Adding, Updating, and Deleting Prompts

To define a prompt for a job or process flow, select the Prompts tab, click New, and fill in the fields in the Edit prompt window. To update or delete a prompt, select the prompt and click Edit or Delete. To reorder prompts in a job or process flow, use the arrow buttons to the right of the list of prompts.

You can add one or more prompts to jobs and process flows.

You define a prompt for a job on the job's Prompts tab.

Adding Prompts to a Job or Process Flow

To add a prompt to a job or process flow:

  1. Select the Prompts tab for a job or process flow as shown above, and click the New button.
  2. Complete the fields in the Edit Prompt window using the information in the table below.
    Field Description

    Data type *

    Defines the type of data validations that will be used. For information, see Defining Data Types.

    List of Values

    Multi Select

    Comma Separated

    Some data types allow you to select prompt values from a list. The following options are active when you select a list data type or a data type that includes a SQL statement:

    • List of Values: Allows you to select a single value. The value will be passed to the program or script as specified in the Variable name field.
    • Multi Select: Allows you to select one or more values. When you submit a job with a multi select prompt, Applications Manager writes a record in the so_multiselect database table using a unique reference number for each selected value. The reference number is passed to the script or application like any other prompt value. In order for a script or application to use the values, it must retrieve the records from the Applications Manager database. For more information, see How Multi Select Prompts Work.
    • Comma Separated: Allows you to select one or more values and returns them as a comma separated string.

    Developers use these to assign values to a prompt's Default value field using the Select button to the right of that field. Operators use these to assign values to prompts when requesting the job or process flow.

    Description

    Text displayed in the Submit window when the job/process flow is requested and on the Components tab if the job (or process flow) is added to a process flow.

    Variable name

    The variable name for the prompt. For example, if you want to ensure that the prompt is assigned to the variable 'time' (used in a SQL script, say), put 'time' in the Variable Name field. Variable names are used differently by different program types (up to 100 characters).

    Default value

    The default value for the prompt. When prompt values are selected from a list, you can pick them by clicking the Select button.

    If Allow changes is checked, the user can enter their own value for this prompt when it is requested. If your prompt values include spaces or special characters, such as & or %, enclose those values in double quotes.

    For information on when subvars and replacement values are evaluated in job and process flow component prompts, see Using Subvars and Replacement Values in Job and Component Prompts.

    For information on when subvars set in process flow prompts are evaluated, see Passing Values Through a Process Flow with Numeric Subvars.

    You can include environment variables in prompt values. The environment variables must be enclosed in { } curly brackets. When an environment variable is used in a prompt's value, its corresponding environment variable object must be assigned to the job via its agent, application, program type, or job definition. For more information on environmental variables, see topic Defining Environment Variables.

    Minimum *

    Maximum *

    Sets the minimum and maximum value a user can enter in response to the prompt. If the data type selected includes a SQL statement you can select values using the Select buttons. If a Min value and Max value have been defined for the data type, they will be displayed in these fields. For more information on these fields, see Setting Minimum and Maximum Values for Prompts.

    Max length *

    Sets the maximum number of characters a user can enter in response to the prompt (up to 512).

    Max length is not enforced when subvars are used in the Default value field.

    Value required *

    When selected, the prompt must have either a default or user-entered value when the job/process flow is executed.

    Allow changes *

    When selected, the user can enter a value for the prompt. If you do not select this option, the user cannot change the default value.

    Upper case *

    When selected, text entered for the prompt will be forced to upper case at the time the job is submitted. The default setting is determined by the prompt's data type.

    Do not check this box if you intend to use substitution variable(s) in the Default value field for this prompt in a job, process flow, or process flow component. Checking this box will enforce a max length of one character and the default value including the subvar(s) will not be valid.

    Quote char

    The quote character is required for some program types if null values or space characters are allowed in the prompt. The quote character is placed before and after the value entered for the prompt. Single and double quote characters are common choices.

    ToolTip

    Additional information you enter about the prompt. When a user mouses over this prompt on the Submit window, text from this field will be displayed in a ToolTip.

    From Data Type

    When you select a data type with ToolTips, they are automatically entered in the ToolTip box and this non-editable check box will be checked. If you edit the text in the ToolTip box, this check box will uncheck.

    3. * Only applies to the Submit window, not to process flow component prompts, the awrun process, or the API calls.

  3. To save the settings and add the prompt to the job or process flow, click OK.

    4. Applications Manager adds the prompt to the list at the top of the Prompts tab.

  4. To reorder the prompts in a job or process flow, use the arrow buttons to the right of the list of prompts.

Updating and Deleting Prompts

To update or delete a prompt, select the prompt and click Edit or Delete.