Hello,

I was wondering if there was any better documentation on creating templates. The documentaion and examples are OK but aren't really that informative detail wise.

Example: If you use the job creation wizard there is a Queue list from which you can select a queue to run your job just like you can when selecting a remote agent. When creating a template there is a REMOTE AGENT LIST listed in an example for selecting the remote agent but nothing listed for the queue. Also I can't find anything about these field edit styles anywhere in the documentation.

Basically, I'm trying to set up some templates to make life easier for a new guy here at work that has limited experience and I want to find out how fancy I can get with these templates. Right now I pretty much try something and see if it works then try the next thing.

John

The Script Archive provides a link http://www.softtreetech.com/24x7/archive/addtemplate.htm with quick instructions on how to add a new template. Every default template has a header describing how you can use and modify it. Templates are text files that can be viewed and edit in Notepad or any other text editor.

Just a few comments that can help you create new templates...

Template is a regular .INI file that can contain 3 standard INI file elements:
-- Comments are line that begin with ;
-- Parameter Groups (in other words Sections) are lines enclosed in brackets. Example: [My Section]
-- Parameters (in other words keys and their values) are lines that begin with some text following by equal sign and then following by a value. Example: MyKey=MyValue. Keys and values can contain virtually any symbols.

The 24x7 template can contain the following sections:

[Template] with a key "Description". This is used only by the template browser to display brief template description. This section and key are optional.

[Variables] section is used by the template wizard. The wizard scans all keys in this section. Key names should either be enclosed in % signs (Example: %MyVariable%) or match names of JDL parameters (JDL stands for Job Definition Language)

If a key matches one of the documented JDL parameters (search the on-line help on "JDL"), the wizard uses value of that key for the job property.

Example: DAY_NUMBER=1

If a key is enclosed in % signs, the wizard uses it for a prompt in the template GUI. The value entered by user is then used to substitute all references to the key (in other words it makes a global replace in the following template sections substituting all references to that key with the key value. The value of the key must consists of 2 comma-separated parts: Edit style and the actual prompt.

Example: %THRESHOLD%=EDIT,Enter threshold value:

Supported edit styles are: EDIT, YES/NO, FILE BROWSE, DIR BROWSE, PROCESS BROWSE, FTP BROWSE, MAIL PROFILE LIST, REMOTE FILE BROWSE, REMOTE DIR BROWSE, REMOTE AGENT LIST, DB PROFILE LIST, QUEUE LIST

I think their names are descriptive enough. All edit styles, but EDIT and YES/NO, create a little "build" button on the template GUI with a crane image. Clicking on the button allows user to interactively browse and select the appropriate information. Note that that FTP BROWSE can be used as built-in FTP Browser and REMOTE ... BROWSE can be used to browse/select files or directories on remote computers running 24x7 master schedulers or remote agents.

If a JDL key value matches name of one of the % parameters defined above it is also replaced

Example:
%DAY%=EDIT,Enter day of month:
DAY_NUMBER=%DAY%

[Body] section is used for job script. Script language depends on the job type and language settings as defined in the template [Variables] section

For example:
JOB_TYPE=S
SCRIPT_TYPE=VBS

These parameters tell the wizard that the job type is script and the language dialect is VBScript. For supported values please "JDL" topics in the help

The [Body] must be either the last section in the template or be followed by the optional [Notify Body] section. The [Notify Body] section must be always the last section. The [Notify Body] section is used for the notification action script if script type notification action is specified.

That's it. If you a question feel free to ask

: Hello,

: I was wondering if there was any better documentation on creating templates.
: The documentaion and examples are OK but aren't really that informative
: detail wise.

: Example: If you use the job creation wizard there is a Queue list from which
: you can select a queue to run your job just like you can when selecting a
: remote agent. When creating a template there is a REMOTE AGENT LIST listed
: in an example for selecting the remote agent but nothing listed for the
: queue. Also I can't find anything about these field edit styles anywhere
: in the documentation.

: Basically, I'm trying to set up some templates to make life easier for a new
: guy here at work that has limited experience and I want to find out how
: fancy I can get with these templates. Right now I pretty much try
: something and see if it works then try the next thing.

: John

Thank you for the information, especially about the [Notify Body] section since I didn't know that information and it was very helpful to me. I would just like to point out that the template documentation isn't nearly as good as the JAL scripting reference.

That aside, I've tried using QUEUE LIST and you get a "Uknown Edit Style" error message (and a typo in the error message). Also, none of the template examples list QUEUE LIST as a valid option although it does create a "build icon" next to the edit field.

Also, If you use the EDIT BROWSE edit style you can select multiple items which are seperated by commas in the edit field (great for multiple flag files). In general you may not use this too often but you can't do that from the remote host list (in case you use more then one backup host like we do that might be a nice option). Also [Least Busy] is not an option that you can select.

John

Thanks a lot for your feedback. Sorry I didn't realize that QUEUE LIST style was not yet in the last released version. I took it from the last beta.

FILE BROWSE, FTP BROWSE, and REMOTE FILE BROWSE do append with a comma, other edit styles do replace. You are correct; this should be extended to include REMOTE AGENT LIST

: Thank you for the information, especially about the [Notify Body] section
: since I didn't know that information and it was very helpful to me. I
: would just like to point out that the template documentation isn't nearly
: as good as the JAL scripting reference.

: That aside, I've tried using QUEUE LIST and you get a "Uknown Edit
: Style" error message (and a typo in the error message). Also, none of
: the template examples list QUEUE LIST as a valid option although it does
: create a "build icon" next to the edit field.

: Also, If you use the EDIT BROWSE edit style you can select multiple items
: which are seperated by commas in the edit field (great for multiple flag
: files). In general you may not use this too often but you can't do that
: from the remote host list (in case you use more then one backup host like
: we do that might be a nice option). Also [Least Busy] is not an option
: that you can select.

: John

I also found another coding bug in templates. The [Notify Body] section DOES put the script in the script notification section of the job BUT it also puts it in the main script body of the job (If it is a type script job). It looks like the code doesn't stop when it sees [Notify Body] but continues to read until the end of the file once it sees the [Body] tag.

John