Some rules must be scheduled periodically, according to schedules that are not easily expressed in terms of fixed days and dates within months. In these cases, monthly, or even yearly, scheduling definition is awkward. For example:
A payroll rule needs to be scheduled every other Wednesday:
In some months, the rule may be scheduled on the first, third, and even fifth Wednesday in the month. In other months, it may be scheduled on the second and fourth Wednesday in the month.
In some years, the rule may be scheduled beginning on the first Wednesday of the year. In other years, it may be scheduled beginning on the second Wednesday of the year.
A rule must be scheduled every 25 days, regardless of date. Such a rule is scheduled on different dates each month and each year.
The IOA Calendar facility provides special calendars, called periodic calendars, to allow specification of these scheduling requirements. These periodic calendars are very flexible.
To designate a calendar as periodic, you must type reserved string ==PERIODIC== in the first 12 positions of the description field. Any text can be entered in the rest of the description field. This is illustrated in Figure 100.
Figure 100 Use of Reserved String "==PERIODIC=="
COMMAND ===> SCROLL===> CRSR
YEAR 2002 - ==PERIODIC== GENERAL WORKDAY CALENDAR
The following are characteristics of periodic calendars:
In a periodic calendar, days are not marked using the letters Y (Yes) or N (No). Instead, a period identifier is used to mark working days in a period. A period identifier can be any letter from A to Z (except Y and N), any number from 0 to 9, or any other printable sign. If you need more characters, use characters falling within the hexadecimal range 4A through F9. All working days within the same period must be marked using the same period identifier character so that different identifier characters indicate different periods. Days that are not marked are nonworking days because they do not belong to any period in this calendar.
Identifiers from different periods can be interspersed throughout a periodic calendar.
A periodic calendar can consist of smaller units that do not correspond to regular months, in that they can be longer or shorter than regular months.
A periodic calendar can span a period, called a "logical year", which can be longer or shorter than one regular calendar year.
A period can span any number of days, but no more than a preset number of days can elapse after the appearance of one identifier in a period until the appearance of the next matching identifier in the same period. After that period expires, the next matching identifier starts a new period.
By default, this period is preset to 33 days. Once the length of the gap between matching identifiers exceeds 33 days, the period automatically closes.
Note: The length of the default period can be changed from 33 days by the INCONTROL administrator, using optional Wish WM2888.
Specifies the days of the month on that the mission should be scheduled for execution.
See also CONFCAL and WDAYS.
Figure 307 DAYS Parameter Format
Optional. The DAYS parameter specifies days of the month on that missions should be scheduled, provided other basic scheduling criteria are met. Values for DAYS can be specified alone, or they can be specified in conjunction with a calendar specified in the DCAL parameter. DAYS and DCAL can also be specified in conjunction with WDAYS and WCAL (described in WDAYS: Mission Definition Parameter).
DAYS subparameters are described in Table 282.
Table 282 DAYS Subparameters
Subparameter
Description
DAYS
Days of the month on which to schedule a mission. The months in which to order missions are specified in the MONTHS parameter, which is described in MONTHS: Mission Definition Parameter. Various formats (described below in "Valid Formats for the DAYS parameter") can be used to specify DAYS (for example, 3 means the 3rd day of the month, L2 means the day before the last day of the month, D1PA means the 1st day in period A).
DCAL
Name of a calendar containing a predefined set of dates (referred to as working days) on that a mission should be scheduled. A specified name must be a valid member name of 1-8 characters, or an * to indicate that the calendar specified in the CONFCAL parameter should be used for scheduling. For more information on how to define, use and modify calendars, see IOA Calendar Facility.
Note: A calendar specified in DCAL does not have to exist when defining mission parameters. However, it must exist when the mission is ordered.
AND/OR
Conjunctional parameter used to link the DAYS and WDAYS parameters when both are specified.
A (AND)
Both DAYS (and DCAL) and WDAYS (and WCAL) criteria must be satisfied to schedule a mission.
