Support
2008-06-15T12:33:58Z
We want your opinions/suggestions to the following:

We have an idea that we create an "On error" tab in each Task. In that tab you can control the flow - what happens when a Task fails. This can also currently be done through Conditions but it is more complex.

I am attaching an image of how it could look like:

UserPostedImage

There is nothing special to mention about this but I just want to point out that Run task will work the following way: You can select among the Tasks within the Job. Job execution will move to that Task and then continue forward in order.

We would like your comments to this idea. Thanks.
Henrik
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Tom Tinsley
2008-06-15T14:19:51Z
Henrik,
This looks good for flow control. How would it work if I had two tasks setup to delete two different groups of files? Would it continue to the next file, or to the next task.
Support
2008-06-15T14:27:44Z
If I understand you correctly it is up to you. Remember that you have this setting on each Task. That means, in your case that you can choose, depending on error of the first Task, if you want to continue with the next or stop the Job.

Does that answer your question?
Henrik
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writeco
2008-06-15T20:34:46Z
I like the fact that it is at the task level for optimal control.
Tom Tinsley
2008-06-16T00:44:47Z
I am also looking for the ability to continue on error within the same task. Deleting 3 files from a *.* standpoint, first file deletes, second has a lock on it and fails to delete, continue on error, third file deletes and completes the task.
Support
2008-06-16T07:16:59Z
Tom,

I think your are talking about "what causes/is an error" and we are talking about "what should we do when an error occurs". I think we can combine those. We made a change to the window:

UserPostedImage

In the first select box we have the following options:

* All
* Selected
* All except selected

This will be experimental in the beginning until we find all sources of error and added relevant errors for each Task. But this way you can control what is an error and then later what to do. Taking it further would be to complex (for example: if error X do Y). I think this will give enough flexibility. In your case I guess you don't want to raise any errors while deleting and should work with this window.

If you think this is a good solution we need help identifying what errors and Tasks we should prioritize as this involves a lot of manual work.
Henrik
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GrahamG
2008-06-16T10:29:02Z
Hi Henrik,

I agree this is a much better way to handle things than using Conditions - I was just trying to set-up exactly this scenario whereby if my first task fails then it will exit the job. If I have understood conditions correctly these are pre-task running whereas this new feature is post task. Excellent.

Any chance of this making it into 4.9.4 :-)



Graham

Support
2008-06-16T10:58:30Z
Exactly, these are like post-conditions.

Perhaps we could do that. It will be beta of course because it will take time to implement this on all tasks - and we may not have the time to do this on all tasks at once.

I just want to remind that you that you can upgrade to version 5 for free.
Henrik
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karl
2008-06-17T16:20:55Z
Having done this using conditions I have to say the suggested way sounds a lot better!
ErikC
2008-06-23T08:35:17Z
Hi Henrik,

I think, just like the other repliers, that this is a nice addition to your software.
The combination with the error cause is very good, so thank's TomTinsley for your input. =d>

Is the 'go to task' in the current job probably, you might want to add 'Start a job'. You than have to think about the current flow in the failing job. Do you continue with the next task or stop the current job. I think you have to stop, but this could also be configured.
Uses Visualcron since 2006.
Support
2008-06-23T08:39:42Z
I don't know how limited we should keep it. We rather think of a limited situation that you can choose from existing Tasks within the Job. Otherwise we are risking to putting a complex Condition solution here. But let us think of it for a while.
Henrik
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ErikC
2008-06-23T09:02:34Z
It could indeed become a complex situation. The overview could easily be lost. You might want to have a diagram overview for this where you can see your jobs/tasks and links between them, like a database diagram. That's a lot of work to implement.

The best way is to implement the on error tab like it is now, and see how people react to it and tweak it a bit if necessary.

Uses Visualcron since 2006.
Support
2008-07-07T22:24:16Z
You can test these functions in this beta:

http://www.visualcron.com/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&m=637#637 
Henrik
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Tom Tinsley
2008-07-16T03:09:04Z
Support wrote:

Tom,

I think your are talking about "what causes/is an error" and we are talking about "what should we do when an error occurs". I think we can combine those. We made a change to the window



Sorry, been out for a long while. Studying for my CCNA. I think this is what I am looking for. Perfect.
Tom Tinsley
2008-07-25T00:28:17Z
Support wrote:

Tom,

I think your are talking about "what causes/is an error" and we are talking about "what should we do when an error occurs". I think we can combine those. We made a change to the window



Ok this is not working as expected, of course, because it is not looking as granular as I wish.

Lets take a simple example... Using the Delete Files Task, delete the files C:\Windows\Temp\*.*

Now depending on file locks or other permission issues it could fail on the first file it tries to delete. This means it would not even try the other files. I need enough control so that it could do this. This may require a looping control or maybe something else creative.

This will also help with passing FTP lists into variables and downloading files based off the contents of the list. Retrying maybe once if a file is locked, then moving on to the next in the list.
Support
2008-07-25T00:32:26Z
Hi Tom,

what we need help with is to pick up "errors" like these so we can implement them. We have already built the foundation but need to know what errors you want to catch. Once this error is added you can select it in the list.
Henrik
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Tom Tinsley
2008-07-25T04:07:23Z
Support wrote:

Hi Tom,

what we need help with is to pick up "errors" like these so we can implement them. We have already built the foundation but need to know what errors you want to catch. Once this error is added you can select it in the list.



Do you need the error numbers (codes) or the types of errors. These are WMI error codes?
Support
2008-07-25T08:45:20Z
No, we just need to know which errors you want to prioritize for handling. For this case will will implement the change and get back to you if we have any problems with that.
Henrik
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Tom Tinsley
2008-07-25T20:14:17Z
Support wrote:

No, we just need to know which errors you want to prioritize for handling. For this case will will implement the change and get back to you if we have any problems with that.



Is this what you are looking for?

Delete Files:
No files deleted (All)
No file deleted (individual)

Copy files:
No files copied
Single file not copied
archive attribute not set
could not create folder

Move files:
No Files Moved
Single file not Moved
archive attribute not set
could not create folder

Rename Files:
No files renamed
single file not renamed
archive attribute not set

Similar for all File operations:
Could not open specified folder
Access Denied
Support
2008-07-25T20:16:36Z
Thanks, that is a great start.
Henrik
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ErikC
2008-07-30T08:01:11Z
Just a GUI thingy:

In the error cause of a task, you can select: All errors. I think all the errors should be checked automaticly and you should not be able to change the selections. Now I can still select or unselect errors. So if you don't look closely, you could be mistaken on which errors the task raises an error.
Uses Visualcron since 2006.
lal
2008-08-13T02:37:08Z
Something that would be nice with the "Wait and Retry task x times" would be to have a choice of what to do if it fails after the defined number of tries; it seems like if you are retrying a task, you would want as many choices after a failure after "x retries" as you would if it fails on the first attempt.
Support
2008-08-14T19:44:56Z
lal, there is a great risk that this control will be too complex then to use.
Henrik
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Support
2009-07-31T10:35:07Z
You should checkout the new flow chart in this version:

http://www.visualcron.co...m.aspx?g=posts&t=740 
Henrik
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