Variables

Variables are memory locations with a user- or system-defined name that can hold a value and be referenced in job and SMART folder definitions. A variable is resolved when its current value is retrieved from memory. Control-M resolves the variables that are used in a job definition when a job begins or completes execution, depending on the type of variable. The contents of the original job definition and variables remain unchanged.

You can use the following types of variables in SMART folder, sub-folder, and job attributes:

• User-Defined Variables: Variables that you create, name, and assign a value to.

• System Variables: Preexisting variables with static names and Control-M-assigned values.

• Variable Lists: A variable with a Control-M-defined name and user-assigned value, which references a Pool of named Pool variables A type of variable that you create in one job and can reference in subsequent jobs with the same Pool parameter. A Named Pool is a logical grouping of variables. or a text file that contains variable names and value assignments.

You can manage variables with the following Monitoring utilities:

• ctmvar: Defines, deletes, modifies, and displays variables.

• ctmstvar: Displays the current value of a variable or function.

User-Defined Variables

User-defined variables are variables that you create by defining the variable name and assigning it a value in the job or SMART folder definitions. Before a job is submitted, Control-M resolves the variables and uses their retrieved values in the current job execution. For more information, see Adding Variables. For a description of the names and values that you can assign to user-defined variables, see Variable Names and Values.

Variable Scopes

The scope of a variable is the extent of the area in Control-M where your variables can be referenced. You can set the scope of user-defined variables when you add variables to a job, as described in Adding Variables. The following list describes the different variable scope types:

• Local: Variables are referenced by the job that they are defined in, such as messages, If-Action arguments, or a job script in succeeding executions.

• Global: Variables are referenced by any job in the current environment.

• Named Pool: Variables are referenced by any job in the same Pool, which is a group of variables that share the same Pool name.

• SMART Folder: Variables are referenced by jobs and sub-folders in the SMART folder.

You can determine the scope of a variable by the prefix that is added to its name, as described in Variable Reference Syntax.

System Variables

System variables are preexisting variables with static names and Control-M-assigned values. You can reference system variables in job attributes and user-defined variable values, as described in Variable Reference Attributes and User-Defined Variables. Before a job executes, Control-M resolves the variables and uses the retrieved values in the current job execution.

You can reference the following system variable types in job attributes and user-defined variable values:

• Job General System Variables: Reflects attributes defined in a job definition.

• Job Scheduling System Variables: Reflects the scheduling of a job.

• Environment System Variables: Reflects your environment and are not specific to a job.

• Command System Variables: Enables you to specify a command to run before or after running the job.

• Action System Variables: Returns statistics about your job after it has been executed.

Variable Lists

A variable list is a variable with a Control-M-assigned name, such as LIBMEMSYM or POOLSYM, and a user-defined value. Variable lists enable you to define up to 1,024 variables in a text file, another job, or a utility, and reference them locally or globally, without the need to manually redefine them in each job, SMART folder, or sub-folder.

You can reference the following types of variable lists in SMART folders, sub-folders, and jobs:

• %%LIBMEMSYM (Local) or %%\LIBMEMSYM (Global): Contains a user-defined value that consists of a directory path and a filename. The filename must refer to a user-defined text file that contains one or more variable names and value assignments, one per line, in the following format:

  <Variable_1_Name>=<Variable_1_Value>

  <Variable_2_Name>=<Variable_2_Value>

  (z/OS only) Two alternative variable lists, %%LIBSYM and %%MEMSYM, are used instead of %%LIBMEMSYM, which is recognized as a local user-defined variable—not as a local variable list.

  A job is defined with a %%LIBMEMSYM variable list that is assigned the value <Home_Directory>\<Subdirectory>\Omega_Variables.txt and contains the following variable definitions:

  • %%New_Date=%%CALCDATE %%DATE - %%a

  • %%Shortened_Number=%%SUBSTR %%b 1 2

  • %%Current_Date=%%dd/%%mm/%%yy

• %%POOLSYM (Local) or %%\POOLSYM (Global) : Contains a user-defined value that consists of a Pool name where one or more named Pool variables A type of variable that you create in one job and can reference in subsequent jobs with the same Pool parameter. A Named Pool is a logical grouping of variables. are defined.

