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The Xpress Conversion Toolkit (XCT) is a program that can help you :
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migrate to the Universal Automation Controller (UAC)
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It can produce different results depending on the chosen options. In general, it will produce all XML objects for the UAC environment.
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Step 1 | Set the Global options before reading the input file. | ||||||
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Step 2 | Open the input file. Additionally, scheduler-specific options can be set .
If you do not already have a property file, click the Example button to print one. Alternatively, scheduler-specific options can be set through a dialog
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| When the conversion has finished, write the data to disk.
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| Step 4 | Load the data into Universal Controller.
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| Step 5 | Review the reports created by the conversion tool.
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User Interface
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1 | Menu bar with progress indicator and message field. |
2 | Left pane displaying objects (Tasks, Triggers, Credentials, etc.) to be generated. |
3 | Right pane displaying the log, a search-field, and the filter buttons.
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4 | Right pane displaying the Global options.
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Option | Selected | Not selected | |||
Language | The selected Locale | Default Local or English | |||
Font | The selected font family | Default font or Menlo | |||
File encoding |
| n/a | |||
Agent type used in tasks |
| n/a | |||
Output XML date-time format |
| n/a | |||
Allow duplicate task names | Creates for each definition a unique task | Re-using task names when identical | |||
Insert Timers in workflows | Uses Timers to handle time-dependent tasks | Uses Time-to-Wait to handle time-dependent tasks | |||
Use a Daily Load Time | Mimics a Daily Plan time. All triggers are created with this time.
| Uses the original trigger time in the definition | |||
System/Application indicator | Use this part of the task name to create different Run-time directories.
It produces some extra statistics on these ranges. | Add workflow suffix | Add the suffix to each workflow name | No action | |
Add Business Service to all objects | Create and assign a Business Service to all objects generated. | No action | |||
Prefix all names | Prefixes all object names with this prefix | No action | Change task names | Replace part of the task name with a new String
| No action |
Specific Options
Scheduler-specific options will be asked for when using certain data input formats.
Cron Options
Cron File Type
System Cron files usually contain users as the first "word" in the command.
- Set this option to System if you want the program to scan for users in the command and generate credentials.
- Set this option set to User if you do not know what type of file is being processed.
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Cron task names can be generated in four ways, depending on the options used
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cronTask + sequence number |
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host name + sequence number |
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.csv Options
.csv options allow the user to choose from a set of drop-down boxes (combo boxes), whose columns should be interpreted. Every row is basically interpreted as a task.
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| Note | ||
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The columns can be in any order. Use the combo-boxes to choose a column. |
Keyboard shortcuts
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Shortcut | Panel |
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0 | Tasks |
1 | Agents |
2 | Resources |
3 | Credentials |
4 | Triggers |
5 | BusinessServices |
6 | Calendars |
7 | CustomDays |
8 | Variables |
l | Log |
o | options |
Create Workflows Manually
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Step 1 | Right-click on the Tasks or Triggers pane. |
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Step 2 | In the Create Workflow dialog that displays, enter a name for the new workflow. |
Create Workflows from Triggers
The same procedure works on the Triggers pane. Every task attached to the trigger will be copied to the new workflow.
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Sort the description field on triggers to 'cluster' triggers with the same description. Then use the create workflow function to build workflows from the sorted list.
Example 2: Use the create workflow function to 'nest' workflow that were already created by the parser.
Sub-Selections
The program can export sub-selections of the parsed data. Selections can be made in the left pane in the tasks section.
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Select Delete Selection from UAC in Database to end delete requests to UAC.
Enrich XCT Data
When the data is in the XCT, you have the option to enrich/change this data.
Depending on what type of input was used, extra options are available if you right-click the tasks list.
Context Menu Tasks
Function | Description | Available when | Available when |
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Copy name to clipboard | Copies the name of the task and puts it on the clipboard. | Y | Y |
Log parents | Retrieves the names of all parents and prints these in the log. | Y | N |
Log predecessors | Retrieves the names of all predecessors and prints these in the log. | Y | N |
Create workflow | Creates a workflow from the selected tasks. | Y | N |
Add / Delete a Business Service | Add / Delete a Business Service to the selected tasks while preserving existing Business Service references. | Y | Y |
Add Email action | Creates an Email action for the selected tasks using a template connection. | Y | Y |
Add Trigger | Adds a default daily trigger to the task. | Y | N |
Add Virtual Resource | Creates a resource for the selected tasks. | Y | Y |
Add Local Variable | Creates a local variable for the selected tasks. | Y | Y |
Add end-dummy task to workflow | This will include dependencies to every ‘last’ vertex. | Y | N |
Set Run / Skip Criteria | Creates Run/Skip criteria for each vertex associated with the selected tasks. | Y | N |
Delete from database | See DELETE in Database Tools. | Y | Y |
Add System Operation | Creates a System Operation for only the selected tasks. | Y | N |
The resulting action will be performed ONLY on the selected (blue) tasks.
Data Analysis
The XCT can provide a data analysis of the input data. It will show numbers/totals pertaining to the input as well as the output.
It enables you to assess the quality and quantity of the parsed and generated objects. This can be done in three ways:
- A visual inspection of the data by using the XCT user interface.
- Generating message reports on disk.
- Using the Report Analysis button in the log.
Analysis Walk-Through
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Step
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Action
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Help
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1
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Run a conversion using file input
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How to Use the Xpress Conversion Tool#Basic Workflow
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2
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Go to the Log Pane and press Report Analysis
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This will present you with a condensed view of all headers, counters, and totals.
The view is also available as a report on disk called "Analysis_Numbers.csv".
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3
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Go to File Menu and press Print Log Analysis.
This will create a number of reports:
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