FRONTAL USERS GUIDE

Axway Automator
Version 3.6

13 March 2013
Copyright Axway Software, 2013
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This documentation describes the following Axway software: Axway Automator 3.6

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 Contents

1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 3
2 Before you start ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
Delivered components ................................................................................................................................ 4
Prerequisites ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Operating System ................................................................................................................................... 4
JRE (Java Runtime Environment) ............................................................................................................. 4
3 Configuration ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
OPSOD Resident ........................................................................................................................................ 5
AUTFRONT Frontal .................................................................................................................................. 5
Windows ........................................................................................................................................... 5
UNIX 6
Axway Automator ...................................................................................................................................... 6
Windows ........................................................................................................................................... 7
4 Running jobs .......................................................................................................................................................... 8
Configuration ............................................................................................................................................ 8
General Configuration ............................................................................................................................. 8
Monitoring ................................................................................................................................................ 8
Resources Assignment and Notification Sending ........................................................................................... 9
OPSOVAR ........................................................................................................................................... 9
OPSOMSG ........................................................................................................................................... 9
Flag forwarding ......................................................................................................................................... 9
5 Frontal administration ......................................................................................................................................... 10
AUTFRONT Frontal executables modules ................................................................................................. 10
AUTFRONT Frontal APIs ........................................................................................................................ 10
AFGETCNX.EXE API ............................................................................................................................ 10
AFGETJOBS.EXE API .......................................................................................................................... 11
AFGETJOBSTATUS.EXE API ................................................................................................................. 11
AFDELETEJOBS.EXE API ..................................................................................................................... 12
AFSBMJOB.EXE API ............................................................................................................................ 12
AFFORCEJOBSTATUS.EXE API ............................................................................................................. 12
AFABORTJOB.EXE API ........................................................................................................................ 13
AFSUSPENDJOB.EXE API .................................................................................................................... 13
AFRELEASEJOB.EXE API ..................................................................................................................... 13

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 2

 1 Introduction
What do you want to do?
This manual provides a description of how to use Frontal for Axway Automator.

What do you learn about?

In this guide, we assume that you have a good understanding of Axway Automator.

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 3

 2 Before you start
This chapter describes the components and lists the prerequisites.

Delivered components
Axway delivers the components of the Axway Automator Frontal on DVD-ROM. If required, consult your system
administrator for information concerning the use of DVD-ROM readers on available systems.

Prerequisites
Operating System
The following operating systems support Axway Automator Frontal:
Windows 32-bit
Linux X86 - 32-bit
HP-UX parisc-32
Solaris SPARC 32-bit
AIX 32-bit
To install Axway Automator Frontal, you also require a:
DVD-ROM
TCP/IP environnement

JRE (Java Runtime Environment)

Axway Automator Frontal does not require the installation of a Java environment.

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 4

 3 Configuration
This chapter describes how to configure Automator Frontal.

OPSOD Resident
Refer to the OPSOD Resident User Guide (depending on the platform).

AUTFRONT Frontal
Configuration will be done on the Frontal machine which is connected to the OPSOD Resident.
If any of the configuration parameters are changed, the Frontal must be rebooted for the modification to be
applied.

Windows
General Frontal Parameters
The OpsFrontal.ini file in config directory is used to configure the general Frontal parameters, AUTFRONT
section.
These parameters are :
AUTFRONT_INSTALL_DIR=installation directory
AUTFRONT_VERSION=version number
AUTFRONT_PORT=port tcp (by default :20020)
AUTFRONT_MAX_JOBS_NUMBER= maximum number of jobs stored before automatic purging is initiated
(by default : 1000)
AUTFRONT_TIME_DELETE_READED_JOBS= maximum length of time before the jobs terminated and read
by Axway Automator production server are purged (by default :60 minutes)
AUTFRONT_TIME_DELETE_UNREADED_JOBS= maximum length of time before the jobs terminated but
not read by Automator production server are purged (by default : 1440 minutes)
AUTFRONT_TIME_DELETE_JOBS= maximum length of time before the jobs are purged, irrespective of
their status (by default : 0)
AUTFRONT_KEEP_LOG_FILES= number of days for which log files are retained (by default : 10 days)
AUTFRONT_OPSSRV_NAME= Modeling server name for Axway Automator
AUTFRONT_OPSSRV_PORT= Modeling server port for Axway Automator
AUTFRONT_OPSAGT_NAME= Production server name for Axway Automator
AUTFRONT_OPSAGT_PORT= Production server port for Axway Automator
SC_DCXM_REUSEADDR=1 Allows you to start frontal even if the IP status is TIME_WAIT, otherwise 0
(by default)

Internal Frontal Configuration

The installation directory\config\frontaux.cfg file is used to configure the connections between the Frontal and
OPSOD Residents.

