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Version: OpCon

Job Dependencies

Each OpCon job can depend on one or more OpCon jobs. These dependencies help to maintain the workflow. Dependencies can be internal to one schedule, defined across schedules, and defined across schedule dates.

The following information applies to defining job dependencies:

  • Predecessor Schedule Name: Defines the name of the schedule containing the Predecessor Job. The dependent schedule can be the same as the schedule Name, or any other single- or multi-instance schedule or subschedule.

  • Predecessor Job Name: Defines the name of the dependent job that the Successor Job depends on. In most cases, the Predecessor Job Name must be different than the Job Name. If a job needs to be dependent on itself across days, set the Offset to an value other than zero. In this case, the dependent Job Name can be the same as the Job Name.

    If a job depends on a multi-instance job, the dependency applies to all instances of the dependent job that exist when the job processes.
  • Predecessor Instance Name: Defines the name of the schedule instance to be used for the Predecessor Job.

    The Instance Name drop-down will only be available for Multi-Instance Schedules. The * (asterisk) option represents all instances.
  • Dependency Type: Defines the type of job dependency. Refer to the Dependency Types table.

  • Options: Defines the options that are set for the defined dependency. Refer to the Dependency Options Details table.

  • Successor Frequency Name: Defines the name of the frequency if the job dependency is defined for a specific frequency.

    • Leave the frequency blank to associate the job dependency at the job level and always include the dependency for the job.
    • Select a frequency name to associate the job dependency only when the job runs with the associated frequency.
  • Successor Instance Name: Defines the name of the schedule instance for the job.

Dependency TypeDescription
AfterThe job waits until the dependent job completes.
  • If the dependent job does not exist in the Daily tables, the dependency is resolved immediately.
  • If the dependent job exists in the Daily tables, it must complete before the dependency is resolved.
ConflictThe job cannot start if the dependent job is running.
  • The Conflict dependency should be defined for all jobs involved in the conflict.
Example
If Job A is set up with a conflict dependency on Job B, then Job B should also be set up with a Conflict dependency on Job A.
ExcludeThe job removes the dependent job from the Daily schedule during the Schedule Build process.
  • If the excluded job is a Container job and the subschedule is already built, the subschedule is also removed.
  • If a job to be excluded is already running or finished, it is too late for that job to be excluded; therefore, you should build all related schedules before their start time. This ensures the build process has time to handle all the exclusions before any of the schedules start.
RequiresThe job waits until the dependent job exists in the Daily tables and completes.
  • If the dependent job does not exist in the Daily tables, the dependency cannot be resolved. The job remains in a Wait Job Dependency status until a user force starts the job to override the dependency, or the dependent job is added to the Daily schedule and completes.
Dependency OptionDescription
Check All Days (C)
  • Enables the SAM to check all days listed in Schedule Operations.
  • This option is only available only when the Conflict dependency type is defined.
Failed
  • If selected, this indicates that the dependency can be resolved when the dependent job fails.
  • This option is only available when the After or Requires dependency type are defined.
Finished OK
  • If selected, this indicates that the dependency can be resolved when the dependent job finishes OK.
  • This option is only available when the After or Requires dependency type are defined.
Ignore Exit Code (E)
  • If selected, this indicates that the dependency can be resolved whether the dependent job finishes OK or fails.
  • This option is only available when the After or Requires dependency type are defined.
Job Name Like (L)
  • For Conflict dependencies, this enables the SAM to check all jobs beginning with the characters specified for the dependent Job Name.
  • Use underscores (_) as single-character wildcards in the text for a wider search.
  • This option is only available with the Conflict dependency type.
Example
If the characters "JobA" are defined for the dependent job, "JobA12," "JobAspecial," and "JobAbc" would be checked for a Conflict dependency.
Offset
  • Defines the number of days offset from the schedule date to check for the dependent schedule and job. This setting enables the SAM to check for dependencies across schedule dates. A positive offset checks future schedule dates while a negative offset checks a schedule date in the past.
  • Default value is 000.
  • Valid values range is 000 - 999.
  • The option is available with all dependency types except Excludes. The option is not available for job dependencies defined within a multi-instance schedule.
Note: If the Schedule Name is a multi-instance schedule and the dependent schedule is the same schedule, the Day Offset is not available. Multi-instance schedules can only have internal same day dependencies or valid cross-schedule dependencies.