08
Tue, Oct
2 New Articles

Partner TechTip: Automate the Un-Automatable

Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Don't let operators or users waste valuable time and system resources by running reports and other processes with incorrect parameters or at the wrong time.

 

Do you still have people running reports repetitively at a certain time of day, week, or month? Maybe your ERP system has a series of demand reports, supplier order reports, or inventory reports that must be run, and you have an operator or clerk running those reports manually from a green-screen? Have these reports ever run with incorrect selection criteria? Maybe someone input an incorrect product line or date range? Or maybe someone took a vacation day and the reports didn't run at all?

 

Applications with green-screen, 5250-based, terminal type interfaces are still very prevalent in our market. Core applications for banking, transportation, manufacturing, distribution, and others still have green-screen interfaces available even if they've got a GUI front-end. This gives you the opportunity to automate and integrate these processes into your batch job stream. How? By using Robot/REPLAY, the interactive automation tool from Help/Systems. Robot/REPLAY is a plug-in tool for users of Robot/SCHEDULE.

 

Robot/REPLAY works by capturing the 5250 data stream while you run your interactive application and saves the data as a "Replay object." Once the Replay object has been created, it can be scheduled into a batch Robot/SCHEDULE job. Field-level input parameters can be automated with Robot's powerful Reserved Command Variable feature, replacing the manual input normally required to run the report or update process.

 

When you create a Replay object, you tell Replay which user profile you want to run this interactive process under (Figure 1). You can specify a device if you want to route it to a particular interactive subsystem other than QINTER. If, in turn, this interactive process submits a batch job, you can have the Replay object "Wait for child jobs" to complete before continuing to the next step in your job stream. You must also specify the "Initial command" you want to execute when Replay starts its interactive process. Initial command allows you to set up different library lists to run the same processes for multiple companies or for a test library versus production.

 

072712HelpImage1

Figure 1: Here's an example Replay object setup screen.

 

After the Replay object is created, you will have a list of interactive panels (Figure 2) where you can automate any operator input, such as a date range, using a Reserved Command Variable.

 

072712HelpImage2

Figure 2: The Replay object captured screen image list looks like this.

 

Simply select the panel to edit, put your cursor on the field, and press F4 to prompt (Figure 3). Select the appropriate variable, and the field will be populated with a value calculated at the time the Replay object runs.

 

072712HelpImage3

Figure 3: The screen image shows the date variable.

 

You will then schedule the Replay object to run as part of a Robot/SCHEDULE job stream or as an independent process. When the job runs, it will submit one batch job to run the process, which will, in turn, initiate a virtual terminal session. The batch job then "feeds" the interactive screens to the virtual terminal. If one of the interactive panels submits one or multiple batch jobs, as in Figure 3, you can choose whether the whole process can wait for those "child" jobs.

 

Don't worry about operators or users wasting valuable time and system resources by running reports and other processes with incorrect parameters or at the wrong time. Give the responsibility to Robot and they'll be run properly — at the right time, every time.

Chuck Losinski

Chuck Losinski is Director of Automation Technology for the Robot product line. He has more than 25 years of experience with IBM i systems. Chuck¹s background includes system implementation, programming, operations, and support. He is certified as an IBM System Administrator and has helped customers automate business applications from InFor, JDE Enterprise One, HBOC, RxClaim, Infinium, Jack Henry, and more.

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: