User Guide > UserInterface > Explorer > Explorer

Explorer

General Information

The Explorer is the central window of the UserInterfaceThis is the Automation Engine's graphical user interface. [Formerly called the "Rich Client", "RichGUI" and "Dialog Client."]. You can use it to edit, display, administer and execute objects. Its structure and handling is basically identical to Windows Explorer.

The Explorer window is divided into two parts. The left half shows the folders of a clientA closed environment within an Automation Engine system where you can create and run objects. A client name consists of a 4-digit number that must be indicated when a user logs on to the Automation Engine system. Users and their rights are also defined in clients. A particular Automation Engine object type.. A newly created client initially only includes the<No Folder> folderTop level entities such as Environment, Deployment Target, Activity, … are stored in folders. The permissions a user has on an entity depend on the permissions that are set on the folder for the entities.. It includes objects that have been restored after they have been deleted, for example. You can specify the folders of a client that can be used in the authorization system. By doing so, you can limit the access of users to folders and subfolders.

The right half of the Explorer includes the objects of the folder that is currently open. The objects can be displayed with large icons, as a listShows entities in a grid view or with details. Use the popup-menu command View in the UserInterface (right-click without highlighting an objectAutomation Engine controlled activities and processes are structured in the form of objects. See also: Task) for this purpose. You can also sort objects by name, object type, title, and creation or modification date. Do so by clicking on the particular column title.

The statusThis represents the condition of a task (such as active, blocked, generating). bar in the bottom window edge displays the number of objects in a particular folder and the number of objects that are currently selected.

Within a UserInterface, you can use several Explorers and access objects that are sorted, selected or displayed according to different criteria. Open a new Explorer by clicking the corresponding toolbar button. You can also use the Explorer... command in the File menu. Use the Window menu in the UserInterface in order to switch between Explorer windows.


Folder

In your own client, you can create any number of folders and structure them by using subfolders. You can organize them as you like. Note that you can also assign different access rights to different users. The only limitations is that the names of folders of the same hierarchy must be unique. Folders of the same names must only be used as subfolders of different folders.

Action Description
New object ...
New folder

You can create a folder by using the New object or New folder command in the File menu of the UserInterfaces or the popup-menu command New... (right click). You can also use the toolbar buttons.

The characters A-Z, 0-9, $, @, _, -, . can be used for names (max. 180 digits). You can also specify a folder title.

  Delete You can only delete a folder if it does not include subfolders. Otherwise, you must delete the subfolders first. Highlight the folder that should be deleted and use the Delete command in the File menu of the UserInterface or the context menu, or the button in the toolbar. Objects that are stored in the folder are not deleted but moved to <No Folder>. If there are links to one of these objects, the oldest link is deleted and the object is copied to this link.
Duplicate Use duplicate in order to create a new folder. The objects that it includes are not duplicated. The new folder includes links to these objects instead (see below).

 


Objects

Objects are the exactly defined tasks that can be edited, displayed, administered and executed in the Explorer. You can also access their statisticsThis is a list of a task's previous runs. and reports.

Action Description
New object

You can create an object by clicking the button in the toolbar, by using the corresponding command of the New... menu in the UserInterface, or you can use the New... command in the context menu (right click). Within a client, the object name must be unique. The following characters are allowed: A-Z, 0-9, $, @, _, -, . (not more than 200 characters). You can also specify an object title.

Note that the suggested default object name can also include a counter. The administrator can specify the corresponding settings in the variableIt stores or retrieves values dynamically at runtime. An individual Automation Engine object type. UC_OBJECT_COUNTER.

Duplicate
Duplicate to...

Creates an identical copy of one or several objects in the current folder. The name that is suggested is the original object name plus the appendix .NEW.1, .NEW.2 etc. depending on the number of highlighted objects. You can use the Duplicate to command in order to select a target folder for the duplicated objects.

Within an AE system, you can also use the drag & drop functionPre-defined run book template in the Automation Engine. One single step only, e.g. Start Windows Service, Copy file,… to copy objects from one client to another. Keep the following information in mind:

Link to...

Stores a file link in the selected target folder. Press the shift key before you move an object or a link, and a link is also created in the target folder.

A small arrow in the icon identifies links. Specific menu commands are available:

  • Open home folder: Opens an Explorer window that displays the folder in which the object is stored.
  • Set home folder: The object and the link that is used to call the command change places.

The home folder is the folder in which an object is created or duplicated, or to which it is imported.

Links have always the same name as the object to which they refer. If you rename the object, all links are also renamed.

If you want to delete a link, you require write access to the folder in which this link is stored.

Move to... Moves the highlighted objects to the selected target folder. You can also use the drag and drop function in order to move objects between folders. If you want to move a particular object, highlight it in the right Explorer section and drag it, by holding the mouse button pressed, to the folder in the left Explorer section.
  Delete

Deletes an object from all folders. To delete an object, highlight it and use the button or select Delete in the File menu of the UserInterface or in the context menu.  If the object that should be deleted is used in other objects such as a Workflow or a Schedule objectIt starts executable objects periodically. A particular Automation Engine object type., a query displays in order to verify whether the object should really be deleted. Deleted objects are moved to the Recycle Bin and can be restored if necessary.

Rename

Opens a field in which you can change the object's name and title. Do so by highlighting the object and press the F2 key or select Rename in the File menu of the UserInterface or the context menu. A name field opens in which you can edit the object's name. The following characters are allowed: A-Z, 0-9, $, @, _, -, . (not more than 200 characters). If the object that should be renamed is used in other objects such as a Workflow or Schedule object, a security query displays in order to verify whether the object should also be renamed in these objects. A dialogue opens if you confirm this query (Yes). Select all the applications from the list in which the names should be replaced.

If you decide that objects that are used in other objects should not be renamed, you can cancel the "Replace use" dialog. In this case, only the object itself is renamed. 

If a workflowAn object of the Automation Engine that can include several executable objects and which runs them in a specified order. [Formerly called "ProcessFlow" and "JobPlan."] uses the same taskAn executable object that is running. Tasks are also referred to as activities. several times, all these tasks are replaced.

Entries can only be replaced in Include objects and Process tabs if the administrator has activated the SEARCH_SCRIPT_FOR_USAGE key in the variable UC_CLIENT_SETTINGS. Otherwise, a warning is displayed.

You cannot replace users in UserGroup objects. This is a security measure that serves to prevent from a regular userIn the Automation Engine, a user is an instance of a User object, and generally the user is a specific person who works with Automic products. The User object is assigned a user ID and then a set of access rights to various parts of the Automation Engine system and product suite. These access rights come in the form of Automation Engine authorizations and privileges, Decision user roles and EventBase rights and ARA web application object rights. You can manage all these centrally in the ECC user management functions. See also, Unified user management. being assigned to a groupAn Automation Engine object type that integrates tasks so that they can be processed together. that has administrator rights. However, you can replace users in other objects such as notifications.

  Print Highlight the object that should be printed and use the symbol in the toolbar. To select another printer than your default printer, click the symbol. A print preview opens. Click the symbol again and select the printer of your choice.

The availability of the individual Explorer functions that are described above depends on authorizations.
Different users of a client can use completely different folder structures. This includes that commands that are activated through the UserInterface's menu or the Explorer's context menu depend on the objects that are currently highlighted.

 

See also:

Context menu of the Explorer

 


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