Variables

Variables are memory locations with a given name that can hold a value and be referenced in job definitions. A variable is resolved when its current value is retrieved from memory. Control-M resolves the variables 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 folders, sub-folders, and job attributes:

• User-Defined Variables: Variables that you create by defining the variable name and assigning it a value.

• System Variables: Preexisting variables whose names and values are defined and assigned by Control-M.

The following video describes Shared Variables:

User-Defined Variables

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

You can set the scope of the variable based on where you want to reference it, as follows:

• Local: Enables the variable to be referenced by the current job only, in the post-processing actions of the job or in the script in the next run of the job.

• Named Pool: Enables any job in the same Named Pool that you define to reference the variable in any subsequent jobs in the post-processing actions of the job, or in the script itself in the next run of the job.

• Folder: Enables the variable to be referenced by the sub-folder, or job within the same folder in the post-processing actions of the job, or in the script during the run.

System Variables

System variables are preexisting variables whose names and values are defined and assigned by Control-M. You can reference system variables in the job definitionThe set of parameters that defines what the job does, when it must run, its prerequisites to run, and post-processing actions for Control-M to perform after its completion (also called a job processing definition) attributes, as described in Variable Reference Attributes and in the values of User-Defined Variables. Before a job is submitted, Control-M resolves the variables and uses the retrieved values for the current execution of the job.

The following is a list of system variables that you can reference in the attributes of a job definition and as values within User-Defined Variables:

• 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.

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

Adding Variables

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

Begin

1. From the General tab, in the Variables area, click .

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

   • Local: Defines variables that can be used by other post-processing actions of the job, such as messages, do-action arguments, or the script itself in the next run.

   • Named Pool: Organizes variables into groups in a hierarchy. The variable is referenced by the pool name.

     In the Pool Name field that appears, enter the name of the pool.

   • Folder: Enables other jobs in the folder to access the specified variable either in the script during the job run, or in post-processing.

3. In the Name field, enter the variable name.

4. In the Value field, enter the value of the variable.

   A user-defined variable is added to the job definition.

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

Variable Reference Attributes

The following table describes the attributes where you can reference User-Defined Variables and in a job definitionThe set of parameters that defines what the job does, when it must run, its prerequisites to run, and post-processing actions for Control-M to perform after its completion (also called a job processing definition):

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 syntax for referencing a variable in the attribute of a folder, sub-folder, or job definition:

Variable	Syntax
Local Variables	%%<VARIABLE NAME>
Named Pool Variables	%%\\<POOL NAME>\<VARIABLE NAME>
Folder Variables	%%<VARIABLE NAME>
Variables that are not resolved	Windows: %#%

Job General System Variables

The following table describes the Job General System Variables:

Name	Resolution	Description
%%APPLIC	String	Resolves the applicationA job attribute that provides a logical name for sorting groups of jobs, which you can use to search and update jobs of the job.
%%APPLGROUP	String	Resolves the sub-applicationA job attribute that provides a logical name for sorting groups of jobs within an application, which you can use to search and update jobs of the job.
%%CYCLIC	Y or N	Resolves the cyclicA folder or job that executes multiple times in one run, at a specific interval or specific times, or according to a specific sequence of intervals status of the job, as follows: Y: The job is cyclic. N: The job is not cyclic.
%%$FOLDER_ID	String	Resolves the run IDThe ID code of the run of a folder, sub-folder, or job of the job.
%%JOBNAME	String	Resolves the name of the job.
%%MEMLIB	String	Resolves the file path of the job (for an OS job type of the Script type).
%%ORDERID	String	Resolves the run ID of the job.
%%OWNER	String	Resolves the username with the authorization to execute the job and is defined in the Run as field.
%%RUNCOUNT	Numeric	Resolves the number of times the job run has ever executed (the first time the job executes, this variable returns a value of 1). %%RUNCOUNT counts each execution of a job and each execution of a cyclic job as individual executions.
%%SCHEDTAB	String	Resolves the name of the parent folder of the job.

Application and Sub-application Variables

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

• Jobs that are run at different times have different Application names in the job output.

