Variables

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You can use IBM® Cognos® Command Center variables to dynamically substitute values into processes, tasks, and file resources at run time.

Variables are expanded at run time just before the Cognos Command Center server streams task definitions and file resources to agents. The syntax for a variable is $(VarName).

Variables can be nested recursively. For example, if you have two variables:

FIRST = A

SECOND = x$(FIRST)x

Then $(SECOND) is expanded to xAx.

There are three types of variables:
  • Environment variables that are defined on the ecosystem view. They are visible to all processes and file resources within the ecosystem.
  • Process variables that are defined on the process view. Process variables are only visible inside the parent process.
  • System variables that are visible to all processes and file resources.

Environment variables

Environment variables can have different values within each environment. The following properties can be set for environment variables and process variables.
Encrypt
Causes the values in the Cognos Command Center repository to be encrypted. Typically, you encrypt passwords or other sensitive data. Encrypted text is not visible to users that have read-only access to the system.
Prompt
Makes the variable a required input field when a process in this ecosystem is manually run. For example, a prompt for password and host opens when the user manually starts the list directory process:

Process variables

Process variables have only a single value, regardless of the environment in which the process is run. They are defined in the Process Properties window.
Encrypt
Causes the values in the Cognos Command Center repository to be encrypted. Typically, you encrypt passwords or other sensitive data. Encrypted text is not visible to users that have read-only access to the system.
Prompt
Makes the variable a required input field when a process in this ecosystem is manually run. For example, a prompt for password and host opens when the user manually starts the list directory process.

System variables

System variables are built-in variables that give access to runtime information for the process and its tasks.
Attention: Do not use the words Last and LastSuccess as the optional [name] indexer: these words are reserved names and can conflict with the 'Access previous process runs' variable, for example $(Process[LastSuccess].Start) .

The following table shows the set of available system variables.

Table 1. System variables
Variable Description Examples
Date{format} Provides the current date and time.

The output format is specified by the optional {format} argument.

$(Date) => "11/30/11"

$(Date{yyyy/MM/dd}) => "2011/11/30"

$(Date{HH:mm:ss}) => "14:35:44"
Process[name].Environment The name of the environment that the process is running in.

To reference a different process, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

In the example, PROD is the name the user gave the environment in the ecosystem.

 $(Process.Environment) => PROD
Process[name].Duration{format} The duration of the process.

The output format is specified by the optional {format} argument. The {format} argument can have the following values:

seconds - formats the duration as the number of seconds.

long - formats the duration as hh:mm:ss.

To reference a different process than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

 $(Process.Duration) => "00:12:48"

$(Process.Duration{seconds}) => 768

$(Process.Duration{long}) => "00:12:48"
Process[name].JobId A unique identifier of the process.

To reference a different process than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

 $(Process.JobId) => 18654
Process[name].Name The name of the process that is running.

To reference a different process than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

 $(Process.Name) => "Stop Hyperion Services"
Process.NextRun{format} The next scheduled run of the process.

Expands to an empty string if the process is not scheduled.

$(Process.NextRun) => "11/30/11 14:35:00
Process[name].Start{format} The start time of the process.

The output format is specified by the optional {format} argument.

To reference a different process than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

 $(Process.Start) => "11/30/11 14:35:44"
Process[name].State The state of the last run of the process. 

To reference a different process, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

 $(Process.State) ==> "Running"

$(Process[My name]).State) ==> "Failed"

Process[name].User The name of the user that started the process. Use the $(User) variables for access to the user's email, phone, or other fields.

To reference a different process than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

 $(Process.User) => "John Doe"
Process[name].Url A URL to the process details page of Cognos Command Center web.

To reference a different process than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

 $(Process.Url)=> "https://localhost:8180/Process/ Details/42"
Task[Name].Duration{format} The duration of the task.

To reference a different task than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

See the Process.Duration{format} variable for the usage of the format argument.

$(Task.Duration) => "00:12:48"

$(Task.Duration{seconds}) => 768
Task[name].ExitCode The exit code of a task.

To reference a different task than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

 $(Task[My Name].ExitCode) => "1"
Task[name].End {format} The end time of a task. $(Task.End) => "11/30/11 14:35:44"
Task.Name The name of the current task. $(Task.Name) = "Start Essbase"
Task[name].Start {format} The start time of the task.

To reference a different task than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

The output format is specified by the optional {format} argument.

$(Task[My Name].Start{hh:mm}) => "07:22 PM"
Task[name].State The state of a task.

To reference a different task than the current one, the optional [name] indexer can be used.

The variable expands to one of the following strings: NotStarted, Running, Pausing, Paused, Canceling, Canceled, Failed, Completed

 $(Task.State) => "Completed"

$(Task[My Name]).State => "Completed"

Task[name].Url A URL to the task details page of IBM Cognos Command Center Web. $(Task.Url) => "https://localhost:8180/
User Shorthand for User.Email. $(User) => "john.doe@acme.com"
User.Email The email field for the user that started the process $(User.Email) => "john.doe@acme.com"
User.Name The name field for the user that started the process. $(User.Name) => "John Doe"
User.Phone The phone field for the user that started the process. $(User.Phone) => "866.756.7827"

Access previous process runs

You can access information on previous process runs by indexing the process variable. The syntax is $(Process[indexer].Variable{format}), where indexer can be one of the following:
  • Last - the last run of the process. For example, $(Process[Last].Duration) returns the duration of the last run of the process.
  • LastSuccess - the last successful run of the process. For example, $(Process[LastSuccess].Start) returns the start time of the last successful run of the process.

Date and time value variables format

For date and time value variables, the optional {format} argument is a format specifier that determines the output format.

The following table shows the most common format specifiers

Table 2. Common format specifiers
Format Specifier Description
d Day, 1 digits: 1-31
dd Day, 2 digits: 01-31
h Hours, 12 hour clock, 1 digit: 1-12 a.m./p.m.
hh Hours, 12 hour clock, 2 digits: 01-12 a.m./p.m.
H Hours, 24 hour clock, 1 digit: 0-23
HH Hours, 24 hour clock, 2 digits: 00-23
m Minutes, 1 digit: 0-59
mm Minutes, 2 digits: 00-59
M Month, 1 digit: 1-12
MM Month, 2 digits: 01-12
s Seconds, 1 digit: 0-59
ss Seconds, 2 digits: 00-59
utc Universal time coordinates in the format yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'Z'. For example, 2015-10-23T21:33:42Z
yy Year 2 digits: 00-99
yyyy Year 4 digits: 0000-9999

Separator characters, such as . , : /, are copied to the output. For example, $(Date{yyyy/MM/dd}) => 2011/12/31 or $(Date{HH:mm})=> 21:08.