ActiveTransfer Server 10.15 | webMethods ActiveTransfer Documentation | Administering ActiveTransfer Agent | Managing Agents, Groups, and Actions | Creating Agent Actions
 
Creating Agent Actions
 
Agent Action Statuses in ActiveTransfer Server
Use this procedure to create actions, configure actions, and associate actions either with all agents available ActiveTransfer Server or with specific agent groups. All agent actions are scheduled.
In an agent action, the primary action on files is to copy from a source location to a destination location, with a few other additional actions to perform on the file.
You can create agent actions in order to transfer files between:
*ActiveTransfer Server and ActiveTransfer Agents.
*ActiveTransfer Server and third-party, remote File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) servers that are accessible to the ActiveTransfer Agent.
*ActiveTransfer Agents and third-party, remote FTP or SFTP servers.
A simple filter Agent action name at the top of the Agent actions page, allows you to narrow the agent actions listed by using the full or partial action name.
*To create an agent action
1. On the navigation pane, click Agents > Agent actions.
2. Click above the action list.
3. In the Add Agent Action dialog box, select how you want to create the action:
*If you want to create a new action that is not based on an existing, similar one, select A new action.
*If you want to create a new action that is similar to one that already exists:
1. Select A copy of an existing action.
2. In the box below, select the action on which you want to base the new one.
4. Type the action name and description in the respective boxes.
The action appears in the action list.
5. Click on the action row to select it.
6. Select Activate.
7. In the Criteria section, select one of the following options:
*All agents, to associate the action with all agents available in ActiveTransfer Server.
*Agents in specific groups, to select agent groups.
Note:
If the time zone of an agent in the group does not match the time zone configured for the action, the action execution fails for the agent.
8. If you have selected Agents in specific groups, then select the agent groups to associate with the action in the Add Agent Groups dialog box:
a. Select an agent group from the available list.
b. Click Select Group.
This button is enabled only when you select a group. You can continue to add more users to the selected group list.
c. Click Add.
9. In the Execute Actions list, follow these steps:
a. Specify when and how often to execute the actions. For detailed information about this field, see Overview.
b. In Time Zone, select the time zone on which to base the action execution.
10. Under the Transfer Definition section, in Source location, specify the source file details and the action to perform on the source file:
Note:
When you enter file path locations, ensure that you end the path with a slash character (“/”) to identify the location as a directory and not a file.
*Select Agent if the file source is on the agent host or on the agent host network. In the Agent field:
*For a file on the agent machine, specify the file location. For example, FILE://C:/documents/bills/.
*For a file on a shared location on the agent network, use the syntax FILE:////host/SharedFolder/. Ensure that the operating system user running the ActiveTransfer Server instance has full access to the shared location on the agent network.
*Select ActiveTransfer Server if the source of the file is an ActiveTransfer Server VFS, and follow these steps:
1. Type the virtual folder name in the text box or use the browse option.
2. If you use the browse button, in the Select virtual folder look up window, select the virtual folder by highlighting the element and click Select.
3. If you want to point to a subfolder in the virtual folder, append the URL in the text box with the details of the subfolder.
Note:
The virtual folder that you select must be on the ActiveTransfer Server instance on which you are configuring the action.
*Select Remote Server if the URL of the file is on a remote, third-party FTP or SFTP server, and follow these steps:
1. Enter the location in the format: protocol://host:port/DestinationFolder/.
2. In the User Name and Password boxes, type the user credentials to access the remote file.
11. In the Transfer Definition section, in Destination location, specify the destination details for the file transfer. The destination can be an agent, an ActiveTransfer VFS, or a remote, third-party location.
12. In the Settings section, choose from the following options:
*Source File Settings
Field
Description
File name filter
The find action is performed based on the search filter specified for file types. For example, you can restrict users from uploading files with .exe extension.
Maximum items to find
The maximum number of files to display when the find action is performed. The default is 0, where all the items that match the search criteria appear.
Rename Files at Source
To rename files at source before copying them to the destination.
The rename argument must include appropriate server variables. For example, {stem}_{ext} or {stem}_{HH}{mm}{ss}.txt. For more information about server variables, see Server Variables.
Rename Files at Destination
To verify the data integrity of the file before moving the file to the destination.
Exclude files that are being updated
To exclude the find action for files that are in-process.
Delete Original Files
To delete the original files at source after they are copied. In effect, this option is the move action, where the file is removed from the source after it is copied to the destination.
Zip Files
To create a ZIP archive at the source, select one of the ZIP options:
Note:
The ZIP operation only includes files in the source folder. It ignores the subfolders.
*Select Create single Zip file to create a single ZIP file.
*Select Create separate Zip file to create a ZIP archive for each individual file separately.
The ZIP file is not unzipped at the destination.
Verify File Checksum
To verify the data integrity of the file before moving the file to the destination.
Note:
This option is enabled only when you select ActiveTransfer Server for either the Source location or Destination location option in the Transfer Definition section.
Create directory in destination if not present
To create a directory in the destination location, if it is not already present.
*Error handling and logging
Select the error handling and logging mechanism in case agent action execution fails.
Field
Description
Fail if no files are found
To enable the agent action execution to fail when no relevant files are found.
Send an email on failure
To allow users to send an email to and from the email address configured with the following details:
*From. Email address of the sender.
*To. Email address of the receiver.
*CC. Email addresses of other recipients.
*Subject. Brief description of the error.
*Body. Detailed description of the error.
This action is applicable for agent action execution failures only when:
*A valid SMTP server is configured in ActiveTransfer Server.
*A connection is established between the agent and ActiveTransfer Server.
*This action is executed on the server-side.
Note:
This action is executed on the server-side.
Execute Integration Server Service on failure
To allow users to browse, select, and trigger the Integration Server service that is configured by the administrator. The user can specify appropriate server variables. For example, {stem}_{ext} or {stem}_{HH}{mm}{ss}.txt.
Note:
This option is enabled only when a connection is established between the agent and ActiveTransfer Server and is executed on the server-side.
Log actions only if files are found
Select this option to log only those actions that find files and result in file transfers or failures. By default, actions are logged when files are found or not, and actions are logged when the actions result in file transfers or failures.
13. Click Save.
ActiveTransfer Server pushes the actions to the relevant agents, and the agent actions are immediately active. You can monitor the status of all action executions in Logs > Agent action log.