  Application = APP_X_%%TIME

  FolderX runs at New Day time, 07:00, and again using the ctmudly utility at 14:00.

  Application name in the job output for jobs that ran at New Day time: APP_X_07:00

  Application name in the job output for jobs that ran using the ctmudly utility: APP_X_14:00

• The following variables are resolved at run time:

  • %%$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 at execution time.

  Application = %%TIME.%%VAR1

  At run time, %%TIME resolves to 140413, but %%VAR1 only resolves during execution time.

  Application in the job output at run time: 140413%%VAR1

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

  Application = Shipments_%%ODATE.%%TIME

  Application in the job output: Shipments_01012021.07:00

• The following 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 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 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 ODATEThe 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.
%%$NEXT	YYYYMMDD	Resolves to the next scheduled date of the job (4-digit year).
%%ODATE	YYMMDD	Resolves to the date that the job joined the Run QueueThe queue of jobs that are scheduled to execute on a specific day, in states of waiting or executing, depending on their running phase).
%%$ODATE	YYYYMMDD	Resolves to the date that the job joined the Rune 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	1-7	Resolves to the day of the week that the job joined the Run Queue (1=Sunday).
%%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 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.
%%DATACENTER	String	Resolves to the name of the 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	Same as %%$DATE.
%%DAY	1-31	Resolves to the current day of the month.
%%JULDAY	1-365	Resolves to the current system day of the year in Julian format such as, 36 for February 5th.
%%RJULDAY	1-365	Same as %%JULDAY.
%%MONNAM	String	Resolves to the first 3 letters of the name of the current month.
%%RMONNAM		Same as %%MONNAM.
%%MONTH	MM	Resolves to the current month.
%%RMONTH	MM	Same as %%MONTH.
%%RDAY	1-31	Resolves to the current day of the month.
%%WDAY	D	Resolves to the current day of the week (1=Sunday).
%%RWDAY	D	Same as %%WDAY.
%%YEAR	YY	Resolves to the current year.
%%RYEAR	YY	Same as %%YEAR.
%%$RYEAR	YYYY	Resolves to the current year (4-digit year).
%%TIME	HHMMSS	Resolves to the time of day.

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 AgentA Control-M component installed on a host 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 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.

SLA Management Variables

The following table lists the SLA Management variables, which you can only define in the SLA Service Actions of an SLA Management job:

Variable	Description
%%PROBLEMATIC_JOBS	Name of any job in a service that is not running on time, and, as a result, will impact the service. If more than one job is problematic, the names of all problematic jobs is returned.
%%SERVICE_DUE_TIME	Time by which the entire service should complete.
%%SERVICE_EXPECTED_END_TIME	Time BMC SLA Manager estimates the service will complete.
%%SERVICE_NAME	Name of the service.
%%SERVICE_PRIORITY	Priority level of the service.

Variable Values

You can set the value of User-Defined Variables with one or more of the following:

• Any alphanumeric string up to 214 characters in length.

• 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-actionA 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 Action Options

• System Variables

• Variable Reference Attributes

• Variable Concatenations

• Variable Functions

Variable Manipulations

You can use an operator in the value to manipulate a date variable or numeric variable using the following syntax:

<VALUE> <OPERATOR> <NUMBER>

Where:

• <VALUE>: is a date or number

• <OPERATOR>: is %%PLUS or %%MINUS

• <NUMBER> : is applied to the operator

Variable Concatenations

You can concatenate variables to resolve into a single string using the "." operator. To include a period separator between two variables you must use "..".

Variable Functions

A variable function performs an action or process on the variable. Variable functions are used instead of another expression. The following functions are available:

• %%CALCDATE

• %%GETENV

• %%SUBSTR

• %%$WCALC

• %%BLANK

%%CALCDATE

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

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

Where:

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

• <OPERATOR>: is either the (+) or (-) sign.

• <NUMBER>: is the number you want to add to or subtract 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>: is the string variable from where to extract the new substring.

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

• <INSTRUCTION> can be 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>: is the name of the Regular calendar where Control-M calculates the date.

%%BLANK

%%BLANK: Inserts spaces 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