Workflows automatically get blocked when job is ENDED_LOST

Products

• CA Automic Workload Automation - Automation Engine
• CA Automic One Automation

Issue/Introduction

Workflows unexpectedly enter a blocked state when a job or task finishes with an ENDED_LOST status. Even if task-level post-conditions (such as ANY_ABEND) are configured to handle the error or modify the status, the workflow ignores these conditions and blocks.

Environment

Version: ALL

Cause

This is by design.  The blocking behavior is governed by a specific system variable located in the UC_HOSTCHAR_DEFAULT - Host Characteristics object.

Within this variable, there is a setting called BLOCK_ON_LOST.

• What it does: This entry explicitly defines the action a workflow should take if one of its jobs changes its status to ENDED_LOST (System Return Code 1815).

• Default Value: The default value out-of-the-box is YES.

Because this is a global host-level configuration, when BLOCK_ON_LOST is set to YES, the engine is hardcoded to automatically block the workflow the moment the job registers as ENDED_LOST. This system-level rule preempts task-level Post Conditions, which is why the workflow blocks even though your ANY_ABEND postcondition correctly triggers and resolves.

Resolution

To prevent workflows from automatically blocking and instead allow your Post Conditions and dependencies to drive the logic, you need to change this variable:

1. Go to Client 0000.

2. Open your Host Characteristics variable (UC_HOSTCHAR_DEFAULT or your custom UC_HOSTCHAR_<SUFFIX> if you are using specific agent configurations).

3. Locate the BLOCK_ON_LOST key.

4. Change the value from YES to NO.

Changing this to NO instructs the workflow not to automatically block on ENDED_LOST. This will allow your ANY_ABEND postcondition and other dependency settings to successfully govern what happens next in the workflow without requiring a manual unblock. No agent restart is required for this change to take effect.

Additional Information

More information can be found in the documentation under UC_HOSTCHAR_DEFAULT => BLOCK_ON_LOST