TA Web Client Features

You can access the TA Master and perform many of the necessary activities using the TA Web Client. They have the same user interface which provides many built-in features designed for productivity and easy access to your production data. They differ in that the TA Web Client requires a Client Manager. The TA Web Client is provided with your system and can be used interchangeably to manage TA.

These sections describe the user interface of the TA Web Client. Because the features are mostly identical between these clients, they are referred to here as simply the “TA Client”.

Note: The TA Web Client is automatically installed and configured with the main TA product installation.

Banner Information

The TA Web Client banner displays this information:

  • Primary Master hostname

  • Signed-in username

  • Last login date and time of the signed-in user

  • Production date and time of TA Master

  • Number of waiting jobs (Total number of scheduled jobs - Number of completed jobs - Number of cancelled jobs.

    Example: If current schedule contains the number of jobs scheduled jobs = 5025, completed jobs = 1015, cancelled jobs = 5, then the number of waiting jobs = 4005 (5025-1015-5).

  • Number of active jobs. Active jobs include:

    • Non-group jobs with the Launched, Active, and Suspended statuses.

    • Group jobs that have locked resources and with the Active Waiting on Children and Terminating statuses.

Example: Active jobs = 39 = (12 non-group jobs with the Launched status + 23 non-group jobs with the Suspended status + 4 group jobs with the Terminating status)

  • Overall percentage of completed jobs (Number of jobs done *100/Total number of scheduled jobs)

    Note: The number of jobs done and the total number of scheduled jobs include cancelled jobs and rerun jobs.

    Example: Number of jobs done = 1024 (includes 5 cancelled jobs and 4 rerun jobs). Total number of scheduled jobs = 5025 (includes 5 cancelled jobs and 4 rerun jobs) Overall percentage of completed jobs = (1024 *100)/5025) = 20%

    Note: An n/a designation indicates that no jobs are inserted into the schedule.

Main Menu Bar

The Main Menu bar is accessible from any pane. However, some menu options are not available from all panes. For more information about the main menus, see Main Menus.

Note: Context menus, available when you right-click the Navigation pane or current pane, are context-sensitive. The menus change according to your current, active pane.

Status Bar

Setting properties for the status board background, font color, and custom messaging for the Client Manager allows you to identify different TA environments. You can set these properties in the master.props file, located in the Master's config directory. For more information about setting these properties, see the “Configuring the Master Parameters (master.props)” section in the Basic TA Configuration chapter of the Tidal Automation Installation Guide.

Navigation Pane

The Navigation pane lists all the components of the TA Client in a hierarchical format. Each function has a different pane.

An arrow sign next to a folder indicates that there are folders hidden underneath. Click the plus sign to expand the listing. A solid arrow sign next to a folder indicates that the listing is expanded. Click the minus sign to collapse the listing.

This panel contains these containers:

  • Operations – A container for the Job Activity, Event Activity, Alerts, Logs, Schedules and Master Status panes. These panes are dynamic, displaying data that continually changes. TA updates the information in the pane to provide an accurate picture of the current state of your productions operations.

  • Definitions – A container for the Jobs, Calendars, Actions, Events, Job Classes, Variables, Agent Lists, Queues, Resources and Fiscal Calendars panes. These panes list the definitions for various items that you create through TA.

    In addition, Actions, Events and Agent Lists have sub-panes that correspond to different types of actions, events and agent lists.

  • Administration – A container for the Connections, Interactive Users, Runtime Users, LDAP Groups, Workgroups, Security Policies and Adapters panes. These panes concern the administration of your TA network and TA users.

New Root Folder Dialog

You can create 'custom' folders in the Navigation pane by right-clicking on an existing item and selecting New Root Folder from the context menu. The New Root Folder dialog displays.

See also New Sub Folder Dialog and Folder Properties Dialog. There are three folder types:

  • Group

  • URL

  • Grid View (JAC and Job Definition)

To create a Group folder:

  1. Enter a name for the new folder in the Name field.

  1. Click Group on the Type list.

  1. Click the Ownership section and an owner for the folder from the Owner list.

  1. Click the Public option if you want this folder to be available to others.

  1. Click OK.

To create a URL folder:

  1. Enter a name for the new folder in the Name field.

  1. Choose URL from the Type list.

  1. Click the Folder Settings section and enter the URL into the URL field.

  1. Click the Ownership section and choose an owner for the folder from the Owner list.

  1. Choose the Public option if you want this folder to be available to others.

  1. Click OK.

To create a Grid View folder:

  1. Enter a name for the new folder in the Name field.

  1. Choose Grid View from the Type list.

  1. Click the Folder Settings section and choose a grid type from the Grid Type list.

  1. Click the Ownership section and choose an owner for the folder from the Owner list.

  1. Click the Public option if you want this folder to be available to others.

  1. Click OK.

New Sub Folder Dialog

You can create 'custom' sub-folders in the Navigation pane by right-clicking on an existing item and selecting New Sub Folder from the context menu. The New Sub Folder dialog displays.

