System Operation Actions

Overview

A System Operation allows you to run a Universal Controller system operation based on specified conditions.

You can trigger the operation based on one or more of the following events associated with the task instance:

  • Status or statuses of the task instance
  • Exit code(s) generated by the program (along with at least one status)
  • Late start
  • Early or late finish

You can create one or more System Operations for any Controller task. For Workflow tasks, you can also specify whether you want a System Operation action to apply to the workflow itself, the workflow and/or its tasks, or to the tasks only.

System Operations will run under the security context of the of the task instance Execution User, which must have the appropriate privileges for the specified Operation Type; otherwise, the System Operation will be prohibited.

Creating a System Operation

Step 1

Display the Task Details of the task for which you are creating the System Operation.

Step 2

Click the Actions tab. A list of any defined Actions for that task displays. For example, the following Actions list shows that one Abort Actions have been created for this task.
 

Step 3

Click the  button that displays on the System Operations row. The System Operation Details pop-up displays.
 

Step 4

Using the field descriptions, below, as a guide, complete the fields as needed.

Step 5

Click the   button to save the record in the Controller database.

Step 6

If appropriate, repeat these steps for any additional System Operations you want to create.

System Operation Details Field Descriptions

The table below describes the fields and buttons that display in the System Operation Details.

Field Name

Description

Action Criteria

This section contains criteria for performing the action.

Action Inheritance


For Workflow tasks only; the records that this action applies to.

Options:

  • Self
    The action applies only to the workflow; it is not inherited by its children tasks. For example, if the action is defined for the Defined status, when the workflow where the action is specified transitions into the Defined status, the action will run for the workflow. When children tasks within this workflow transition into the Defined status, the action will not run.
  • Self/Children
    The action applies to the workflow and any children under the workflow (it is as if each child under the workflow had the action specified on itself). For example, if the workflow or any of its children transition into the Defined status, the action will run.
  • Children
    This action applies only to the children under the workflow and not the workflow itself. For example, if any child of this workflow transitions into the Defined status, the action will run. However, when the workflow where this action is specified transitions into the Defined status, this action will not run.

Status

The status of this task, by itself or together with an exit code, that will trigger this System Operation action. You can specify as many statuses as needed.

Exit Codes

Specifies one or more exit codes that will trigger the event. If you specify an exit code, you must also specify at least one status. Use commas to separate multiple exit codes; use a hyphen to specify a range. Example: 1, 5, 22-30.

On Late Start

Generates the action or notification if the task started late, based on the Late Start Time specified in the task.

On Late Finish

Generates the action or notification if the task finishes late, based on the Late Finish time specified in the task.

On Early Finish

Generates the action or notification if the task finishes early, based on the Early Finish Time specified in the task.

On Projected Late

Execute the Action when the task instance is projected to be late based on critical path projected end times. Only applicable when a Late Start Time, Late Start Duration, or Late Finish Time is specified for the task instance.

Note

This field displays in the Details only if the Controller is configured for critical path calculations with an enabled Critical Path Calculations Permitted Universal Controller system property.

Description

Description of this action.

Action Details

This section contains additional details about the action.

System Operation

Specific system operation to perform.
 
Options:

  • Suspend Agent
  • Resume Agent
  • Suspend Agent Cluster
  • Resume Agent Cluster
  • Suspend Cluster Membership
  • Resume Cluster Membership
  • Set Agent Task Execution Limit
  • Set Cluster Task Execution Limit
  • Set Virtual Resource Limit
  • Run Task Instance Command
  • Launch Task
  • Trigger Now
  • Enable Trigger
  • Disable Trigger

Note

For the Suspend Agent and Resume Agent operations, the user must have the following Agent permissions:

For the Suspend Agent Cluster, Resume Agent Cluster, Suspend Agent Cluster Membership, and Resume Agent Cluster Membership operations, the user must have the following Agent Cluster permissions:

System Notification

Status of the specified system operation (see above) that will trigger a system notification.
 