O (OR)
Either DAYS (and DCAL) or WDAYS (and WCAL) criteria must be satisfied to schedule a mission. Default.
If A (AND) is specified when either DAYS or WDAYS is specified (but not both), the missing DAYS or WDAYS value is automatically set to ALL.
Assuming all other Basic Scheduling criteria are met:
when DAYS are specified without DCAL, the mission is scheduled on the specified days (in the specified months)
when DCAL is specified without DAYS, the mission is scheduled on the working days marked in the DCAL calendar
when DAYS and DCAL are both specified, scheduling depends on the combination of working days defined in the calendar and the values and format of the DAYS parameter
when both DAYS and WDAYS criteria are specified, scheduling depends on the AND/OR subparameter connecting them
Valid Formats for the DAYS parameter
Valid formats for the DAYS parameter, and how they relate to DCAL, are described below.
In the following non-periodic scheduling formats:
n is an integer from 1 through 31.
Multiple values can be specified (separated by commas) in any order.
DCAL should not contain the name of a periodic calendar.
Table 283 Non-Periodic Scheduling Formats
Format
Description
ALL
All days of the month. If ALL is specified, other DAYS values cannot be specified with it.
n,...
Specific days of the month.
+n,...
Days of the month in addition to the working days specified in the DCAL calendar. DCAL is mandatory.
–n,...
Schedule the mission on all days except the nth day from the beginning of the month. DCAL is mandatory.
>n,...
Schedule the mission on the indicated day if it is a working day in the DCAL calendar. Otherwise, schedule the mission on the next working day that is not negated by a –n value in this parameter. This format is frequently used for holiday handling. DCAL is mandatory.
<n,...
Schedule the mission on the indicated day if it is a working day in the DCAL calendar. Otherwise, schedule the mission on the last previous working day that is not negated by a –n value in this parameter. This format is frequently used for holiday handling. DCAL is mandatory.
Dn,...
Schedule the mission on the nth working day from the beginning of the month. DCAL is mandatory.
–Dn,...
Schedule the mission on all working days except the nth working day from the beginning of the month. DCAL is mandatory.
Ln,...
Schedule the mission on the nth day (or nth working day if DCAL is defined) counting backward from the end of the month. DCAL is optional.
–Ln,...
If DCAL is defined, schedule the mission on all working days except the nth working day counting backward from the end of the month. If DCAL is not defined, schedule the mission on all days except the nth day from the end of the month. DCAL is optional.
In the following periodic scheduling formats:
n is any integer from 1 through 63 and i is any valid period identifier. An * can be specified as the i value to represent all periods. An * can be specified as the n value in format DnPi to represent all days. (* is not a valid n value in formats –DnPi, LnPi and –LnPi.)
A period can span any number of days, but by default, no more than 33 days can elapse after the appearance of one identifier in a period until the appearance of the next matching identifier in the same period. Once a gap of 33 days has been reached, the period automatically closes. (The 33-day default can be changed by the INCONTROL administrator.)
The name of a periodic calendar must be specified in DCAL. For details concerning periodic calendars, see IOA Calendar Facility.
DnPi,... Schedule the mission on the nth day of period i from the beginning of the period.
–DnPi,... Schedule the mission on all days of period i except the nth day of period i from the beginning of the period.
LnPi,... Schedule the mission on the nth day of period i counting backward from the last day of the period.
–LnPi,... Schedule the mission on all days of period i except the nth day of period i counting backward from the last day of the period.
Period A starts on December 13 and ends on December 23. During this period, the defined working days are December 13, December 18, December 20, and December 23.
Period B spans more than one calendar year. It starts on December 21 and ends on January 24. During this period, the defined working days are December 21, January 4, and January 24.
This example includes a period B that begins on March 9. The last marked working day of the period is March 21, which is followed by a 33-day gap. Assuming that Wish WM2888 has not been used to alter the default period of 33 days, period B automatically ends on April 23, and April 24 marks the beginning of a new period B. If no more B identifiers are added, this new B period ends on May 27.
