Omniscope Scheduler

The Scheduler is an automation tool that comes with Omniscope Enterprise Edition. The Scheduler is a graphical application requiring no commands or development skills. The Scheduler allows you to define a number of highly customisable tasks according to a recurring schedule. These tasks are typically related to .IOK /.IOM files, involving actions such as refreshing data and distributing updated .IOK/.IOM or DataPlayer .SWF files. Scheduler tasks can also include more complex integration actions such as deploying a time-stamped file to a server or downloading a .CSV file.

The Scheduler is configured using existing Omniscope .IOK/.IOM files which act as Templates configured as you want all future refreshed files to appear. The Scheduler manages future updates to these files from the defined data source(s) according to a schedule. The Scheduler can also manage distribution of the refreshed files by email or FTP it to a website, or add timestamps (for example), as part of the schedule.

The Watch folder

The Omniscope Scheduler includes other processes as well as the scheduling loop. One of these is the  'watch folder' process. This process watches a folder continuously while the Scheduler is running. Any Action.XML files dropped into this folder are removed and executed immediately. More information

Installation and requirements

The Scheduler installer is included in the installation file, but is a separate application found in the Visokio installation group folder accessed from the Windows Start button. The Scheduler is time-triggered, intended to be installed on a continuously-running Windows server (or any spare PC), and requires a user to be logged in to run. Please note:

• Running as a Windows Service is fully supported
• Running on a non-Windows server is not yet available.
• Before running the Scheduler with Omniscope and DataPlayer Studio,
  you need to have activated your Enterprise Edition installation.

Concepts/Definitions

• An Action describes the work to be done.
• A Task is an Action combined with a Schedule.
• Any number of Tasks can be executed in sequence by the Scheduler according to each schedule
• A Schedule comprises one or more Recurrences
  (e.g. "every 7 days, starting on {date}, ending on {date}").

Using the Scheduler

The Scheduler is a separate application that is started from the Windows Visokio Program Group. The Scheduler is not started from within another Visokio application. You can have only one instance of the Scheduler running at a time. When you start the Scheduler, this small window is displayed, and after a short pause, the Scheduler window will appear:

Scheduler log page URL: Click the "Scheduler log" link to see a web page (only available locally) listing the latest output of the Scheduler process. Use this log page to watch the Scheduler working away (hit refresh in your browser frequently). You can also use this log page to look for error/success messages. Pause/Stop Commands: Use the Pause checkbox to freeze the Scheduler. No further tasks will be executed until you un-tick Pause. If a task is already executing, it will continue to finish. Click Stop to stop and close the Scheduler. This will abort any executing task mid-process. Editing Task, Schedules & Settings:Click Edit tasks, schedules and settings to open the Scheduler configuration dialog. All changes you make in this dialog (and sub-dialogs) will not be committed or take effect until you click OK and return to the main Scheduler window.

Scheduler Configuration Dialogue

• Click Add to add a new task - this will prompt you to configure an action before showing the Task dialog
• Select an existing task from the list and click Edit selected to edit it - this will show the Task dialog
• Select an existing task from the list and click Remove to delete it

Starting with version 2.3, the Visokio Scheduler can be used in a "non-forked" mode enabling non-forked task execution. In the Scheduler settings dialog, "Fork scheduled execution", when un-ticked, allows scheduled tasks to execute in the same Java VM process as the Omniscope scheduling loop. This avoids the JVM startup time which can save over 10 seconds. Additionally, a timings option has been added to "chain action" and "file action" allowing you to analyse performance.

Configuring Scheduler Actions

Examples: Below we list a number of worked examples showing how to use the Scheduler for specific actions in downloadable .ZIP files:

Example 1: Live Publishing
Example 2: {more examples coming soon}

General Procedure- types of Scheduler actions:

• File Action opens an .IOK /.FFC file and performs operations with it (e.g. Refresh from source).
• Execute Command Action executes an operating system command
• Resource Action copies, moves, uploads or downloads a file
• Delete Action deletes a file or folder
• Send Email Action sends an email, with optional attachment
• Create Timestamp creates a to-the-second timestamp and performs operations using that text value
• Chain action executes multiple actions with an on-fail action (e.g. open file, refresh, save copy; send email; delete file)

First choose the type of action. The most common action to use is File Action

 

Configuring a File Action

Choose the source file (for example, an .IOK file that you want to refresh and save), by clicking Choose.

Then add the other operations you want.

 

Scheduler Task Dialogue-Edit Task

The Edit Task dialogue is shown below: