INTRODUCTION TO AppWorx 5.

1 Basic Training

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to AppWorx

What is AppWorx?
AppWorx is a powerful application job scheduling tool that meets the needs of operators, programmers, and system administrators throughout the life cycle of an application. AppWorx lets operators submit jobs on an ad hoc basis, view the output online, and print the output to a system printer or a local Windows printer. But it also lets programmers set up sophisticated job scheduling without writing scripts. Instead, users can create logical conditional statements with a few mouse clicks. System administrators will find AppWorx roles and security powerful tools for managing access to AppWorx.

AppWorx Is Object-Oriented
You use a variety of objects to accomplish your work in AppWorx. Once defined, AppWorx objects can be combined in an infinite number of combinations to accomplish operational tasks.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to AppWorx

AppWorx Is Object-Oriented
AppWorx objects can be combined in many ways to accomplish operational tasks.

Modules Applications Program types Libraries Printers Printer groups Spoolers

Chains Calendars Queues Thread schedules Data types Substitution variables

Roles Role authorities Users Logins Agents Agent groups

Chains

Modules

Agents

Applications

Libraries

Program types

Queues

Logins

Printers

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to AppWorx

Modules (Jobs)
For AppWorx to run a program or execute a script, you must create a module. A module includes the information required for AppWorx to run a program or script on the server. You create a module and specify the program location, input, and output parameters.

Chains (Job Streams)

Modules are combined to create chains. Chains are equivalent to job streams. They run any number of programs and serve the same purpose as a traditional script. Instead of running a script, you run an AppWorx chain.

Queues
You control the flow of jobs to servers by using AppWorx queues. All jobs pass through an AppWorx queue to get to a server. You control queue throughput by setting the number of concurrent jobs or threads that can be processed. You can define an unlimited number of queues.

Calendars
Calendars let you define groups of days (such as holidays) that you can use for schedules. Modules and chains can be scheduled to run on, or to skip the days in a calendar.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to AppWorx

Printers
An AppWorx printer can be any output device such as email, printer, pager, fax, distribution list

Roles
In a traditional system, you create groups of users, printers, and applications. In AppWorx, roles replace groups. Roles control access to all areas of AppWorx. You can define roles for users, printers, and applications, as well as any other set of objects. Roles can contain any combination of objects, and objects can be assigned to any number of roles.

AppWorx 5.1 Logging on to AppWorx

Enter user name and password. Select a master. Click Remember Login to populate User Name field next time you log onto AppWorx.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to AppWorx

From the desktop you can:

Define AppWorx objects such as modules and chains. Run jobs. Monitor operations. View output.

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS

Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Requesting Jobs

Requesting Modules and Chains

You can submit modules and/or chains on an ad hoc basis. After submitting one or more modules/chains, you can view their status from the Jobs/Explorer window.

Click here to submit Click here to open the explorer window and review the status

You can select multiple modules/ chains

AppWorx 5.1 Requesting Jobs

Requesting Modules and Chains

The submit window comes up. Respond to prompts

AppWorx 5.1 Requesting Jobs

View Output with the File Viewer

Access from Explorer or Output windows Associated viewers available. Associated viewers available. Go to page and line number. Mark pages. Print output.

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Monitoring and Management Agents and Queues

Explorer replaces Queue Manager
Agents AppWorx Agent AppWorx Agent AppWorx Agent Queues

AppWorx Master

Queue A
Queue B

Queue C

AppWorx 5.1 Monitoring and Management Agents and Queues

Multiple Selections for Changes
Make changes (such as inactivating queues or starting agents) to more than one agent or queue at a time.

