Timeevent start time every day differently

[Benedikt Weiler]

Hi guys,

i have an issue with the time event in AE 12.3.

The time event is scheduled to run Mo-Fr, every 60 minutes between 09:00 am and 7:20 pm
The time event is starting a simple workflow

My concern is, that the activation of the event is every day at a different time. I would expect hat the first activation is at 09:00 am
Sometimes its activated at 09:06 or 09:21 or 09:55 (more less one hour later!)

Anyone here who has the same issue?
Does anyone has an idea how to fix it?

Below some prints from the time event object config and the activation times.

Activation last days:

Thanks for your help

regards,
Benedikt

[Carsten Schmitz]

​Hi Benedikt.

Activation of objects can be delayed (by surprising amounts of time) if either the server or the agent are under heavy load, or if the backend database is not responding in time.

Those things would need to be investigated by the usual methods: check CPU load, AE engine load, check the logs around that time for any obvious "long running statement" messages.

BUT I'm not sure if your issue actually is about the activation of the EVNT object at all? Automic has mixed up the terminology again and creates confusion, in that it calls both the activation of the event object, and the checking at set intervals of an already activated event object an "activation". Your screenshot shows the !EVNT object, that's a child object that is triggered when an event "fires". This can also be affected by high system or agent load, but beyond that, for those, I am not sure if it's even by design that one can expect EVNT to trigger at a set time boundary. I have been repeatedly told by Automic that "AE is not a real-time engine", so what you are seing might even be by design and possibly a load mitigation method.

I would run this test: What happens if you set the interval to 5 minutes instead of 60 minutes, will that delay the first firing of the first !EVNT past 9:05? Because then that would definetly be something to file a support ticket about (unless of course you find that too high server or agents load is the cause).

I also have a ticket open at this time for delayed firing of events, but that's about file events, not time events. You might do a search in your log files for the phrase "interval", and if you find suspiciuos messages to the effect of the interval for the event being raised by the time that your events are delayed, then this might be the same root cause I have already ticketed with support.

Hth,

[Benedikt Weiler]

Hi,
thanks for your reply.

i will test that and will share my result
regards,
Benedikt

[Benedikt Weiler]

Hi,

set the interval to 5 minutes and its was started 10:05... strange

afterwards i've set the interval to 10 minutes and first start time at 10:35 and it was activated at 10:41

no idea - it's annoying

regards,
Benedikt

[PROSENJIT MAJI]

I might be very stupid but did you put anything on 'Process' tab of the time event ?

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Regards,
Prosenjit
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[Carsten Schmitz]

​Hi,

> no idea - it's annoying

True, no doubt about it.

I've just gotten a response to my ticket, seemingly telling me that my 10+ minute delays are caused by EVENT_CHECKINTERVAL in UC_HOSTCHAR*.

But that would only apply if my file couldn't be checked in time (and there is no reason why this software should be unable to complete two stat() system calls on a single, perfectly stable file on an only marginally loaded server within one minute).

And even if, my EVENT_CHECKINTERVAL setting is 60 seconds, which would not explain the one-time 10 minute increase I see in the logs and traces.

Currently nothing about this makes any sense :(

Regards,
Carsten

[Benedikt Weiler]

Hi,

process tab is empty.

just the event process tab contains "script"

regards

[Frank Muffke]

Hi

how much is the B1 and B10  workload on your WPs ans especially your PWP when this issue occurs?

KR Wolfgang

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I know I do really know it!
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[Benedikt Weiler]

HI,
tanks for you answers.

"for me it's clear why. Knowing the Event the 60 Minutes starts counting as soon your Workflow, you start from the !Prossing tab, has finished as you do it with a wait. "

This makes sense and this is lets say "OK", but if the TimeEvent is activated between 09:00 am and 07:00 pm and in between it should run every 60 minutes i would expect that the first activation on a day is exactly at 09:00 am and not at 09:07 or 09:51, or or or....

regards,
Benedikt

[Benedikt Weiler]

"""
Hi
how much is the B1 and B10  workload on your WPs ans especially your PWP when this issue occurs?
KR Wolfgang
"""

Hi Wolfgang,
thanks for you reply. I dont know what it means B1 and B10 workload.

Could you shortly explain?

Thanks!

Regards,
Benedikt

[Franz Zalubil]

Hi,

for me it's clear why. Knowing the Event the 60 Minutes starts counting as soon your Workflow, you start from the !Prossing tab, has finished as you do it with a wait. 

My Question why you do not use the Recurred Planin option in Automic where you can adjust the execution to a dedicated time. At the workflow level you can limit the number of executios in parallel and the values you want to have dynamicly, you can also bring on variables level in the values tab instead of the prompset. 

Best,
Franz 

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Managing Consultant Enterprise Studio
HCL Technologies Austria GmbH
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[Alain Moisy]

Did you check the "Next Start Time" in the Details after 19:20 ? This may give you an idea why you have a start time different the next day.

Suggestion :

- Start the Event every day you want to use it at 09:00 by setting it in a Schedule Object  =>  will be activated in the minute, so between 09:00 and 09:02 usually
- Stop the Event after 19:00 when executing the last cycle. Test time, if past 19:00 use CANCEL_UC_OBJECT(&$ACTIVATOR_RUNID#,"ENDED_OK") to stop nicely before activating once more your workflow.

=> will run your commands within 1 or 2 minutes of the hour maximum, as expected.
=> can be activated from the Schedule using a calendar MO-FR or any other calendar.
=> just need to add an IF command in the !PROCESS tab

Regards.

Alain