(optional) Modifying an ALERT in a Rule: using the MODIFY function

For an ALRT event, you can use a Rule to change any of the original ALERT’s settings (except Key, Queue, and Target) before it appears in an ALERT queue.

The ability to modify an ALERT makes it convenient for you to select already existing ALERTs with which to use the Retain or Escalate functions without having to rewrite the ALERTs. For example, you can modify any existing ALERT with a Rule using the MODIFY function on the Alert Action(s) panel I to do the following:

If you leave fields blank with MODIFY

If you use the MODIFY function and leave fields for the new ALERT blank, the original ALERT specifications will be used.

If you enter new values in fields with MODIFY

When you use the MODIFY function and enter new values in a field, the new ALERT will contain the new values except for the Key, Queue, and Target fields. These three fields cannot be changed with MODIFY.

You also can enter a variable name where the variable is set to a null value. When you use such a variable, one of two things can happen to the field:

The value of the field is deleted.
The value of the field is set back to its default value.

For example, if the original ALERT issues an EXEC and you do not want the new ALERT to schedule an EXEC, enter a null variable in the EXEC field. The new ALERT will not schedule an EXEC.

However, if you enter a null variable for the Alarm field while modifying an ALERT, the ALARM keyword uses the default value of NO.

The following table lists which field’s values are deleted when a null variable is entered and which field’s values are reset to their default setting.

Fields whose values are deleted	Fields whose values are reset to default
Exec Help Interval PCMD Text Udata User	Alarm Color Dispose Escalate Function Origin Priority Retain System

If you change a field related to escalation

If any ALERT field related to escalation is modified, all escalation parameters must be specified again.

The priority of the ALERT affects escalation. If the ALERT priority is changed without specifying new escalation parameters, the modified ALERT will have no escalation.

If you change an ALERTs color

If you MODIFY and specify a color for the priority of the ALERT, the ALERT will appear with the new color.

However, if the priority of the ALERT is set to either increase or decrease with the Escalate field, the ALERT reverts to the default color associated with the new priority.

For more information

Refer to Creating ALERTs from Rules for an example of how you can use the MODIFY function.

If you have the BMC product Alarm Management , you can view BMC AMI Ops Automation ALERTs from the Alert application (Option 1). See
Using Alarm Management

for more information.