Example Batch Job Sequence
Key concepts and entities, described below, are used within a SLIK
database. Typically each entity or table contains a unique identifier that is
used to relate the various records together.
A DataSource
can be thought of as the name of a database.
It refers to the ODBC DataSource. The
ODBC DataSource must be set up on the SLIK server using the ODBC Administrator
. A DataSource typically encapsulates a machine name, a
database name and possibly a user login and password.
SLIK itself uses a data source to specify the location of the SLIK
control database. This is typically called “SLIKDB” or
“MACHINENAME_SLIKDB”.
The TableName entity allows you to define the tables that reside in a
particular DataSource
. Tables
can be used as source and/or destination
tables. SLIK
provides a facility to automatically import a particular database’s tables and
columns. SLIK uses these static
table and column details during the process of defining a table or column map.
A Batch record contains a descriptive name and a schedule of when a
particular batch is to execute. A
batch record must contain at least one Job.
The scheduling mechanism supports daily, weekly or monthly schedules with
a frequency of either one-time only or multiple executions at specified
intervals over a given period.
The SLIK Auto-Startup and Auto-Shutdown Batches allow you to define special batches that will run on startup and shutdown. These must be named '<SLIK Auto-Startup>' and '<SLIK Auto-Shutdown> respectively.
A Job
details
a particular operation
. Operations can be one of the following Operation Types:
|
Operation Type |
Description |
|
Alert Operator message |
Error or custom defined message. |
|
Column Mapping transfer |
Mapping specific columns between source and destination tables. |
|
EDI Export |
Mechanism to export flat files. |
|
EDI Import |
Mechanism to import flat files. |
|
Execute Command |
Command string. |
|
File Operation |
Copy, move, remove or concatenate files. |
|
File Test |
Batch/job testing mechanism. |
|
FTP Transfer |
FTP operation for transferring files between hosts. |
|
Goto Job |
Prescribe next step for batch processing. |
|
Group Variable |
Allows use of symbolic variables to use one operation across multiple sets of data. |
|
Halt Batch |
Stops batch processing. |
|
Iterate Collection |
Instructs one operation to run across multiple values (rows). |
|
Map Drive |
Maps remote drives. |
|
OneWorld Report (UBE) |
Launches an existing OneWorld report. |
|
OW SubSystem |
Runs a OneWorld sub system report. |
|
Polled Statement |
Executes an SQL statement or database procedure that returns a result. |
|
Sleep Period |
Time value that suspends processed for the specified period in seconds. |
|
SLIK Batch |
Allows for sub-batches that can be incorporated into top level Batch records. |
|
SQL Statement |
Houses valid SQL statements. |
|
Table Mapping Transfer |
Mapping specific source tables to destination tables. |
Each of these operations needs to be predefined in its respective table
before you can link it to a job
. A job is related to a batch record and will include details
of the sequence in which the batch jobs run.
The following screen shows the SLIK Interface Designer window.
The Job items located in the right-hand window are those associated with
the SLIK Batch selected in the left-hand window.
The Sequence column and number system indicates the sequence the jobs
will run within the Batch.
The SLIK server
maintains in memory a list of runtime variables that can be
embedded into the text of SQL statements. This
allows the user to refer to common SLIK values symbolically rather than
explicitly having to hard-wire them as literals in the text.
Each instance of the variable must be preceded with a dollar ($) sign
(eg, $batch_id). Runtime variables are case sensitive.
For example: to call the database procedure RUNUBE with the job
id of the last transfer run then the SQL Statement
text would read; “EXEC RUNUBE $transfer_job_id”.
Reference to Appendix 1: Runtime
variables
for a list of SLIK runtime variables.