Automation

In Geobank you can use Automation tools developed for use with the program - such as Job Scheduler, which allows jobs to run in Unattended Mode.

Double click the Automation option, or select it and click Execute, to open the Automation component.

Unattended Mode

The following types of Geobank jobs/tasks have the capability to run in Unattended mode:

• Graphic Reports

  For a graphic report to be run in unattended mode, a destination folder for the PDF report must be set. This setting is applied in the Configuration Manager in the Graphic Report properties in the Unattended Options tab.

  It is recommended that Microsoft Print to PDF is used as the default printer for Graphic Reports to run in Unattended mode. This is the only Printer formally supported for unattended printing of Graphic Reports. Another printer can be chosen, but other printer options cannot be guaranteed to behave as expected. Note: Print to PDF is not supported on Application servers using a Windows Server Operating System below the minimum supported; which is Windows Server 2016.

• Advanced Reports

• Configured Imports

• Configured Exports

• Excel Imports

• Action Queries

• Query Groups

• Macros (containing any of the objects listed here, except for Forms, see below)

  If a macro contains any unsupported object an error message will be logged in the log file (C:\ProgramData\Micromine\Geobank\Logs):

  Macro could not be executed because it contains the following objects which cannot be run in unattended mode: <list of unsupported object names and types>				

• Forms

When a Geobank form is executed as a scheduled job in Unattended mode, the following occurs:

• The form opens and executes any scripting which is either:

  • Written within the base script section of the form, or,

  • Written within the function called by the 'Loaded' event of the root grid object for the form.

• Once the script has run, both the form and Geobank close.

This functionality can be used to automate any action which can be performed using the scripting functionality of Geobank forms. Types of actions could include: File system tasks; specialised imports or exports; data updated via datasets; email notifications, and other actions.

When the above objects are run in Unattended mode, they start automatically, any errors are logged instead of being displayed, they then close automatically when the task is complete.

The recommended approach is that Geobank is installed on an Application server for running scheduled/unattended jobs. The server does not require a display: If there is no display, Geobank will simply run in the background. If there is a connected display, Geobank will run visibly but will not take focus or require any attention.

Note: Geobank must have access to a licence to run unattended - either a seat on a network licence or a standalone licence on the computer on which Geobank is being run unattended (usually a server).

Network Environment

When configuring objects to run in Unattended mode, the network environment may affect how mapped drives are interpreted. Therefore, it is recommended that you use the full UNC path for any network drive folder which is referenced. For example, when you configure an Import, Export or Report to run unattended:

If, on your network, the "N:" drive is mapped to "\\server001\data\"; use the full UNC path "\\server001\data\reports\", rather than the mapped drive version "N:\Reports\"

For information on using the -U Unattended mode option, see Command line arguments