Branch job capabilities

To describe the generic branch job capabilities, the branching process can be divided into two processes:

• Evaluation: The branch job always takes its parent as the input. Then, based on the specified parameters, it creates one of the following subconditions:
  • Checks to see if the parent ended with the SUCC or ABEND state.
  • Creates a complex condition from one or more of the following subconditions:
    • Gets the parent job log and search for a row with a specified text pattern (which is passed to the branch job as input parameter).
    • (optional) Searches for another pattern in the same row.
    • (optional) Searches for a numeric value in the same row. This numeric value is compared against a specified number by using a specified arithmetical operator (the number and arithmetical operator are passed to the branch job as input parameters).

    These subconditions are joined together using the Boolean operators AND or OR. Then the complex condition is evaluated immediately.

  The result of the evaluation (even if the condition is simple or complex) is either TRUE or FALSE.

• Action: Based on the condition result, the branch job decides which branch to run and which to stop. It then performs different actions on the run branch and stop branch, as follows.
  • The possible actions on the run branch are:

    DO NOTHING

    The run branch is run.

    RELEASE

    If the first job of the run branch is held, it is released.

  • The possible actions on the stop branch are:

    CANCEL

    All the jobs within the stop branch are canceled.

    PAUSE

    The stop branch is suspended. The jobs in the stop branch cannot run because their predecessor is held.

  • In addition, there is a special action called SIGNAL. This action only writes a recommendation for you to confirm the branch job in the job log. You create a SIGNAL branch job by setting the flag Requires confirmation.

    For detailed information about the SIGNAL branch job, see Signal action scenario

You can combine evaluation criteria and consecutive actions in any way.