Messaging

Owned by Stonebranch (Deactivated)
Last updated: Jul 15, 2024
3 min read

Message Types

There are six types (or severity levels) of Universal Agent messages. (The severity level is based on the type of information provided by those messages.)

Audit

Document the configuration options used by the program's execution and resource allocation details. They provide complete description of the program execution for auditing and problem resolution.

Informational

Document the actions being taken by a program. They help determine the current stage of processing for a program. They also document statistics about data processed.

Warning

Document unexpected behavior that may cause or indicate a problem.

Error

Document program errors. They provide diagnostic data to help identify the cause of the problem.

Diagnostic

Document diagnostic information for problem resolution.

Alert

Document a notification that a communications issue, which does not disrupt the program or require action, has occurred.

The MESSAGE_LEVEL configuration option in each Universal Agent component lets you specify which messages are written (see #Message Levels, below).

For a description of all Universal Agent messages, see Messages and Codes.

Message ID

Each message is prefixed with a message ID that identifies the message.

The message ID format is pppnnnnl, where:

  • ppp is the product category identifier:
    • UAG (Universal Automation Center Agent Components)
    • UNV (Universal Components)
  • nnnn is the message number.
  • l is the message type (severity level):
    • A (Audit)
    • I (Informational)
    • W (Warning)
    • E (Error)
    • D (Diagnostic)
    • T (alerT)

Message Levels

Each Universal Agent component includes a MESSAGE_LEVEL configuration option that lets you select which types (severity levels) of messages are to be written.

  • Audit specifies that all audit, informational, warning, and error messages are to be written.
  • Informational specifies that all informational, warning, and error messages are to be written.
  • Warning specifies that all warning and error messages are to be written.
  • Error specifies that all error messages are to be written.
  • Trace specifies that a trace file is created, to which data used for program analysis will be written. The trace file name and location are component-dependent (see the appropriate Universal Agent component documentation for details).
    (Trace should be used only at the request of Stonebranch, Inc. Customer Support.)

Note

Diagnostic and Alert messages always are written, regardless of the level selected in the MESSAGE_LEVEL option.

Message Destinations

The location to which messages are written is the message destination.

Some Universal Agent components have a MESSAGE_DESTINATION configuration option that specifies the message destination. If a program is used only from the command line or batch job, it may have only one message destination, such as standard error.

Valid message destination values depend on the host operating system.

z/OS Message Destinations

Universal Agent on z/OS run as batch jobs or started tasks. Batch jobs do not provide the MESSAGE_DESTINATION option. All messages are written to the SYSOUT ddname.

Started task message destinations are listed in the following table.

Destination

Description

LOGFILE

Messages are written to ddname UNVLOG.
 
All messages written to log files include a date and time stamp and the program's USS process ID.

SYSTEM

Messages are written to the console log as WTO messages.

Windows Message Destinations

Message destinations are listed in the following table.

Destination

Description

STDERR

Messages are written to standard error. This destination is most useful for console commands.

LOGFILE

Messages are written to a log file. Not all programs provide this destination.
 
Log files are written to product specific log directories, which can be modified with the LOG_DIRECTORY option. All messages written to log files include a date and time stamp and the program's process ID.

SYSTEM

Messages are written to the Windows Application Event Log.

UNIX Message Destinations

Message destinations are listed in the following table.

Destination

Description

STDERR

Messages are written to standard error. This destination is most useful for console commands.

LOGFILE

Messages are written to a log file. Not all programs provide this destination.
 
The recommended directory for log files is /var/opt/universal/log. This can be changed with the LOG_DIRECTORY option. All messages written to log files include a date and time stamp and the program's process ID.

SYSTEM

Messages are written to the syslog daemon. Not all programs provide this destination.
 
Universal programs that execute as daemons write to the syslog's daemon facility. All messages include the programs process ID. If an error occurs writing to the syslog, the message is written to the system console.

IBM i Message Destinations

Message destinations are listed in the following table.

Destination

Description

STDERR

Messages are written to standard error. A batch job's standard error file is allocated to the print file QPRINT.

LOGFILE

Messages are written to the job's job log.

SYSTEM

Messages are written to the system operator message queue QSYSOPR.

HP NonStop Message Destinations

Message destinations are listed in the following table.

Destination

Description

STDERR

Messages are written to standard error.

LOGFILE

Messages are written to a log file. Not all programs provide this destination.
 
Log files are written the $SYSTEM.UNVLOG subvolume. All messages written to log files include a date and time stamp and the program's process ID.