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 5

 Configuration

Connection parameters
MACHINE: name of the machine known by Axway Automator
HOST: name of the host machine on which the OPSOD Resident is located
TYPE: name of the translator to be used (GCOS8, VMS, ...). This parameter creates the link with the
corresponding translator definition in the trans_def.lst file
Ex: TYPE="GCOS8" -> refer to the translator "Cnx.Translator" "GCOS8_TCP"
LOGIN: OPSOD client login
PORT: number of the TCP port used by the server on the associated system.
If this parameter is missing, the TCP client looks for the number associated with the
OPSOD service in the /etc/services file. This number must be the same for all
clients and TCP servers of op
RETRY: length of time after which a connection attempt is made following a disconnection (in seconds)
TIMEOUT_PING: always 0 zero
TIMEOUT_JOB:length of time, in minutes, after which a restart is performed if the STARTED status is not
received -> restart
TIMEOUT_JOBCMD:command to be executed if 'timeout_job' is exceeded without having received the
'STARTED' status
Ex1: TIMEOUT_JOBCMD="getjobinfo:OAC=<oac>"
Ex2: TIMEOUT_JOBCMD="getjobinfo:PID=<pid>"
HOST_BACKUP: name of the backup host to be used in the event of a connection failure
Ex: HOST-BACKUP="system_name"
PORT_BACKUP: port of the backup host to be used in the event of a connection failure

Example for a connection with a GCOS8-type OPSOD

Resident
TCP_1 MACHINE=JC30 HOST=jc30.ext.sopra RETRY=60 PORT=5000
TCP_1 LOGIN=CNX_1 TYPE=GCOS8 TIMEOUT_JOB=2 TIMEOUT_JOBCMD="getoac:NO_OAC<oac>"
TCP_1 VALID_CNX="you are connected to OP agent for GCOS8 machine" TIMEOUT_PING=0

UNIX

General Frontal Parameters

The parameters are the same, but they are defined in the installation directory /config/OpsFrontal.ini file.

Internal Frontal Configuration

The file is the same as on Windows systems.

Axway Automator
The configuration must be performed on the machine who the Axway Automator production server that will be
connected to the Frontal is installed.
If any of the parameters are changed, the production server must be rebooted for the modification to be
applied.

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 6

 Configuration

Windows

Axway Automator production server/OPSOD Resident

Interface
The OPSchedule.ini file in the config directory is used to configure the communication parameters between the
Axway Automator production server and the Frontal.
These parameters are :
TO_AGENT_FRONT_HOST=hostname
TO_AGENT_FRONT_PORT=port number
They represent respectively the Frontal, to which the production server must log in, and the associated
port. By default, this port is 20020.
TO_AGENT_JOB_SCAN_FREQ=seconds
Axway Automator asks the Frontal for a job status every two minutes (by default). You must add this parameter
to modify the refresh frequency (in seconds) required value = 10 seconds.
TO_NO_CONNECT_SUBMIT_MODE=0 if connection problem (frontal or opsod), the production server
tries, even 30 seconds, to re-submit the job (value by default), 1 if connection problem, the job fails.
TO_NO_CONNECT_EXEC_MODE=0 if submitted job and then a connection problem (frontal or opsod), the
production server does not change status, 1 in this same case, job fails (value by default).

