Task Code

Short name by which the task is know, e.g. 'SENDEALS'. If it is unrecognised, the system will ask is it incorrect or a new name. New names create new tasks.

Task ID:

Internally generated code.

Task full name

Full name, used by screen displays and batch reporting routines.

Holding Task only

(Y/N) If a holding task, no code is run (next 2 fields output only). Used to coordinate task dependancies (see below).

APL Group to load: / Change?

(Y/N) Name of a group on the overnight system file. If 'change' set to yes, all overnight groups displayed, with current option selected. Only change if the code required to run this task has altered.

APL code to Run:

Once the group has been loaded (along with the core group) this is the APL expression to execute to activate this task.

Priority:

High, Medium or Low - influences the scheduler's choice of tasks if several may be activated.

Special Hardware:

(Y/N) Does the PC have any special characteristics which are required to run tasks, e.g. a physical link to another network, particular backup hardware, etc. This is matched up to the hardware requirements of tasks by the scheduler . If 'Y' is selected, the editor displays all currently defined alternative options and allows a choice of as many items as required.

Configuration: / Change?

(Y/N) 4XTRA is capable of storing alternate autoexec and config files. This option allows certain tasks to have special configurations. If 'Y' is selected, the editor displays all currently defined alternative options and allows a choice of one. This is useful if special hardware, e.g. a laser disk, requires parameters to be set that would affect the running of other normal tasks on a particular PC.

CPU Level:

An indication of how long the task will run. Used by the scheduler when allocating tasks.

Heartbeat (secs):

(Y/N) How often the task should write a message to its log file. If this time is exceeded the monitor will generate an alert.

Active Task:

(Y/N) If 'Y', the task will be run, if 'N', the scheduler will bypass the task.

Mandatory (or Optional)

(Y/N) If 'Y', the task must complete, if 'N' and any error is encountered, the batch will wait 5 minutes and then abort the task, continuing the batch. NOTE - the editor will refuse to allow a Mandatory task to depend on an optional one.

Task Dependancy:

0, 1 or 2. If Zero then this is either a task under development, which has yet to be assigned a position in the batch, or a Top-of-batch task. Otherwise the task may depend on 1 or 2 other

Both tasks (or only one)

(Y/N) If 'Y' both tasks must complete in order for this task to activate. If 'N' the task will wait for only the first of the two ancestor tasks to complete before starting.

Notify Pager?

(Y/N) Create a text message for the direct pager interface.

Notify Votan?

(Y/N) Create a text message for the voice synthesizer interface file.

Ram disk for library

(Y/N)
1410 is 'DATA',
1423 is 'POSN\DURING',
1424 is 'POSN\END',
1425 is 'POSN\NEWDAY'.
Placing files created in these directories into RAM improves system response. This is a porgrammer choice, dependant on the size of files created by the tasks and the file IO they generate.