  A job is defined with a %%POOLSYM local variable list that is assigned the value MyPool, which is an existing Pool that contains the following variable definitions:

  • var1=100

  • var1=200

  • var3=300

Adding Variables

This procedure describes how to add user-defined variables or variable lists to a job, which enables you to share data between multiple jobs.

Begin

1. From the Variables area in the job or folder definitions, click .

2. From the Type drop-down list, select one of the following variable scope types:

   • Local: Defines a variable that can be referenced by the job or folder that they are defined in.

   • Global: Defines a variable that can be referenced by any job or folder in the current environment.

   • Named Pool: Defines a variable that can be referenced by referring to the Pool name.

     In the Pool Name field that appears, type a logical Pool name.

   • SMART Folder: Defines a variable that can be referenced by all jobs and sub-folders in the SMART folder.

3. In the Name field, do one of the following:

   • User-Defined Variable: Type a logical variable name.

   • Variable List: Do the following:

     • LIBMEMSYM: Type LIBEMSYM.

     (z/OS only) Type %%LIBSYM or %%MEMSYM.

     • POOLSYM: Type POOLSYM.

4. In the Value field, do one of the following:

   • User-Defined Variable: Type the variable value.

   • Variable List: Do the following:

     • LIBMEMSYM 

       1. Verify that the Control-M/Server account has read access to the text file that contains one or more variable names and value assignments.

       2. Type the directory path and filename of the variable list text file.

          <Home_Directory>\<Subdirectory>\<Filename>.txt

     • POOLSYM: Type the Pool name.

   A variable is added to the job definition.

   To resolve and view the current values of your variables, see Variables.

Variable Simulation

Variable Simulation enables you to view the original and resolved values of variables in your SMART folder, sub-folder, or job, without the need to run any of them.

In an OS job, you can toggle back and forth between variable simulations in the Command field and Variables area of an OS job, all within the same Variable Simulation pane. This eliminates the need to close the Variable Simulation pane in one area of the job definitions and reopen it from another.

The following procedures describe how to simulate variables:

• Simulating Added Variables

• Simulating Variables in OS Jobs

Simulating Added Variables

This procedure describes how to view the original and resolved values of added variables in SMART folders, sub-folders, or jobs.

Begin

• From the top right corner of the Variables area, in the General tab, click .

  The Name, Original Value, and Resolved Value of each variable appear in the Variable Simulation pane.

  The error message CTMERR appears with the variable name in the Resolved Value when one of the following values have been assigned:

  • A nonexistent variable.

  • A user-defined variable that is assigned a value that includes a nonexistent variable.

Simulating Variables in OS Jobs

This procedure describes how to view the original and resolved values of variables in OS jobs.

Begin

• Do one of the following:

  • To simulate variables used in the Command field, click .

    The Original Command Line and Resolved Command Line appear in the Variable Simulation pane.

    The error message CTMERR appears with the variable name in the Resolved Command Line when one of the following values have been assigned:

    • A nonexistent variable.

    • A user-defined variable that is assigned a value that includes a nonexistent variable.

  • To simulate variables added in the Variables area, see Simulating Added Variables.

  You can toggle back and forth between variable simulations in the Command field and the Variables area by clicking Command Line and Variables in the Variable Simulation pane.

Shared Variables

The Shared Variables tool enables you to monitor the current and changing resolved values of all global and named Pool variables in Workspaces, SMART folders, or active jobs during run time.

The following video describes Shared Variables:

Variable Reference Attributes

The following table describes the attributes where you can reference User-Defined Variables and in a job definition The set of parameters that defines what the job does, when it runs, its prerequisites, and the post-processing actions that Control-M performs after the job completes execution..

