External Processes
External Processes allows users to view and clear long running processes in CE. A long running process is a process whose execution time will likely exceed the 30 seconds of a normal web page time out. For example: calculations, document building, reports.
CE launches long running processes as separate applications. To communicate between CE and the long running processes, records are written to the CE database that track the launch, execution and completion of these processes. The External Processes tool displays all long running processes that have been run.
Users can view the status of these processes (percent complete, messages), can cancel processes that are currently running and can delete old processes.
External Process is reached from the Main Menu, System → External Process
This takes the user to the External Processes grid. For more on grid navigation, click here.
Cancelling a Process
While External processes are running, their row in the grid will have a Cancel button. Clicking the Cancel button will send a kill command to the External process causing it to stop processing and close.
Deleting Old Process Records
To delete old process records, first select single or multiple records. To learn more about selecting records click here. Then click the Delete button in the grid toolbar.
External Process Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| External Process ID | Unique system generated ID when the external process was started. |
| Process Type | The type of process (Example: Calculations, Document Build) |
| Entered By | The User ID of the User who started the external process. |
| Submit Date | The start date/time of the external process. |
| Last Updated Date | The last time that the external process updated the external process record in the CE database. |
| Status | Current status of the external process. Possible values are New (process just created), Started (the external process has begun execution), Success (the process completed successfully), Failed (some exception occurred during processing), Cancel Requested (the process has had a cancel request), Cancelled (the process was cancelled). |
| GUID | A unique system generated ID. This ID may be used by the external process in creation of temporary file or database records. |
| Process ID | All software runs within an operating system concept known as “a process,” and each program running on a system is, therefore, assigned its own process ID, or PID. This Process ID can be used by server administrators to kill an external process. |
| Input Parameter | The information CE sent to the External Process. |
| Major % Complete | The overall (approximate) percent complete of the external process. Indicates progress of the external process. |
| Major Message | A message returned from the external process. |
| Minor % Complete | The (approximate) percent complete of a subtask within the external process. Indicates progress of the external process. |
| Minor Message | A message returned from the external process. |
| Result Message | Information returned from the external process. |
| Result URL | Information returned from the external process. |
| Cancel Request Date | If Cancel was clicked, the date/time the cancel was requested. |
| Cancel Request By | If Cancel was clicked, the User ID of the User who requested the cancel. |
