Process Description

This is invoked between each background or overnight task. It controls the sequencing of all background and overnight tasks.

		Set-up static etc.
		If the previous job marked that it used the RAM drive, then this is checked for integrity before proceding to the next step. If the RAM does not match the recorded contents, the task is automatically restarted and the processing skips to the exit point to reactivate the task.
		The files produced by the last task are moved/copied from the data directory to the during or end directories, both locally and on the server.
		Any spool files produced by the last job, or tasks on other machines are printed. The images are moved to the server spools directory.
		Any libraries which have been re-routed from the local drive to ram drive are reset to local.
		The ram drive is cleared out.
		If required, the system uses a pager service to inform off-site system operators of the successful completion of critical tasks.
		If the hardware attributes are set the system attempts to reset the server clock from a radio clock connection.
		The task displays an alert box to give the system operator the opportunity of intervening in the running of the batch.
		The task attempts to gain control of the server console file, by holding the file and writing its machine id into the file.
		The system monitors the status of other active tasks.
		Reloads static if new task added during the day.
		The status of the last task is recorded. If the machine was interrupted part way through selecting a job (e.g. by a power failure) it will work out which job was to have been selected and resumed the console process.
		The currently filed task status lines are retrieved and formatted. If the end of the sequence has been reached it is detected here. The system works out which of the remaining tasks may now be started.
		Any aborted or inactive tasks are now set to the correct status in the console file.
		The tasks dependant on other tasks still running are filtered out. If nothing remains the task jumps to the backup process (final step described in this section).
		If one or more tasks remain which are startable, the task matches hardware requirements to the resources of the machine running and selects the 'most important' task, i.e. has correct hardware requirement, most tasks dependant on it, priority rating, alphabetic order.
		The selected task is recorded. The process skips if a holding task or a pre-completed task back to the task selection step. Otherwise the machine id is removed from the console file.
		The local copies of the console file are updated.
		Backups of all files are taken, from the server to the local drive. If no task is selected the system returns to offer the system operator another intervention opportunity.

Processing Options

Immediately prior to exit if a task has been selected the required configuration is checked and the autoexec, config and perhaps even the DOS version are altered to match. Most jobs require only the standard set-up.

FDFD

N/A

Access Paths

		Via the DOS batch file 4XTRA - invoked by the Autoexec or the rentry batch files.
		Via the re-entry batch file - created and invoked by the Scheduler itself (through the 4XTRA batch file) or from the "Batch Sequence controller" on-line option.

Exit Paths

		The machine reboots (if resetting the configuration)
		or exits, reloading a fresh copy of APL (at this point a DOS batch file can be run before re-entering APL). Upon re-entry the selected task will be loaded and run. Upon completion of the task the local console file is set to re-invoke the scheduler and the process restarts at the first step of "Process Description".
		If at the end of the sequence and in test mode, the system loads the on-line functions.

Security Controls

N/A

Input Data Objects

		The Server console file.
		The Local console file.
		Task Static file.
		The RAM usage file.

Output Data Objects

		The re-entry batch file.

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