Attribute	Tab
Command	General Tab: OS job type
File Name
File Path
Alerts Window Message	Actions Tab: If-Actions> Action> Notify
Job Log Message
Mail Attributes
File Name	Actions Tab: If-Actions > Action> Handle Output
Name	Actions Tab: If-Actions > Action> Set Variable
Value
Alerts Window Message	Actions Tab: Creating Notifications
Job Log Message
Mail Attributes
File Name	Actions tab: Output Handling options > Action > Copy

Variable Reference Syntax

The following table describes the scope-specific syntax that enables you to reference a variable in a SMART folder, sub-folder, or job attribute.

Scope	Syntax	Description
Local	%%<Variable_Name>	Defines a local variable that resolves to the variable value.
Global	%%\<Variable_Name>	Defines a global variable that resolves to the variable value.
Named Pool	%%\\<Pool_Name>\<Variable_Name>	Defines a named Pool variable that resolves to the variable value.
SMART Folder	%%<Variable_Name>	Defines a SMART folder variable that resolves to the variable value.
All Scopes	UNIX: <Prefix>#<Variable_Name> Windows: <Prefix>%#%<Variable_Name>	Defines a local, Global, named Pool, or SMART folder variable value that resolves to the scope-specific prefix syntax and variable name. %%MYDATE is a local, user-defined variable that is referenced in the job Daily_Audit as %%%#%MYDATE. The following output appears: Job Daily_Audit returned a value for variable %%MYDATE.

For more information on variable scopes, see Variable Scopes.

Job General System Variables

The following table describes the job general system variables.

Name	Resolution	Description
%%APPLIC	String	Resolves the Application A job attribute that provides a logical name for sorting groups of jobs, which enables you to search for and update jobs. name where the job resides. z/OS: References the Application name.
%%APPLGROUP	String	Resolves the job Sub-application A job attribute that provides a logical name for sorting groups of jobs in an Application, which enables you to search and update jobs. name.
%%CYCLIC	Y or N	Resolves the cyclic A SMART folder or job that executes multiple times in one run, whether for specific intervals, sequences of intervals, or times. job status to one of the following values: Y: The job is cyclic. N: The job is not cyclic.
%%$FOLDER_ID	String	Resolves the SMART-folder-based job run ID The identification code for a SMART folder, sub-folder, or job execution., in base 36.
%%GROUP_ORDID	Numeric	Resolves the Sub-application run ID where the active-SMART-folder-based job resides, in base 10.
%%$GROUP_ORDID	Numeric	Resolves the Sub-application run ID where the active-SMART-folder-based job resides, in base 36.
%%JOBNAME	String	Resolves the job name.
%%MEMLIB	String	Resolves the pathname of an OS Job that executes a script. z/OS: Resolves the job Mem Lib, which is the library or directory name where the job script is stored.
%%ORDERID	String	Resolves the job run ID.
%%OWNER	String	Resolves the Run as User An OS account name that is used to execute jobs on the host. that has job execution authorization.
%%RUNCOUNT	Numeric	Resolves the number of past job executions, including individual cyclic job executions. A resolved value of 1 indicates that the job has only executed once.
%%SCHEDTAB	String	Resolves job parent folder name.
%%SMART_ORDERID	Numeric	Resolves the SMART folder run ID in base 10.
%%$SMART_ORDERID	Numeric	Resolves the SMART folder run ID in base 36.
%%$TABLE_ID	Numeric	Resolves the job folder run ID in base 36.

Application and Sub-application Variables

The following is a list of unique rules that apply to variables used in the Application and Sub-application fields:

• Different Application names appear in the job output when the jobs that run at different times.

  Application = APP_X_%%TIME

  FolderX runs at a New Day time of 07:00, and then runs again via the ctmudly utility at 14:00. On the run day, the following Application names appear in successive job outputs:

  • APP_X_07:00: Jobs that ran at New Day time.

