How to set up skip on failure predecessor?

Products

• CA Automic Applications Manager (AM)

Issue/Introduction

The predecessor runs and goes into a failure status. This task is skipped when the predecessor runs and goes into an ineligible status or FINISHED status. How to set up skip on failure predecessor?

Environment

Release: 9.3.x.9.4.x

Component: APPLICATIONS MANAGER

Resolution

To ensure the correct execution of components in a Process Flow, it is important to understand how Applications Manager handles predecessor links.

Predecessor links are critical to the execution of Applications Manager Process Flows. To become proficient at creating Process Flows and adding predecessor links, you will need to understand how the following rules govern the behavior of predecessor links in Applications Manager.

The behavior of some predecessor types may be slightly different than expected. For example, the requirements of a successful; predecessor link are satisfied by things other than the predecessor task finishing with a FINISHED status.

Also, it is important to understand that Success and Failure predecessor links are not opposites. There is some overlap between their requirements. For example, a Success predecessor link will be satisfied if its predecessor task aborts and is removed from the Backlog because its Stay in Queue on abort setting is turned off. A failure predecessor link will also be satisfied in this same scenario because ABORTED is a failure status.

Predecessor Status Groups

Use the following predecessor status groups to help you understand predecessor link requirements.

• The FINISHED status

A status of FINISHED may be displayed briefly in the Backlog when a task successfully completes its operation. Assuming that the Automation Engine is up and running, FINISHED tasks in the Backlog will quickly move to History.

• Ineligible statuses

Ineligible statuses signify that a task is no longer eligible to run. Ineligible statuses include; PW-DELETE, PW-SKIP, STG-SKIP, SkipCond, CANCELLED, DELETED, and INACTIVE. These statuses are displayed in the Backlog. Some ineligible statuses are displayed in History as well.

• Failure statuses

Failure statuses signify a task has failed. Failure statuses include DIED, ABORTED, KILLED, TIMEOUT, and LAUNCH ERROR. They may be displayed in the Backlog or History.

• Interim statuses

Interim statuses signify that a task has failed. Interim statuses include; DEAD, ABORTED, KILL, KILL1, KILLING, TIMEOUT, LAUNCH ERR. They are displayed in the Backlog. Assuming that the Automation Engine is up and running, these tasks will quickly move to History in a Failure status.

Satisfying Each Predecessor Link Type

The requirements for each type of predecessor link to be met are described below:

• Started

The predecessor starts or is skipped.

Started predecessors should never be defined along with other predecessors on the same Job. Doing so could cause the task to stay in a PRED WAIT status even after all predecessor requirements are met.

• Success since the last run

The predecessor runs and goes into an ineligible status or FINISHED status since the last time this Job ran. This link type is only available for external predecessors. These predecessors are used when external predecessors need to be evaluated:

• Across more than one virtual day.
• Multiple times within a virtual day.

 

• Success (default)

The predecessor runs and goes into an ineligible status, FINISHED status, or is removed from the Backlog. For example, a task aborts and moves from the Backlog because it does not have the Stay in Queue on abort setting selected, or the task is manually deleted from the Backlog.

The only difference between a Success and a Success (skip on failure) predecessor is what happens when a task fails.

• Success only when FINISHED

The predecessor runs and goes into a 

FINISHED status

. This link type is only available for external predecessors. If the external predecessor is deleted, it will not satisfy the predecessor link requirements.

• Success (skip on failure)

The predecessor runs and goes into an ineligible execution status or FINISHED status. This task is skipped when the predecessor runs and goes into a failure status. Often used for branching logic. If a task with a Success (skip on failure) predecessor meets Skip requirements, it will be skipped, even if it has additional predecessors within an AND grouping.

• Failure

The predecessor runs and goes into a failure status.

• Failure (skip on success)

The predecessor runs and goes into a failure status. This task is skipped when the predecessor runs and goes into an ineligible status or FINISHED status.

The only difference between a Failure and Failure (skip on success) predecessor is what happens when a task fails. Often used for branching logic.

If a task with a Failure (skip on success) predecessor meets Skip requirements, it will be skipped, even if it has additional predecessors within an AND grouping.

• Complete

The predecessor runs and goes into an ineligible status, a failure status, or a FINISHED status.

Predecessor links will not be satisfied while the predecessor is still in the Backlog and the predecessor's status goes to an 

interim status. This is because interim statuses in the Backlog may be changed by conditions. Once a FINISHED task moves to History, the predecessor link will be satisfied.

Even after a task's predecessor links are met, one or more conditions may also need to be met before the task can run. Or perhaps a condition may take an action that changes the way a task runs.

 

Selecting Link Types for External Predecessors to Process Flows

Complete, Success, Success only when FINISHED, and Success since Last Run are the only link types you use when creating a predecessor to a Process Flow. Success and Complete predecessors are both satisfied based on the Process Flow's completion (when the Process Flow is no longer in an INITIATED status). In neither case does the Applications Manager take the status of the components in the referenced Process Flow into consideration.