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 7

 4 Running jobs
This chapter describes how to configure and monitor jobs.

Configuration
General Configuration
This configuration is different from standard job configuration in Axway Automator.
Opsod agent is to be specified (frontal parameters MACHINE).
Script path must end with the directory separator (ex.: / for GCOS7).
The script is made of N lines having the format: KEYWORD=value
The couple keyword/value is mandatory:
Systems Parameters Mandatory Meaning
Common to all systems COM_PARA NO Command parameters
GCOS8 COM_SNUMB NO Snumb name (PID)
COM_SRTLBL NO
COM_LSTLBL COM_PRIO NO
COM_EDITOR NO
NO
GCOS7 COM_ETQ NO Restart label in the JCL
COM_CLASS NO
COM_MASK NO
COM_ETQF NO
COM_PRIO NO
UNISYS COM_ETQ NO
UNISYS 2200 COM_JOB NO
VME COM_OAC NO
COM_SERVICE NO
COM_STARTCLASS NO
COM_LOCATION NO
COM_OCPTIME NO
COM_ACCOUNT NO
COM_QUOTA NO
COM_RANK NO
COM_RERUN NO
VMS COM_QUEUE NO

Monitoring
In the job log, you find job status changed messages passed to the frontal: completion OK / completion not OK.
You are able to know the OAC number (unique number identifying a job) used in operation monitoring (it
appears under the oac label in the information columns) ditto for PID.
If a job fails, there is a log in Axway Automator that can be accessed via the graphic user interface this log
contains information on the reason of the failure.

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 8

 Running jobs

Resources Assignment and Notification Sending

Since 4.4.4 version, it is possible to assign a value to global resources and to send notifications to Axway
Automator.

OPSOVAR
When the Frontal receives a message, it compares the expression with OPSOVAR. If the expression is the
same, the function traitVar will be launched.
The type of message received will be as follow: OPSOVAR Date_and_hours Ress1 Val1.
The function traitVar will launch a shell or a .bat file (according to OS type) which contains the following lin :
TO_INSTALL_DIR\bin\opscmd resval res Ress1 val Val1 pserver Hostname port 10700.
Resource name (Ress1) and value name (Val1) can be alphanumeric form.
If Hostname is not defined in the preference file (OpsFrontal.ini), the shell will be launched onto the local
machine.
Parameters passed to the executable are Ress1 (resource name), Val1 (resource value), Hostname (modeling
server name), and Srv_port (modeling server port).
The function traitVar executes the shell or the .bat file and assigns value to the resource on the server
(modeling server for global resources).

OPSOMSG
When the Frontal receives a message, it compares the expression with OPSOMSG. If the expression is the
same, the function traitMsg will be launched.
The type of message received will be as follow: OPSOMSG Date_and_hours Message.
The function traitVar will launch a shell or a .bat which contains the following line:
TO_INSTALL_DIR\bin\opscmd notify notif Message pserver agtName port 10510
The message can be alphanumeric and it is the only parameter passed to the executable program.
The function traitMsg launches the shell or .bat file and sends the notification to the
agtName agent.

Flag forwarding
You can forward flags to Axway Automator.
If the job runs on a mainframe, the AUTFRONT process uses OPSCMD object api to forward flags. The user
inserts in his JCL the OPSOETQ name_flag activity and this information will be then treated by frontal to
forward it with the OPSCMD production servers API.

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 9

 5 Frontal administration
This chapter describes how to administrate Frontal executable modules.

AUTFRONT Frontal executables modules

Only one executable module is run for the Frontal AUTFRONT.EXE.

AUTFRONT Frontal APIs

Several APIs are supplied with the Frontal and are used for administration purposes (list of jobs and their
current status, status of the connections with the residents, )
The APIs are located in the installation directory\bin directory. They can be executed from NT systems other
than the Frontal host ; in this case, you must specify the Frontal host name.
Parameters common to all APIs:
Parameter Description
-m Frontal host system name (by default localhost)
-p Frontal TCP port number (by default: 20020)
-h APIs parameters list.
-l Log level (0 -> 4) to trace API execution (by default 0). Information is written to the api
name.lg1 file, this file is located in the log directory created in the API directory.