  • APP_X_14:00: Jobs that ran via the ctmudly utility.

• The following system variables are resolved when the job runs:

  • %%$DATE

  • %%$YEAR

  • %%MONTH

  • %%OWDAY

  • %%RMONTH

  • %%YEAR

  • %%$ODATE

  • %%CENT

  • %%ODATE

  • %%OYEAR

  • %%RWDAY

  • %%OMONNAM

  • %%$OYEAR

  • %%DATE

  • %%ODAY

  • %%RDATE

  • %%RYEAR

  • %%RMONNAM

  • %%$RDATE

  • %%DAY

  • %%OJULDAY

  • %%RDAY

  • %%TIME

  • %%MONNAM

  • %%$RYEAR

  • %%JULDAY

  • %%OMONTH

  • %%RJULDAY

  • %%WDAY

  Variables that are not listed above are resolved when the job executes.

  Application = %%TIME.%%VAR1

  %%TIME resolves to 140413 when the job runs, but %%VAR1 only resolves when the job executes.

  The following Application value appears in the output:

  140413%%VAR1

• Multiple variables and fixed text are used in a single field.

  Application = Shipments_%%ODATE.%%TIME

  The following Application value appears in the output:

  Shipments_01012021.07:00

• The following system variables are resolved based on the ODAT received as a parameter to the run request or command:

  • %%ODATE

  • %%$ODATE

  • %%CENT

  • %%OYEAR,

  • %%$OYEAR

  • %%OMONTH

  • %%ODAY

  • %%OWDAY

  • %%OJULDAY

  • %%OMONNAM

• The following system variables are resolved based on the Control-M/Server date, or based on the next New Day date for pre-run:

  • %%RDATE

  • %%$RDATE

  • %%RYEAR

  • %%$RYEAR

  • %%RMONTH

  • %%RDAY

  • %%RWDAY

  • %%RJULDAY

  • %%RMONNAM

• The following system variables are calculated based on the current date or on the next date for pre-run:

  • %%DATE

  • %%$DATE

  • %%YEAR

  • %%$YEAR

  • %%MONTH

  • %%DAY

  • %%WDAY

  • %%JULDAY

  • %%MONNAM

• The %%TIME variable is calculated based on the current time or on the New Day time for pre-run.

Job Scheduling System Variables

The following table describes the job scheduling system variables that reflect the scheduling of a job in relation to the ODATE The date that a job joins the Run Queue. of the job.

Name	Resolution	Description
%%NEXT	YYMMDD	Resolves to the next scheduled date of the job.
%%$NEXT	YYYYMMDD	Resolves to the next scheduled date of the job (4-digit year).
%%ODATE	YYMMDD	Resolves to the date that the job joined the Run Queue The queue of jobs that are scheduled to execute on a specific day, in states of Waiting or Executing, depending on their running phase.).
%%$ODATE	YYYYMMDD	Resolves to the date that the job joined the Run Queue (4-digit year).
%%ODAY	1–31	Resolves to the day of the month that the job joined the Run Queue.
%%OJULDAY	1–365	Resolves to the day of the year that the job joined the Run Queue such as, 36 for February 5th.
%%OMONTH	1–12	Resolves to the month that the job joined the Run Queue (1=January).
%%OWDAY	0–6	Resolves to the day of the week that the job joined the Run Queue. Default: 1=Monday, 2=Tuesday, 3=Wednesday, 4=Thursday, 5=Friday, 6=Saturday, and 0=Sunday. For more information, see the Start Day of the Week (SWEEK) parameter in Control-M/Server General Parameters and the ctmsys utility.
%%OYEAR	YY	Resolves to the year that the job joined the Run Queue.
%%$OYEAR	YYYY	Resolves to the year that the job joined the Run Queue (4-digit year).
%%PREV	YYMMDD	Resolves to the previous run date of the job.
%%$PREV	YYMMDD	Resolves to the previous run date of the job (4-digit year).