Options:

  • None
  • Operation Failure (default)
  • Operation Success/Failure
  • Operation Success

Note

The Controller must be configured for system notifications in order for system notifications to be triggered.

Agent

If System Operation is Suspend Agent, Resume Agent, Suspend Cluster Membership, Resume Cluster Membership, or Set Agent Task Execution Limit; Agent for which the system operation is to be performed.

Agent Variable

If System Operation is Suspend Agent, Resume Agent, Suspend Cluster Membership, Resume Cluster Membership, or Set Agent Task Execution Limit:
 
If enabled, the Agent field converts from a reference field (where you browse and select a record) into a text field that allows you to enter a variable. Use the format: ${variable name}. The variable must be a supported type as described in Variables and Functions.

Agent Cluster

If System Operation is Suspend Agent Cluster, Resume Agent Cluster, Suspend Cluster Membership, Resume Cluster Membership, or Set Cluster Task Execution Limit; Agent Cluster for which the system operation is to be performed.

Agent Cluster Variable

If System Operation is Suspend Agent Cluster, Resume Agent Cluster, Suspend Cluster Membership, Resume Cluster Membership, or Set Cluster Task Execution Limit;
 
If enabled, the Agent Cluster field converts from a reference field (where you browse and select a record) into a text field that allows you to enter a variable. Use the format:

${variable name}

The variable must be a supported type as described in Variables and Functions.

Task Execution Limit

If System Operation is Set Agent Task Execution Limit or Set Cluster Task Execution Limit; Specification for whether a Limited or Unlimited number of task instances can be run concurrently on the specified Agent / Agent Cluster. (Default is Unlimited.)

Virtual Resource

If System Operation is Set Virtual Resource Limit; Virtual resource for which a virtual resource limit is to be set.
 

Note

If the Strict Business Service Membership Read Constraints Universal Controller system property is true, the drop-down list displays only Virtual Resources for which the user has explicit Read permission.

Virtual Resource Variable

If System Operation is Set Virtual Resource Limit; the Virtual Resource field (if enabled) converts from a reference field (where you browse and select a record) into a text field that allows you to enter a variable. Use the format:

${variable name}

The variable must be a supported type as described in Variables and Functions.

Limit

If System Operation is Set Agent Task Execution Limit or Set Cluster Task Execution Limit, and Task Execution Limit is Limited; Number of tasks that can be run concurrently by the specified Agent / Agent Cluster.
 
If System Operation is Set Virtual Resource Limit; Virtual resource limit to be set for the specified virtual resource.

Command

If System Operation is Run Task Instance Command; Type of task instance command to run.
 
Options:

  • Cancel
  • Force Finish
  • Force Finish (Halt)
  • Force Finish/Cancel
  • Force Finish/Cancel (Halt)
  • Skip
  • Skip Path
  • Unskip
  • Hold
  • Release
  • Release Recursive
  • Clear All Dependencies
  • Clear Exclusive
  • Clear Predecessors
  • Clear Resources
  • Clear Timewait
  • Re-run
     

    Caution

    If you choose to re-run a task instance, care must be taken to not create unintended loop situations. For example, if a task contains a System Operation that specifies the re-run of that same task if the task instance ends in the Failed status, this will cause an endless loop of re-runs. If the task also contains a System Notification / Email Notification that sends an email if the task instance ends in Failed status, the emails could flood the recipient's mail server.

Workflow Instance Name Condition

If System Operation is Run Task Instance Command; Optional. Type of condition for the name of the parent workflow task instance that contains the task on which to perform the specified action.
 
The action will be performed only on a task instance in a parent workflow task instance meeting the specified condition value.
 
Options:

  • Equals
  • Starts With
  • Contains
  • Ends With

For the selected condition (the default is Equals), a corresponding field displays (see below) that allows you to enter a value for that condition.

Workflow Instance Name Equals

If Workflow Instance Name Condition = Equals; Exact name of a parent workflow task instance containing the task. Variables are supported.

