Scanning the Output Files

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When Jobs are executed, Automic Automation generates output files and reports both in the Automation Engine and on the target system. On the Jobs' External Output File page, you register the output files so that they are accessible from AWI. After you have registered the files, you can define filters that search for specific strings in those files. You can also define which actions should be taken based on the results of the search. You do this on the Output-Scan page described here.

Prerequisites

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To be able to scan the output files, you must define the following first:

  • The Filter object where you have defined the combination of values that you are looking for. For more information, see Filter (FILTER).
  • The output files that you want to scan. You do so on the External Output Files page of the object. For more information, see Registering External Output Files.
  • 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).

Availability

This page is available and active for the following objects:

Defining the Filter Parameters and Follow Up Options

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  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

Note: If the code page of the Automation Engine differs from the one where the OS agent is running, the target Code Table defined in the Job object is used to convert the filter text keywords. The keywords converted to the target code page are then used for the Output Scan on Agent side.

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.

 

See also: