General Information

The GROUP parameter is used for convenient handling of rules. It enables the retrieval of information about a specific rule, usually through the Online Tracking and Control facility or through the Reporting facility.

The group name appears in all important messages relating to the rule.

Using groups, complete systems may be tested as a unit, for simulation purposes.

When a rule executes, the default group name specified by the GROUP parameter is the group with which Database variables are accessed.

During rule execution, the group name specification is checked for existence in the Control-M/Analyzer Database Variable file. Several invocation methods exist that determine the group name under that a rule executes:

• Direct invocation by a job step or program

  The group specified by the job step or program is used. If no group is specified by the job step or program, the GROUP specification in the rule definition is used.

• Invocation by mission

  GROUP receives its value from the mission definition. In this case, the group name specified by the mission definition overrides the group name specified by the rule definition.

• Invocation by other INCONTROL products

  When the rule is called by statement DO CTBRULE in Control-M or Control-D, GROUP receives its value from the Control-M job scheduling definition or the Control-D decollating mission. In this case, the group name specified by the job or decollating definition overrides the group name specified by the rule definition.

A detailed explanation of all GROUP features is provided in Introduction.