Workflow Instance Name Starts With

If Workflow Instance Name Condition = Starts With; Character string at the start of the name of a parent workflow task instance containing the task. Variables are supported.

Workflow Instance Name Contains

If Workflow Instance Name Condition = Contains; Character string in the name of a parent workflow task instance containing the task. Variables are supported.

Workflow Instance Name Ends With

If Workflow Instance Name Condition = Ends With; Character string at the end of the name of a parent workflow task instance containing the task. Variables are supported.

Instance Lookup Option

If System Operation is Run Task Instance Command; Specification for how to search for the task instance to run a command against.
 
Options:

  • Instance Name
  • Instance Name/Task
  • Instance Id
  • Task

Instance Name

If Instance Lookup Option is Instance Name or Instance Name/Task; Required. Name of the task instance to run the command against. Variables supported.

Instance Criteria

If Instance Lookup Option is Instance Name, Instance Name/Task, or Task; Additional criteria for selecting a specific task instance if multiple task instances have matching names.

  • Oldest Active Instance (default)
  • Newest Active Instance
  • Newest Instance (Re-run and Unskip commands only)
  • Oldest Instance (Re-run and Unskip commands only)

(An Active task instance is an instance that is not in any of these statuses: Skipped, Finished, Success.)

Task Reference

Task Reference Variable

If Instance Lookup Option is Instance Name/Task or Task, or if System Operation is Launch Task; the Task field (above) converts from a reference field (where you browse and select a record) into a text field that allows you to enter a variable. Use the format: ${variable name}. The variable must be a supported type as described in Variables and Functions.

Instance Id

If Instance Lookup Option is Instance Id; ID of task instance to run the command against. The instance Id (sysid) is a 32-character universally unique identifier. You can use the ${ops_task_id} variable or ${_siblingid('mytask')} function to get the instance Id.

Trigger Reference

If System Operation is Trigger Now, Enable Trigger, or Disable Trigger; Name of the trigger.

Trigger Reference Variable

If System Operation is Trigger Now, Enable Trigger, or Disable Trigger; Indication of whether the Trigger Reference field is a reference field for selecting a specific Trigger (unchecked) or is a text field for specifying the trigger as a variable (checked). For a variable, use the format: ${variable name}. The variable must be a supported type as described in Variables and Functions.

Vertex Selection

If System Operation is Launch Task or Trigger Now; Specifies to Launch/Trigger Workflow to Run Specific Paths/Vertices

To enable Vertex Selection, either

Vertices

If Vertex Selection is enabled; Specification of paths/vertices to be included in workflow execution. See Launching/Triggering a Workflow to Run Specific Paths/Vertices.



Override Variables

If System Operation is Launch Task or Trigger Now; Variables to override.

Override Variables Resolution Disabled

If System Operation is Launch Task or Trigger Now; Indication of whether or not Override Variables resolution should be disabled to allow for passing unresolved variable values.

  • If enabled (checked), Override Variables will be left unresolved. Any unresolved variables will be resolved in the context of the launched or triggered task instance.
  • If disabled (unchecked), Override Variables will be resolved prior to the execution of the Launch Task or Trigger Now System Operation.

Override Trigger Date/Time

If System Operation is Trigger Now, Indication of whether or not to override the date/time of the trigger.
Override Date OffsetIf Override Trigger Date Time is selected; Override date offset.
Override TimeIf Override Trigger Date Time is selected; Override time.

Buttons

This section identifies the buttons displayed above and below the Action Details that let you perform various actions.

Save

Saves a new Action record in the Controller database.

Save & New

Saves a new record in the Controller database and redisplays empty Details so that you can create another new record.

Save & View

Saves a new record in the Controller database and continues to display that record.

New

Displays empty (except for default values) Details for creating a new record.

Update

Saves updates to the record.

Delete

Deletes the current record.

Refresh

Refreshes any dynamic data displayed in the Details.

Close

Closes the Details pop-up of this action.