Ok, after I turned on logging of active links on the
client, I finally understood how and when things are getting accessed.
First off, I would like to compliment bmc for their exceptional job of making
the save process pretty complicated on their change request form =P
The button on the task form which performs the process in
question, to believe it or not, doesn't get any clickage. In fact, one of
the first things the form does on open is disable that button and enable a
second button that fires totally different workflow. In the end, the save
on the task form does a push fields action to the task form (since it's it opens
as a dialog). Oh, do I dare to mention that there are 4, yes count em 4
buttons the form that "save" the form!!
The change form, on the other hand does call the process,
and through some really complicated workflow re-opens the same window in a
modify state. I wasn't able to find the close window action though before
the window itself was turned into a modify. I saw the open window for
modify but was missing the close. Not sure how the first one gets
closed. Still a mystery.
In the end, I just created a test form that run's that
process with logging on. From the logs, it seems the process does exactly
what the docs say. As it's not calling any other active links.The
process saves the request in "CREATE" mode and does a search in "QUERY"
mode.
Why bmc made this into a process is beyond me, why not just
do a commit? Maybe its because it does one or the other based on the form
mode, I don't know, but would seem like a good guess at this point. Just
glad I wasted a few hours just trying to figure out if I can replace something
that doesn't need to be replaced but instead replace a "close window" action
instead lol.
Oh well, hope this helps some other poor sole that wants to
know what this process does and who needed a little bit of insight to bmc's home
grown apps. lol.
A BIG thank you goes out to James for putting up with
my ranting and help =) and another to Carey.
Bob Halstead
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of McKenzie, James J C-E LCMC HQISEC/L3
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 4:17 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
Robert:
I feel your pain
is the word. The reason that it closes is because most original work comes
from one of the consoles whereas changes are done directly in the form. It
is quite interesting in the thought pattern, and this could be done better as it
was in ITSM 5.5 where the calling form was saved on the called form. If
the form was not called, it was closed and reopened as a modify. If the
form was called, it was called as a dialog, thus you could close the form and
return control to the calling form. I guess this was 'lost' during the
changes between 5.5 and 7.0. The popup ARNOTE is to let the user know that
the task was indeed generated.
Let me know if you
need more assistance.
James
McKenzie
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Halstead, Robert
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 2:36 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
The task is also
calling the RSM:GenericSave AL. On the task, I get a ARNOTE: 41102 (since
it's above 10000, i'm guessing it's just a note), didn't see a message action in
any of the active links off the button so it's within the process. On
the change save, I don't get any ARNOTE. Funny thing though, on the task
save it closes the window. On the change save it re-opens the window in
modify mode. With the change request, It only does the reopen in "CREATE"
mode. If the form is in "SET" mode it doesn't close the window at all and
just saves. Why couldn't bmc just use a simple commit...... It
becomes a pain in the *&%#$# if you want to enhance their app in any way, or
add to it...
Bob Halstead
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of McKenzie, James J C-E LCMC HQISEC/L3
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 3:20 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
Robert:
What is the number
code after the Perform-Action-Apply (if there is one.) If there is no
number, then all that is happening is that the Active Link is doing a commit and
close window in one action. You can feel 'safe' to modify this workflow to
do what I described if the situation is as I described. Otherwise, you
will have to create a set of workflow that compiles with the BMC license
agreement and does what you want it to.
James
McKenzie
L-3
GSI
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Halstead, Robert
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 2:15 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
That is exactly
what I would do, but again, what if the process does something behind the scenes
like set fields in the form or something else that is critical. Fom a
documentation stand point, it would be rather "mean" to have this function do
something that the doc's said it didn't. That's really my only
scare. Trail and error time i guess.
Bob Halstead
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of McKenzie, James J C-E LCMC HQISEC/L3
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 2:57 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
Robert:
You can replace
the workflow with your own custom workflow, but be very careful. I would
either:
1. Disable and
replace this workflow.
2. Create my
own workflow and remove the form from the listing of forms in the
RSH:GernericSave Active Link after making a copy of the AL. I would also
copy the modified AL.
I've done both and
find that 1. is easier if the workflow affects only actions on one form. I
would use two if the workflow affects two or more forms (that is the original
workflow, not your modifications to it.)
James
McKenzie
L-3
GSI
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Halstead, Robert
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 1:46 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
The commit is
actually done by the Perform-Action-Apply, along with the window close.
but again this is just from observation. The save button, it turns out,
fires off an active link called RSH:GenericSave which ONLY calls the
Perform-Action-Apply. which just runs that command. This is probablly
shipped with remedy's change app. Will the active link still fire if I add
a new active link to execute right after the RSH:GenericSave on the same
form? Even if the form closes? Just seems like a sloppy way to get
around this, but if I can't just replace the RSH:GenericSave with a commit
command it will have to do.
Bob Halstead
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of McKenzie, James J C-E LCMC HQISEC/L3
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 2:37 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
Robert:
I would suggest
trying to do the following:
Commit the action
(this maybe caused by the Perform-Action-Apply) and then immediately open the
window in Modify mode where the current user can input more. I'm assuming
one of two things: 1. The user has the ability through either a
Fixed or Float license to modify or 2. The summitter mode is locked so
that users with read licenses can modify only their own summitted actions.
If neither is true, you will have to figure out how to do this.
James
McKenzie
L-3
GSI
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Halstead, Robert
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 1:27 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
Well I would like
to keep the window open for one. Basically he's my process. A user
starts to enter a new change request. They can create tasks for that
change request. In that task they can create an outage which is another
form. They first have to save the task before they can create an
outage.The outage form is passed the taskID. The prcess in question
is assigned to the save button on the task form. The problem is, and it's a
small problem, I would like the keep the task form open after they save
it. Currently this only happens when they are modifing an existing
task. On a new task it automatically closes the form. I was just
wondering if I could replace this process with just a commit command instead,
which is why I would like to know what exactly this process does and the
code/actions behind it. In the end, if it's too much work to just replace
the command I won't do it. But I would like to know for future reference
as it could be a viable command to use in future development.
Bob
Halstead
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of McKenzie, James J C-E LCMC HQISEC/L3
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 2:07 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Perform-Action-Apply
Robert:
I agree with
Carey, do not remove this workflow. However, you may add workflow before
this Active Link. I would look very closely at all of the active links for
this particular form and see if I could move it to a larger sequence number or
bundle your additional workflow into an Active Link Guide and trigger it from
one Active Link.
James
McKenzie
From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Halstead, Robert
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 12:31 PM
To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG
Subject: Perform-Action-Apply
From the Documentation:
PERFORM-ACTION-APPLY
Performs the Apply or Save operation on the current window. For Search windows, the search is performed.
Is this the same as just doing a commit? It seems to do a little bit more, like open a message box and close the window. Anyone know what exactly this process does? I am wondering if I can remove this from our Change Request piece so that I may add more workflow afterwards while the window is open.
Bob
Halstead