AppWorx 5.1 Monitoring and Management Agents and Queues

Managing Agents
Start/stop Idle/resume Change thread schedules View master/agents logs Reset to show an agent in a BUSY or Trouble status as STOPPED

AppWorx 5.1 Monitoring and Management Agents and Queues

Managing Queues
Activate/Inactivate Control load with queues Control flow of jobs with thread schedules Control execution order with priority

AppWorx 5.1 Monitoring and Management Agents and Queues

Managing Queues
Defining Queues
Min/Max threads set boundaries Can change threads throughout the day

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Jobs

Backlog History

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Jobs

Job Management Improvements
You can issue the Reset, Hold, and Kill commands against two or more jobs at the same time. Issuing the Delete, Reset, Hold, and Kill commands against a chain affects all eligible children (chains and modules) of the chain. Chains are retained in the Backlog until all their children are complete. Multi-threaded chains are processed the same as multi-threaded modules.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Jobs

Taking Action of Jobs in the Backlog (right-click to:)
You can issue the Reset, Hold, and Kill commands against two or more jobs at the same time. Put modules on hold before they run. Delete modules before they run. Change module parameters before they run or after they abort. Resubmit modules that abort, or are on hold. Kill modules while they are running.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Jobs

Querying for Jobs in the History
To search for specific jobs in the History, go to the Filter menu and select History Query. You can query by queues, modules, chains, job statuses, agents, requestors, start times, and job IDs.

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Modules

Creating Modules
A module contains all the information required to execute a program and handle its output. Modules can be run with a schedule or on an ad hoc basis. They can also be included in an AppWorx chain. You can add a module to as many chains as you wish. If you change a module definition, the change is applied to every chain that includes the module. A module is the basic building block in AppWorx. For each program you want to run (for example: FTP, application, database load), you must create a module. A module specifies all the information required to run a program including:
General information: The task that will be run, its program information and execution options. Output and login source options. Prompts: Information that is passed to the program as variables.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Modules

Creating Modules

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Modules

Copying Modules
When you copy a module, the prompts also are copied. You have the option of coping its conditions, notes, and schedules.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Modules

Defining Modules
Add a module to AppWorx
Define Application Define Library Define Program Type

Specifying Output and Login Options for Modules Adding Prompts to Modules
Prompts can be copied from any other module.

Adding a List of Values Prompt Adding Notes

Type of notes (General and Abort categories)

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Chains

Creating Chains
Chains are used to schedule and execute one or more modules and other chains. Chains transfer the chore of routine maintenance and scheduling from operations personnel to AppWorx.

Steps for Creating a Chain

The basic steps for creating a chain are:
Create the chain object. Set the general and execution options. Add scheduling information to the chain. Add components to a chain. Schedule the components within the chain.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Chains

Defining Chains and Adding Components
To create a new chain, complete the required fields on the General tab (see Figure). The execution options determine what happens when a component runs.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Chains

Defining Chains and Adding Components
For a chain to accomplish work, you must assign one or more components to it. Components can include both modules and chains. You can add up to 127 components to a chain. See next Figure

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Chains

Defining Chains and Adding Components
For a chain to accomplish work, you must assign one or more components to it. Components can include both modules and chains. You can add up to 127 components to a chain. See next Figure

The Components tab shown in Figure includes three panes: Left: the modules and chains that are available for addition to the chain. Center: the sub-tabs that define each components. Right: the chains components.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Chains

Setting Component Options
After adding components to a chain, you can use the execution options to control how and where the component executes.

AppWorx 5.1 Introduction to Creating Chains

Specifying Component Prompt Values
When you run a module or chain on an ad hoc basic, you can enter values for the prompts in the Submit window. For the chain components, you must enter the values for the prompts from the Prompts sub-tab (see Figure C). The values for a prompt can be entered directly, or selected from lists. A list will be available if the data type selected for the prompt includes a SQL statement. You will be able to select a single value if it is a List-of-Values (LOV) prompt, or multiple values if it is a multi select (MS) prompt.

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Scheduling Modules and Chains

Scheduling Modules and Chains
With AppWorx, you can create schedules to run modules and chains that account for days of the week, specific days of the month, and days in a calendar. A module or chain may have multiple schedules (see Figure). Each schedule has four tabs: General Frequency Exceptions Prompts

AppWorx 5.1 Scheduling Modules and Chains

Scheduling Basics
Entering General Information for Schedules

Entering Schedule Frequencies

Defining Calendars
Sometimes there are days when information is handled in special ways. In AppWorx, you can specify these days by creating calendars. You can schedule modules and chains, to run or not run on the days specified by a calendar. Calendars are useful for specifying a set of dates such as holidays, end of month processing dates, and end of fiscal quarter processing dates

AppWorx 5.1 Scheduling Modules and Chains

Special Scheduling Features
Specifying Exceptions
Using the Schedules Exceptions sub-tab, you can exclude a regularly scheduled running of a module or chain.

