmlhelp", "webhelp", and "pdf".