Output Pages

The External Output Files page allows you to register files that are stored on the Agent. After a Job has been executed, you can access those files directly from the Reports window. On the Output-Scan page you set the filters that should be used to search the report of a task or an external output file. You also define the reaction to your search results.

After adding an object, the object definition pages open to the object-specific page. Expand the Output tab on the left pane to access the External Output Files and Output Scan pages.

This page includes the following:

External Output Files

This page is active for Jobs (JOBS) that run on Windows, UNIX, SAP, R3, RA, JMX. SQL, VMS and OA Agents.

Overview

When executing objects, comprehensive output files and reports are generated both in the Automation Engine and, in the case of Job objects, in the target systems. When defining the general object settings you also specify if the reports should be stored in the Automation Engine database or as a file in the target system. From an Automation Engine perspective, reports stored on the agent are external reports and are transferred from the agent to the Automation Engine via File Transfer.

To have those files available and accessible from the User Interface later on, you register them on the External Output Files page indicating their path. The files you enter here are then accessible as Directory reports from the Reports window.

Important!

The file size is decisive for the time if takes to transfer the files.
The registered output files can only be accessed if the user has the necessary authorization to access the Job and the external reports for the particular file and for the Agent.
The registered output files are retrieved by the Agent. If the Agent cannot find the files, or if they cannot be accessed, an error is thrown.

Standard Job outputs (Reports, JCL, scripts, etc.) are automatically registered as such and displayed on is page after execution. You can add other outputs as well. Once the Job has been executed, the files registered here are available for display from the Reports dialog.

Tip: Specify files that are expected through the execution of Jobs, such as the text file that the JCL generated, on the Process page.

To Register Output Files

In the Fully Qualified Name column enter the path and name of the file to be registered. You must specify the full path.

Notes:
- Wildcard characters are not allowed
- The file extension is irrelevant
- You can use variables to enter the qualified name. For more information, see Inserting Variables/VARA Objects in Objects and Scripts.
When the Agent accesses the output file through the Automic Web Interface, it logs on to the computer and transfers the file. If you activate the checkbox in the Requires User's Login column, the Login object that has been assigned to that particular user is applied. Otherwise, the login information of the job Login object is used.

Notes:
- If you activate this option, do not forget to define a default login to log on to the Agent in the User object. Otherwise an error occurs when you open the output file.
- This option is only relevant for operating system Jobs and has no impact on other Jobs (for example, Rapid Automation, SAP and so on).

Another Way to Register Files for Windows and UNIX Jobs

In addition to entering the files here, you can also register files as external output using the :REGISTER_OUTPUTFILE script element. The difference between both methods lies in the registration time:

Files specified on the Output page are registered immediately when the job is executed, regardless of whether the Job could create them or not.
If the script element is used, the specified file is only registered when it is called.

Output-Scan Page

This page is available and active for the following object types:

Overview

When executing objects, reports and output files are written and stored and, if so specified on the Output Pages, they are registered as external output files by the Automation Engine. They are then transferred to the Agent and can be accessed through the Automic Web Interface.

Sometimes you need to search for specific strings in those files and, depending on the search result, you might want to specify follow-up actions. They are then executed before the defined post process actions, regardless of the task end status.

On this page you define the settings that scan the files and specify the actions that should take place depending on the search outcome.

Prerequisites

You must have defined the following:

The Filter (FILTER) where you have defined the combination of values that you are looking for
The output files that you want to scan. You do so on the Output page of the object.
Optionally, the follow-up action, which is an executable object available in your client.

Important! The output scan always requires login information, even if the Windows or UNIX Agent's password check is disabled (UC_HOSTCHAR - ANONYMOUS_FT/JOB).

To Define the Filter Parameters and Follow Up Options

In the Filter Object columns enter or select the Filter object that contains the criteria you want to apply to scan the reports and/or external files for specific strings.

If you add more than one filter, the criteria of all selected filters are combined. The filters are taken into account from top to bottom. To change the order use the Move up / Move down buttons or drag and drop the object.
In the Filter Criteria Apply columns activate the checkbox to indicate that the search criteria must be met. Leave it deactivated if they should not be met. Basically, this is a true/false setting.
In the Set Return Code column enter the return code you want the task to specify for the result of the search.

This option is set to 0 by default, where 0 means OK. Other values indicate an error.

The first entry that meets the conditions determines the return code that will be assigned to the task. Successive conditions that apply do not change the return code anymore.
In the Status Text columns enter any user-friendly text that helps users understand the return code.

This text will be visible in the Status column of the Tasks table.
Optionally, in the Execution of column enter or select here the executable object that should be processed as a reaction to the search result. This object is executed for each line in which the condition applies.

Filter definitions are checked at runtime. For example, a task has the FAULT_POST_PROCESSING status if the Filter object you specify here tries to search for a string in a report that does not exist in the task.

To Use a Different Agent and/or Login Object for File Scan

By default, the Agent and Login object assigned to a task are used to access an external file that has been defined in a Filter object. In the case of File transfers, the destination Agent is the default.

You can change both the Agent and the Login object here.

Type the name of the Agent or expand the combo box and click Select Agent to search for it.

The maximum number of Agents that are displayed in the list depends on the value in the AGENT_LIST_LIMIT variable.

It can be an operating system or a Java Agent.
In Login specify the login information to be used. If you do not select the login information in this field, the one from the Attributes page is applied.

Example

Two Filter objects are assigned to the UNIX Job:

FILTER.OUTPUT searched for the word ERROR in an external file
FILTER.REPORT searches for a term that should be found in any case in the report.

Screesnshot showing the configuration of the Filter objects. A table contains the two filter objects. FILTER.OUTPUT is configured as follows: Filter Criteria Apply: Yes, Set return Code: 5, Execution of: ALARM.CALL. FILTER.REPORT is configured as follows: Filter Criteria Apply: Yes, Set Return Code: 9

The list is processed bottom up, so the report is searched for first. These are the possible outcomes:

The report does not include the term
- The external file does not include the word ERROR
  
  Return code 9 is displayed.
- The external file includes the word ERROR
  
  The Return code 9 is displayed and the ALARM.CALL object is executed.
The report includes the term

The Return code 5 is displayed and the ALARM.CALL object is executed.