A – Add Task

This section provides information about A-Add Task.

A – Definition

Click Add on the Tool Bar or type A on the Command line to add more entries to the Task List.

Purpose

Add Task is used to add entries to the Assignment Task List for processing within Code Pipeline. Once modules have been added to (that is, exist in) the Task List, they may be Checked out, Edited, and so on.

Adding Tasks to Releases

To add new Tasks to a Release, specify the Release on the Add Task screen (Add Task Input Screen). To add existing Tasks to a Release, use the Transfer operation. See T-Transfer-Task for more details.

Add Task Input Screen

Entries can be added to the Assignment Task List in the following four ways:

• Individually by Type and Name (if known). See Adding Tasks by Type and Name.
• From an Application Repository list. See Adding Tasks from the Code Pipeline Repository.
• From an external or foreign file outside of Code Pipeline. See Adding Tasks From an External/Foreign File.
• Via the A line command. See Adding Tasks With the A Line Command.

Add Task Input Screen

Input Fields

Input fields on the Add Task Input screen are:

Adding Tasks by Type and Name

Adding Tasks One by One 

Simply type the module Type and Name and press Enter. The message “Task added to Assignment” appears in the top right corner of the screen.

Adding Tasks One by One

Add More Tasks

To add more Tasks to the Assignment Task List, overtype the module Type and/or Name and press Enter again. When complete, End to return to the Task List display. The new rows appear, sorted by Type, then Name.

Add Tasks belonging to other Applications/SubApplications

If the security behind Code Pipeline allows, Assignments can contain Tasks from other Applications/SubApplications so a change request that affects more than one Application/SubApplication can be coordinated and managed easily. Overtype the Application code and/or SubApplication code with another valid Application code or SubApplication code and press Enter to see the list of valid Types appear for that Application and SubApplication (making sure the Name field is blank). Add tasks for that Application/SubApplication.

Add Tasks for a Different Path

It is possible to add Tasks in different Change Cycle paths or legs to the same Assignment. The various “Checkout Paths” defined for this Application are displayed on the panel, so the Default Path can be overtyped. This may be useful to add “fix” or “emergency” changes to a development Assignment, so they are clearly visible and obvious to the development team.

Add Tasks with Special Actions

Code Pipeline can be used to clean up obsolete components in Production. To do this, type D (for Delete) in the Special Action field, and the component will be added with a D displayed in the Action column. The Promote process then deletes the component and its executables from Production, at the time the module is promoted to Production.

Add DATA References to the Task List

For ease of reference, it is convenient to have all the modules pertaining to a change package in one list. This useful feature is for developers to add literally any type of file reference to the Task List, so all the program and Data components are visible.

Type DATA as the Module Type and press Enter to be prompted with an input screen so Code Pipeline will know the dataset name and file type.

The example in the following figure shows a pointer to a DATA file containing test data.

Add DATA References

Adding Tasks from the Code Pipeline Repository

The Code Pipeline Repository is an inventory of every module in every Application. To see all modules that belong to an Application, use the R Repository option from the Code Pipeline Main Menu, or the RL repository list command, or leave module Type and Name blank on the Task Add panel, as shown in the subsequent sections.

Adding Tasks by Selecting From the List

From the Add Task screen (Selecting from List):

1. Leave the module Type blank, or enter the Type, or just ABC*.
2. Leave the module Name blank or enter the Name, or just ABC*.
3. Press Enter.

Adding from List

List COB Types Only

In this example, only COBOL module types will appear on the Repository List.

Filters on Type and Application

As in other Code Pipeline list displays, the columns shown in pink are filters, which may be overtyped to see different views of the Repository information.

In the following figure, the list is filtered for Type COB and Application PLAY. It could be further filtered on module names beginning with TSUBR* for example, if TSUBR* is typed in the Name filter.

Filter on Type and Application

Valid Operations

Valid line commands from the Repository list are:

V Line Command Displaying Component Version List

Inactive Versions

Type Y in the Inactive field to view Inactive Tasks, as shown in the following figure.

Inactive Versions

Adding Tasks From an External/Foreign File

In the context of Code Pipeline, an External or Foreign file is a dataset or file outside of Code Pipeline’s control or management. Two of the main reasons to add tasks from an External/Foreign file are:

• To perform the initial definition of an Application to Code Pipeline.
• To bring in a new release of vendor software.