Specifying Prompt Values for Schedules

There may be times when you wish to override the default value for one or more prompts when a module or chain is called by a schedule. To do this, enter the new value in the Value column. Different prompt values can be entered for each schedule.

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Defining Substitution Variables.

Substitution Variables
Substitution variables let you store values that can be referenced in modules and chains. The values can be stored in a database table or generated by a SQL statement at the time a job is submitted. Substitution variables give you the ability to control operations based on the state of your corporate database. You can use substitution variables to define: Prompts in a module or chain Conditions for a module or chain Output paths in a module definition Static and Dynamic Substitution Variables There are two types of substitution variables: static and dynamic. Values for static substitution variables are entered and stored in a database table before the module is executed. Values for dynamic substitution variables are generated by a SQL statement at the time the module is executed. This is the only difference between static and dynamic substitution variables. Substitution Variables That Ship with AppWorx AppWorx ships with a number of substitution variables already defined. Several examples are listed below. #current_year #last_of_month #day_of_week #next_monday #first_of_month #today #first_of_last #tomorrow #last_of_last #yesterday

AppWorx 5.1 Defining Substitution Variables.

Substitution Variables
Using the { } Brackets The { } brackets are used to evaluate: Environmental variables. Replacement values within a substitution variable. For example: #job_number={jobid} Warning! The { } brackets cannot be substituted with [ ] brackets. Substitution variables written with [ ] brackets will not be evaluated.

Defining Static Substitution Variables

AppWorx 5.1 Defining Substitution Variables.

Substitution Variables
Defining Dynamic Substitution Variables

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Assigning Predecessor Statements.

Assigning Predecessor Statements
A predecessor checks if a module or chain has succeeded, failed, or completed. Can be added to modules, chains, and chain components. Based on virtual workday. Predecessors allow you to run a job if a particular module or chain has succeeded, failed, or completed since the last virtual workday start time. They can be added to modules, chains, and chain components using the Predecessors tab shown in Figure. The predecessor statements must be met before the module or chain will be eligible to run.

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

AppWorx 5.1 Working with Conditions

Introduction to Conditions
Conditions control the execution of modules and chains. They can apply to modules, chains, or chain components. Conditions can be evaluated before, during, and after a job executes, or after a job is deleted. You can add, update, or delete conditions for the particular running of a job from the Backlog. Using conditions, you can do such things as: Check the current time and put a job on hold if it is later than 5 A.M. Check if a file exists, and if it does not, wait 15 minutes and check again. Run the second module if the first module in a chain completes successfully. Run the third module if the first module aborts. Condition Types Running BEFORE Conditions Running DURING Conditions Running AFTER Conditions Running DELETED Conditions

AppWorx 5.1 Working with Conditions

Adding, Editing, and Deleting Conditions

To add, edit, or delete conditions for a module, chain, or chain component, select that objects Conditions tab and click New, Edit, or Delete. Local Grouping of Conditions
Example Group Conditions That Check Time Conditions CURRENT TIME RUN TIME TIME SINCE REQUEST CHECK HISTORY MODULE REQUESTED MODULE RUNNING RETURN CODE STATUS CHECK PROCESS CHECK FILE CURRENT QUEUE

Conditions That Tell About Job Status

Conditions That Tell About Other Objects

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Basic Training

CONTENTS
Introduction to AppWorx. Requesting Jobs. Introduction to Monitoring and Managing Agents and Queues. Creating modules. Creating Chains. Scheduling Modules and Chains. Defining Substitution Variables. Assigning Predecessor Statements. Working with Conditions.

Introduction to AppWorx 5.1 Online Manuals

Online Manuals.
Defining modules. Register for a username and password to download electronic manuals at http://support.appworx.com. Complete online versions of the AppWorx manuals are accessible by selecting the Help button in AppWorx. If you select Help while defining an object, AppWorx opens the corresponding help topic.