AFGETCNX.EXE API
You can list connection parameters with OPSOD Residents and connections status.
API parameters:
Parameter Description
-t Name of the system on which the target resident for the request is located (name
known by Axway Automator)
Example:
C:\Automator\autfront\bin>afgetcnx

Parameters of agent '01':

----------------------------------------------------------
Machine : jm
Host name : jm
Tcp port : 5000
Login : JM
Status : DISCONNECTED since 2000/10/18 10:12:47
Timeout job : 2

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 10

 Frontal administration

Timeout job command : getjobinfo:OAC=<oac>

Parameters of agent '02':
----------------------------------------------------------
Machine : sol25
Host name : sol25
Tcp port : 5000
Login : jm
Status : LOGGED since 2000/10/18 09:51:29
Timeout job : 10
Timeout job command : loc_cmd:net send jm no started for OAC=<OAC>

''2' agent(s) found'

Note : A connection with an OPSOD resident must have the LOGGED status to be operational for submission.
The CONNECTED status is not sufficient, because it means that the connection is established with the
resident, but the login has not been accepted for one of two reasons:
The connection login name is already used on the resident -> modify the LOGIN parameter for
the connection in the frontaux.cfg configuration file.
The resident has accepted the login request, but the message returned by the resident has not
been recognized by the Frontal -> check the syntax of the connection message in the
VALID_CNX parameter.

AFGETJOBS.EXE API
You can list the jobs controlled by the Frontal according to several search criteria.
API parameters:
Parameter Description
-s Name of the Axway Automator production server requesting job submission (all by
default)
-t System name of the target resident for the request (name known by Axway Automator)
Start date of the jobs to be listed in the YYYYMMDDHHMM format (all by default)
-d Status of the jobs to be listed (all by default)
0:WAITING
-status 1:SUBMITTED
2:ERROR
3:EXECUTION
4:COMPLETED
5:ABORTED
6:SUSPENDED

AFGETJOBSTATUS.EXE API
You can read the status of one or more jobs in the same way as the robot.
Note : If the job is terminated, the parameter indicating the number of times that the job has been read, is
incremented (this parameter is useful during automatic purging of terminated and read jobs).
API parameters:
Parameter Description
-s Name of the Axway Automator production server requesting job submission (all by
default)
-t System name of the target resident for the request (name known by Axway Automator)
Start date of the jobs to be listed in the YYYYMMDDHHMM format (all by default)
-d

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 11

 Frontal administration

AFDELETEJOBS.EXE API
You can purge the jobs managed by the Frontal according to several criteria.
API parameters:
Parameter Description
-s Name of the Axway Automator production server requesting job submission
System name of the target resident for the request (name known by Axway Automator)
-t OAC number of the job to be purged (* : all)
Start date of the jobs to be purged in the YYYYMMDDHHMM format
o Status of the jobs to be purged (all by default)
-d 0:WAITING
-status 1:SUBMITTED
2:ERROR
3:EXECUTION
4:COMPLETED
5:ABORTED
6:SUSPENDED

AFSBMJOB.EXE API
You can submit a job without calling the robot.
API Parameters:
Parameter Description
-s Name of the Axway Automator production server requesting job submission
System name of the target resident for the request (name known by Axway Automator)
-t OAC number of the job (unique number associated with the job to be started)
Directory in which the job is located (terminated by / or \ according to the OS)
COM_OAC Name of the job to be started.

COM_LOCATE

COM_FILE
Example:
C:\Automator\autfront\bin\afsbmjob.exe -t sol25 COM_FILE sleep COM_PARA 10 COM_OAC 1010

AFFORCEJOBSTATUS.EXE API
You can modify the status of the job submitted by the Frontal.
API parameters:
Parameter Description
-s Name of the Axway Automator production server requesting job submission
System name of the target resident for the request (name known by Axway Automator)
-t OAC number of the job to be modified (all by default)
New job status:
o 0:WAITING
-status 1:SUBMITTED
2:ERROR
3:EXECUTION
4:COMPLETED
5:ABORTED
6:SUSPENDED

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 12

 Frontal administration

AFABORTJOB.EXE API
You can abort a job (the request is submitted to the remote resident according to the definition in the
translator).
API parameters:
Parameter Description
-s Name of the Axway Automator production server requesting job submission
OAC number of the job to be aborted.
-o

AFSUSPENDJOB.EXE API
You can suspend job execution (the request is transmitted to the remote resident according to the definition in
the translator).
API parameters:
Parameter Description
-s Name of the Axway Automator production server requesting job submission
OAC number of the job to be suspended.
-o

AFRELEASEJOB.EXE API
You can restart a job (the request is transmitted to the remote resident according to the definition in the
translator).
API parameters:
Parameter Description
-s Name of the Axway Automator production server requesting job submission
OAC number of the job to be restarted.
-o

Axway Automator Frontal Users Guide 13