As discussed in the previous two sections, modules can be added to the Assignment Task List one at a time with the module Type and Name, or be added from the Repository List. A third method is by picking modules from a PDS or Librarian member list.

Specifying Import

1. On the Add Task screen (Set Import Flag to Y), specify the module Type.
2. Leave the module Name field blank.

3. Specify Y for the Import flag, then press Enter.
   
   Set Import Flag to Y

                       ADD TASK TO ASSIGNMENT PLAY000022                          
   COMMAND ===>                                                                   
                                                                                 
   CHANGE CYCLE EXAMPLE 2                                                        
                                                                                 
   Type          COB____     (See list of valid types below)                     
   Name          __________________________________________________              
   Action        _            (C-Compile, D-Delete, F-Fallback, H-History)       
   Application   PLAY____     (Default=PLAY)                                     
   SubAppl       PLAY____     (Default=PLAY)                                     
   Stream        PLAY____     (Default=PLAY)                                     
   Path          DEV1         (DEV1 DEV2 FIX)                                    
                                                                                 
   Filter        ____         (PRD HLD QA STG1 STG2)                             
                                                                                 
   Release       __________   (Default= )                                        
   Import        Y            (Import From External Source Y/N)                  
                                                                                 
   CLST COB COPY H INCL JOB LKED PLI                                             
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
   Plus module type DATA                                                          
                                                                                 
   Press ENTER to add entry, END to terminate                                       

   File Name Input Screen

   The next screen (File Name Input Screen) shows a dataset/file name and file type already filled in with the file name and type for COBOL programs (for example), but those fields can be overtyped to point to any other file. The module name field allows a filter, such as ABC* to restrict the displayed list.

4. Overtype the dataset name, optionally enter a pattern filter for the module name, and press Enter. The PDS module list is displayed.
   File Name Input Screen

                          ADD TASK TO ASSIGNMENT PLAY000022                       
   COMMAND ===>                                                                   
                                                                                 
    CHANGE CYCLE EXAMPLE 2                                                       
                                                                                 
    Data set Name ===> ISPW.PLAY.PRD.COB                                         
    Data set Type ===> PDS       (PDS)                                           
                                                                                 
    Module Name   ===>              (blank for all or "name*" for pattern)       
                                                                                 
   Press ENTER to see the module list or overtype the dataset name as required.   

Valid Primary and Line Commands

The valid primary (Command line) commands on the PDS module list are:

• L—Locate a module
• S *—Add all the modules in the dataset to the Assignment Task List
• S ab*—Add modules starting with “ab” only.

Valid line commands from the PDS module list are:

• B—Browse the module
• S—Add the module to the Assignment Task List.

Adding Tasks With the A Line Command

Adding Duplicate Tasks

The A (Add) Line command is an easy way to add a duplicate row to the Task List for parallel or concurrent development situations.

You may want to add a task that is already at the production level or has had a Fallback command issued against it. In either case, the starting level may be invalid. You will receive an error message if you try to add a task that is already at the production level. You can define the new External Reference variable, ADFLTLVL, which enables you to add a task that is already at the production level. Additionally, this enhancement allows you to add a task that has had a Fallback command issued against it. In either case, the default assignment level of the container is used as the starting level.

You can assign the External Reference variable ADFLTLVL, a value of Y or N. If the value is Y, the default assignment level is used when adding a task.

Useful for Parallel Development

Sometimes when testing, it is useful to have two entries for the same component, with different versions, in the Task List at the same time. Consider the example of COBOL program ABC being tested at INT (the integration test environment) when a problem is found.

There are two ways to fix this problem:

• Use the X (Regress) operation to delete the source and executables at INT, copy the module back down to the update level, fix it, and P (Promote) again. In the meantime, however, testing at the INT level has been disrupted.
• Use the A (Add) line command beside COBOL program ABC to add a duplicate row, with the same attributes, to the Task List. Then you would Check it out, Edit, Generate, and Promote again, overlaying the version at INT. In the meantime, because the A line command was used, the INT level has not been disrupted.