To create a new sub folder:

  1. Enter a name for the new sub folder in the Name field.

  1. Choose Group from the Type list.

  1. Click the Ownership section and choose an owner for the folder from the Owner list.

  1. Click the Public option if you want this folder to be available to others.

  1. Click OK.

Folder Properties Dialog

The Folder Properties dialog is displayed by selecting the Folder Properties option in the context menu available after creating a new folder or sub folder in the Navigation pane. You can modify the folder settings such as folder name, Owner and Public status.

This dialog contains these elements:

  • Name – It is recommended that a folder be given a descriptive name to help identify its purpose and usage.

  • Type – Contains the type of folder, Group, URL or Grid View.

  • Owner – Folders can be owned by individuals or by a workgroup.

  • Public – Click this option to make the view available for other users.

Current Pane

The console pane that is currently active is considered the current pane.

Main Menus

File Menu

The File main menu has these options:

  • Print – Displays the Reports pane to view and print the TA report that corresponds to the current pane.

    Note: The Print option on the File menu provides the same functionality as the Print button on the TA toolbar.

  • Log Out – Logs you out of the TA Client.

View Menu

The View main menu has these options:

  • Show Master Feedback – Displays or hides a confirmation dialog whenever a request is sent to the Master.

  • Configure Auto Refresh Interval – Specifies the interval (in seconds) at which the TA Web Client is automatically refreshed.

  • Auto Refresh – Automatically refreshes the TA Web Client at the interval specified in the Configure Auto Refresh Interval dialog.

  • Refresh – Updates all of the information in the TA database.

  • Preferences – Displays the Preferences dialog for the current pane. The Preferences dialog is used to configure a pane. For more information about a Preferences dialog, see the documentation for the pane you wish to configure.

Activities Menu

The Activities main menu has these options:

  • Create Schedule – Displays the Create Schedule dialog to manually recreate a schedule for selected days.

    Note: After selecting Create Schedule, a dialog denotes the success or failure of the compilation.

  • Insert Job into Schedule – Displays the Insert Job into Schedule dialog used to insert the selected jobs and job groups into the schedule. This option is only applicable if the Options tab> Allow unscheduled option in the Job Definition dialog or the Job Group Definition dialog is checked.

  • Pause Scheduler – Pauses the TA until you select the Resume Scheduler option. This is especially helpful when making changes or at other times when you need a temporary interruption of service.

  • Resume Scheduler – Resumes TA after pausing TA.

  • Pause Job Launching – Pauses job launching until you select the Resume Job Launching option. Jobs can be defined and scheduled but they cannot run until job launching resumes.

  • Resume Job Launching – Resumes job launching after it is paused.

  • Start Today’s Schedule – If the Master was configured to wait until the previous schedule completes before starting a new schedule (on the Master tab of the System Configuration dialog), selecting this menu option overrides that setting and starts the new schedule whether the previous production schedule completed or not.

  • Shutdown Scheduler – Stops the Master service. Your Master will be down until you restart the Master service from either the TA Service Manager for a Windows Master or from the command line for a Unix Master. This option is only available to authorized users. For more information about the TA Service Manager, see TA Service Manager.

  • System Configuration – Displays the System Configuration dialog. You can change system-wide parameters such as defaults, mail, logging options and Master properties from this dialog.

  • Register License – Displays the License Registration dialog.

  • End Impersonation – Ends the impersonation of another user.

Reports Menu

See Reports in TA for more information about the Reports menu selections: Job Last Status, Schedule Summary, Dependency Cross Reference and Event History.

Help Menu

The Help main menu has these options:

  • Help Topics – Displays the online help for TA.

  • About – Displays copyright information about the TA version.

    Note: You must disable the popup blocker in the browser where you open the TA instance, or you can add the online help URL to the Trusted Sites settings. This will display the Online help frame correctly.

    In Java Client, on clicking context sensitive help (?), a blank page appears. As a workaround, right-click on the blank help page and select the Go Back option for two times. The help content should be shown now.

Search Field

Use the Search field at the top right of the panes listed in the Searchable Columns section to display the records based on the search string specified in this field.

TA allows you to perform a full path search in the Jobs and Job Activity panes if sysval 234 is set to Y. The full path search is disabled by default (sysval 234 is set to N).

Searchable Columns

This table contains all columns that are searchable.

