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Variables Exist 

Jun 13, 2012 09:42 AM

Variables Exist

Component definition

This component checks all variables in a model to determine if they contain any value. If the variables have null value, the component exits through the "false" path. If the variables have value, the component exits through the "true" path.

This component can also expose any data that exists but lies outside the path of components that need to use it. It can see data anywhere in its model (even data from which it is not downstream) and make that data accessible on its own stream.

Component icon

Description of component output paths

Unknown

The component output paths are described in the following table:

Property

Description

true

Unknown

false

Unknown

Description of component tabs and their properties

The properties on the Configuration tab in the Variable Exist component are listed and described in the following table:

Property

Description

Declare Variable Added If Exists

Unknown

Variable Definition

Unknown

Declare As Optional Variable Definition

Unknown

The properties on the Settings tab in the Variable Exist component are listed and described in the following table:

Property

Description

Component Class Name

The class name of this component. This property is not editable, but useful if you call Symantec support.

Description

The description of this component. This property lets you describe how the component is used. You can use it to provide any wanted documentation for this component.

This description is included in the model reports that are created when you click Plugins > Generate Business Model.

Location

The physical location of the top left point of this component on the workflow model.

Name

The name of this component. You can change the name.

If you changed the component name when you double-clicked it on the workflow model, the changed name appears here.

Override Background Color

This property lets you change the background color of this component.

To Do

This property lets you record what you still need to do with the component. Use this property to help you remember the configuration that you want to apply to this component.

The text that you enter for this property appears at the bottom of the component editor. If you enter text for this property, a checklist symbol appears on the component in the workflow model.

Is Enabled

This property lets you enable or disable the component. By default, components are enabled. When a component is disabled, it has no effect on the Project. Uncheck Is Enabled to disable the component.

  • Execution Outcome

    If a component with more than one outcome path is disabled, you must select which outcome path you want the component to take. Click the Execution Outcome drop-down list and select the outcome path for the workflow to follow.

  • Disabled Mapping

    If the component has output parameters, you must configure all output parameters with fixed data to pass on. This configuration can be performed in the Disabled Mapping option.

Connection information

Not applicable

Component settings

Unknown

Use cases

Here is an example use for the Variables Exist component:

  • Exception handling

    Down an exception path, many process variables are not accessible. The Variables Exist component makes them accessible.

Exception handling

Scenario: The amount of disk space gets too low on a server. An email is sent to the server administrator with a low disk space warning. If the email fails to send, the process follows the exception path and creates a log entry.

Process: This process is created as a Monitoring Project type.

The following screen shot shows the process:

A GetComputerInfo component checks a server and then it returns information to the process. A Number Range Rule component checks the remaining disk space and takes action if the disk space is low. Depending on how low the disk space is, one of two emails is sent to the server administrator.

If the emails fail, the server administrator has no way of knowing that the server is about to run out of disk space.

An Exception Trigger by Components component watches the email components for failure. If one fails, an exception is triggered and the workflow jumps to the exception component.

Before a log entry can be created, the Create Log Entry component needs to have access to process data from the GetComputerInfo component. Because the Create Log Entry component is not downstream from this component, it cannot see its data. The Variables Exist component makes this data available to the log components.

The following screen shot shows the editor for the Variables Exist component:

The variable ComputerInfo is checked. This variable is added to the data stream and used by the Create Log Entry component. The two lists that are seen here contain the same list of variables. The difference between the two lists: the list on the top treats selected variables as required variables, whereas the bottom list treats selected variables as optional variables. If any of the variables that are selected in the top list are not found, the component exits through the "false" path. If any of the variables that are selected in the bottom list are not found, the component exits through the "true" path, but only if all of the required variables (in the top list) are present. If you select only optional variables and none are found, the component exits through the "false" path.

The variable ComputerInfo is designated as a required variable. Also, the "Declare Variable Added If Exists" option is checked. If the variable is found to have value, the Variables Exist component exposes the data to all components after it.

If the Variables Exist component finds that ComputerInfo has value, it exits through the "true" outcome path into the first log component. If it finds that ComputerInfo has no value, it exits through the "false" outcome path into the second log component.

The following screen shot shows the first Create Log Entry editor:

These two screens are the Create Log Entry editor and its text editor. The log message contains process variables from the GetComputerInfo component, showing how much disk space remains on the server. The Variables Exist component provides these variables.

The second log component is configured exactly like this one, except that it does not include the variables.

Other components in this example are as follows:

  • GetComputerInfo

  • Number Range Rule

  • Send Email

  • Exception Trigger by Components

  • Create Log Entry

The Variables Exist component can handle multiple variables. This component also lets you use variables as either required or optional. You can declare some variables optional. If only some of the variables exist, the component still uses the True outcome path.

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