Environment System Variables

The Control-M/Server date changes when the New Day procedure runs. If New Day is at 07:00 am, then 06:00 am is still part of the previous date. This is the same for the Control-M/Server day, month, and year.

The following table describes the environment system variables.

Name	Resolution	Description
%%CENT	YY	Resolves to the first two digits in the current year such as, 20 in the year 2021.
%%DAILYNAME		Defines user daily jobs (length: 1–10).
%%DATACENTER	String	Resolves to the name of the Control-M/Server for the current Control-M installation.
%%DATE	YYMMDD	Resolves to the current date.
%%$DATE	YYYYMMDD	Resolves to the current date (4-digit year).
%%$RDATE	YYYYMMDD	Resolves to the current Control-M/Server date (4-digit year).
%%DAY	1–31	Resolves to the current day of the month.
%%JULDAY	1–365	Resolves to the current system Julian day of the year, such as 36 for February 5th.
%%RJULDAY	1–365	Resolves to the current Control-M/Server Julian day of the year, such as 36 for February 5th.
%%MONNAM	String	Resolves to the first 3 letters of the name of the current month.
%%RMONNAM		Resolves to the first 3 letters of the name of the current Control-M/Server month.
%%MONTH	MM	Resolves to the current month.
%%RMONTH	MM	Resolves to the current Control-M/Server month.
%%RDAY	1–31	Resolves to the current Control-M/Server day of the month.
%%WDAY	0–6	Resolves to the current day of the week. Default: 1=Monday, 2=Tuesday, 3=Wednesday, 4=Thursday, 5=Friday, 6=Saturday, and 0=Sunday. For more information, see the Start Day of the Week (SWEEK) parameter in Control-M/Server General Parameters and the ctmsys utility.
%%RWDAY	0–6	Resolves to the current Control-M/Server day of the week. Default: 1=Monday, 2=Tuesday, 3=Wednesday, 4=Thursday, 5=Friday, 6=Saturday, and 0=Sunday. For more information, see the Start Day of the Week (SWEEK) parameter in Control-M/Server General Parameters and the ctmsys utility.
%%YEAR	YY	Resolves to the current year.
%%RYEAR	YY	Resolves to the current Control-M/Server year.
%%$RYEAR	YYYY	Resolves to the current Control-M/Server year (4-digit year).
%%TIME	HHMMSS	Resolves to the current time of day.

Command System Variables

The following table describes the Command System Variables that enable you to specify a command to run before or after running a job.

Name	Resolution	Description
%%PRECMD	Command	Specifies a command to run immediately before running the job. The return code is ignored.
%%POSTCMD	Command	Specifies a command to run immediately after running the job. The return code is ignored.

Action System Variables

The following table describes the Action System Variables that reflect the value in the attribute defined after job execution.

Name	Resolution	Description
%%AVG_CPU	Numeric	Resolves (in seconds), to the average CPU time for previous runs of the job (not folder).
%%AVG_TIME	Numeric	Resolves (in seconds), to the average run time for previous runs of the job or folder.
%%COMPSTAT	Numeric	Resolves to the completion code assigned to the job by the operating system of the computer that executes the job. Initial Value: 0
%%JOBID	String	Resolves to the identification assigned to the job (not folder) by the operating system of the computer that executes the job.
%%NODEID	String	Resolves to the host ID of the Agent A Control-M component installed on a host (computer) that runs and monitors the jobs on the host. computer that submitted the job.
%%SD_CPU	Numeric	Resolves (in seconds), to the standard deviation of the CPU time of the execution of the job (not folder) from the average CPU time for previous executions of the job. Do not use this variable in a SMART folder definition.
%%SD_TIME	Numeric	Resolves (in seconds), to the standard deviation of the elapsed run time of the execution of the job or folder from the average elapsed run time for previous runs of the current job or folder.

Variable Names and Values

You must define user-defined variable names in the following format:

• 1–38 alphanumeric characters.