Pane

Column Name

Job Activity

Name

Event Activity

Name, Agent, Owner

Alerts

Job Name, Alert Message, Response

Logs

Log ID, Time, Type, Message, Source, Message ID, Computer

Jobs

Name, Tags

Calendars

Name, Type, Owner

Actions

Name, Owner, Description

Events

Name, Owner

Job Classes

Name, Description

Variables

Name, Owner

Agent Lists

Name, Description (on search on Agent List, not Agents

Tags

Name, Owner, Type

Queues

Name

Resources

Name, Owner, Description

Fiscal Calendar

Name

Connections

Name, Machine, Time Zone, Version

Interactive Users

Full Name, Name, Domain

Runtime Users

Full Name, Name, Domain

LDAP Groups

Full Name, Name, Domain

Workgroups

Name, Owner

Security Policies

Name, Description

Adapters

Name, Version, GUID

Business Activity

Name, Status

Validation Policies

Name, Owner, Description

Queue Activity

Name, Status

SLA Activity

Name, Status

API Tokens

Name, Owner

Authorization Policies

Name

Ownership Policies

Name, Shared Owners, Description

Create Schedule Dialog

The Create Schedule dialog displays by selecting Activities > Create Schedule from the main menu bar. You can also right-click in the Schedules pane and select the Create Schedule option (and other options) from the context menu to recompile a schedule but the options in the context menu do not provide as much control when creating a schedule. It is recommended to use the Create Schedule dialog when creating a schedule.

Use the Create Schedule dialog to recreate the production schedule invoking the compilation process for the dates specified. Only jobs whose calendars include the date(s) specified are included in the schedule.

Note: All unscheduled jobs that were added manually will be lost if you recreate the schedule. Also, if you are creating today’s schedule, all jobs whose dependencies have already been satisfied will run as soon as resources are available.

This dialog contains these elements:

  • From – First date to include in the schedule.

  • To – Last date to include in the schedule.

  • Forecast Only – If selected, the Master will recompile your schedule for the specified date. By default, the forecast date is tomorrow. A forecast is a schedule created as a model of what a potential production schedule may be. The forecast schedule is never used, as the Master recompiles the production schedule at the beginning of the production day.

    A forecast schedule is not automatically updated when jobs are modified. If a job within the forecast schedule is modified, the job’s runs within the forecast are deleted rather than modified. The information contained within the forecast schedule is only relevant for the moment that it was created. You must recompile a new forecast schedule to account for modifications to any job parameters since the original forecast was created. The production schedule is recompiled at the beginning of each production day for this reason.

  • For today’s repeating jobs with no time window, start repeating ASAP – Normally repeating jobs with no time window begin at midnight. If you create the schedule after midnight, a portion or all of the repeating jobs may be excluded from the schedule unless you select the For today’s repeating Jobs with no time window, start repeating ASAP option. By choosing this option, all repeating occurrences are added. If you select this option, all repeating instances are added to the schedule and begin repeating as soon as possible.

    Example: If a job repeats every five minutes, for a total of five times, and no time window is specified for the job, the job will normally run immediately after the automatic compilation at midnight. The result would run separate job occurrences at 12:00 AM, 12:05, 12:10, 12:15 and 12:20. If you manually create the schedule after 12:20 without this setting checked, none of the occurrences will be added to the schedule.

    By selecting the For today’s repeating Jobs with no time window, start repeating ASAP option, all five occurrences will run after the schedule is re-created. For example, if you create the schedule at 4:00 PM, separate occurrences run at 4:00 PM, 4:05, 4:10, 4:15 and 4:20.

Job Activity Pane

About the Job Activity Pane

The Job Activity pane is the key to monitoring and controlling job operations. Within the bounds of your security policy, you can view either the jobs and job groups that are owned by you and owned by any workgroups to which you belong or all the jobs and job groups on the Master. For detailed information about the Job Activity pane, see Job Activity Interface.

To display the Job Activity pane, click Operations>Job Activity on the Navigation pane.

Context Menu

Right-clicking in the Job Activity pane displays a context menu providing easy access to job control functions.

Display Customization

The Job Activity pane display can be customized to suit your monitoring needs.

You can:

  • Sort jobs alphabetically by any column or intelligently by a status order you specify.

  • Filter jobs by job status, job name, agent assignment or owner. This can be used to view only the job occurrences that are important to you.

  • Modify column widths to accommodate long or short text.

  • Modify pane sizes. You can adjust any pane to accommodate the desired information.

Job Control

From the Job Activity pane, you can perform job control functions (rerun a job, check dependencies, hold a job, etc.). For example, if a job requires Operator release (such as when the job must ensure that an external resource is free before the job starts), you (as the Operator) can manually release the job from the Job Activity pane using the Release control command.