Scheduling Workflow

A mission is defined using the Online facility: option R for decollating missions, option M for other missions. Each mission contains parameters that describe the actions to be performed, and when and under what conditions they are to be performed. Mission definitions are stored in libraries (partitioned datasets).

Mission definitions in the library are not active instructions to the Control‑D monitor. To make a mission active, it must be placed on the Active Missions file. The process of selecting a mission from the definition library and placing it on the Active Missions file is performed by the Control‑D New Day procedure during New Day processing.

The following figure shows how the New Day procedure analyzes mission definitions in a library. According to the basic scheduling criteria specified, appropriate missions are selected, placed in the Active Missions file, and automatically assigned an original scheduling date (ODATE).

Figure 44 New Day Procedure Analysis of Mission Definitions in a Library

As shown in the following figure, when a decision is made to schedule a mission, its parameters are passed to Control‑D user Exit CTDX001. This exit can modify the contents of the parameters or cancel the mission. If the exit does not cancel the mission, the mission is placed in the Control‑D Active Missions file.

Figure 45 Exit CTDX001

The Active Missions file can contain more than one mission with the same name.

Examples:

• Several categories exist for the same printing mission. Consider the organization of bundling by a delivery network. A few categories are used, each category describing a bundle with different report recipients. The categories COURIER‑NORTH, COURIER‑SOUTH, COURIER‑AIRPORT are used for the same printing mission. A different list of recipients are bundled under each category. Using this method, a separate bundle is prepared for each category.
• A printing mission is late by more than one day (for example, prerequisite reports have not yet finished). In this case, the Active Missions file contains two printing missions with the same name, but each with a different original scheduling date.
• A daily job is late by more than one day (for example, input tape has not arrived yet). In this case, the Active Missions file contains two report decollating missions for the same job, each with a different original scheduling date.
• The same job is being run several times a day (see the following figure).

  Figure 46 Same Job Run Several Times a Day

Scheduling of decollating missions can depend on the operation mode of the production control system at your site. It is possible to use all the different modes of operation at the same site. This is usually done to solve special scheduling problems.

The different modes of operation generally vary according to the type of production control system in use. The following situations are possible:

• The production control system is Control‑M.
• The production control system is not Control‑M.
• There is no production control system.

For a description of how Control‑D interacts with production control systems, see Interfaces to Production Control Systems.