• Case-sensitive.

• Cannot begin with a number.

• No blank spaces and none of the following special characters:

  < > [ ] { } ( ) = ; ` ~ | : ? . + - * / & ^ # @ ! , " '

You must assign user-defined variable values in the following format:

• 1–214 alphanumeric characters.

• Variables set on the General tab, as described in Job General System Variables.

• Variables set when you manually run a job, as described in Running Jobs or a Workspace.

• Variables set in the If-Action A post-processing action that you define for Control-M to perform after a job executes, if a condition is met. of a previous job, as described in If-Action Action Attributes.

• System Variables

• Variable Reference Attributes

• Variable Concatenations

• Variable Functions

Variable Manipulations

Variable manipulations are mathematical operations that enable you to redefine the date or numeric value of a variable, via the following syntax:

<VALUE> <OPERATOR> <NUMBER>

The following table describes the variable manipulation parameters:

Parameter	Description
<VALUE>	Defines a date or number.
<OPERATOR>	Determines one of the following operators: %%PLUS %%MINUS
<NUMBER>	Defines the number that is applied to the variable value via the operator.

Variable Concatenations

Variable concatenation is the arrangement of multiple variables into a single, chained string, via the following syntax:

<Variable_1>.<Variable_2>

where the . (period) operator concatenates the variables.

You must type .. (two periods) to add a . to the string.

Variable Functions

A variable function performs an action or process on the variable, and is used instead of another expression, as described in each of the available functions:

• %%CALCDATE

• %%GETENV

• %%SUBSTR

• %%$WCALC

• %%BLANK

%%CALCDATE

%%CALCDATE and %%$CALCDATE: Adds or subtracts a specified number of days from a specified date with %%CALCDATE in yymmdd format, and %%$CALCDATE in the yyyymmdd format, using the following syntax:

%%CALCDATE <DATE> <OPERATOR><NUMBER>

where:

• <DATE>: A date in yymmdd or yyyymmdd format, such as 291115, or a variable that resolves to a date, such as %%DAY.

• <OPERATOR>: Either the + or - sign.

• <NUMBER>: The number that is added to or subtracted from the original date.

%%GETENV

GETENV: Retrieves the value of an environment variable, using the following syntax:

%%GETENV <ENVIRONMENT>

where <ENVIRONMENT>: is the environment variable, such as HOME.

%%SUBSTR

%%SUBSTR: Extracts a substring from within the value of a string variable, using the following syntax:

%%SUBSTR <VARIABLE> <START POSITION> <LENGTH>

where:

• <VARIABLE>: The string variable from where to extract the new substring.

• <START POSITION>: A number or numeric variable indicating the starting character of the substring in the <VARIABLE>.

  The number of the first character in the <VARIABLE> is 1.

• <LENGTH>: is equal to the number of characters in the substring.

If <START POSITION> is a variable, Control-M resolves this variable first before it resolves %%Number.

%%$WCALC

%%$WCALC: Adds or subtracts a specified number of days from a specified Regular Calendars in the yyyymmdd format, using the following syntax:

%%$WCALC <DATE> <INSTRUCTION> <CALENDAR>

where:

• <DATE>: A date in yyyymmdd format, such as 20291115, or a variable that resolves to such a date, such as %%$DATE.

• <INSTRUCTION> Do one of the following:

  • +<NUMBER> or -<NUMBER>: Instructs Control-M to calculate the date that you specify the <NUMBER> of working days after or before the <DATE>.

  • > More than: Instructs Control-M to calculate after the <DATE> the next working day in the calendar that you specify.

  • > Less than: Instructs Control-M to calculate before the <DATE> the previous working day in the calendar that you specify.

• <CALENDAR>: The name of the Regular calendar where Control-M calculates the date.

%%BLANK

%%BLANK: Inserts whitespace characters in the value where you define the number of spaces, using the following syntax:
%%BLANK<N>

where <N> is the number of spaces you want to insert.