Low disk space on McLaren Enterprise Engineer 3.7 server

Cause: EE stores temporary files at ..\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 6.0\temp folder. It is supposed to clear these temporary files in order to ensure its smooth running.
Solution: It is a known bug in McLaren EE and hot fix will be provided. In order to keep going clear temporary files periodically.

McLaren Enterprise Engineer Reprographics Server

McLaren EE Repographics server polls a job source continually for work items.

It provides following features:

• ·        Watermarking
• ·        Moving files
• ·        Rendering to PDF/HTML/Tiff formats
• ·        Content transfer to the transmittal server
• ·        Properties update
• ·        Title Block Synchronization

Technical details:

• ·         It polls a specific inbox and finds tasks. It processes task based on the configuration information.
• ·         It runs on .Net framework 3.5
• ·         It is used as wither Windows service or a standalone GUI.(Administrator account is needed when installing Reprographics as a Windows service)
• ·         It is built on top of McLaren Work Manager

Hardware/Software detail

• ·         McLaren Work Manager Client (With Office integration and Drawing Manager)
• ·         MS IIS 7.0
• ·         Native apps like CAD, Adobe Acrobat Professional and MS Office (for rendering purpose)
• ·         One repro server needs one reprographics user account.
• ·         Reprographics specific entries are present in the computer registry as following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mclaren\
• ·         Reprographics console is accessed by visiting URL http:///ReproAdmin
• ·         Reprographics server uses log4Net to create and maintain logs and controlled by ReprographicsController.exe.config file available at c:\Program Files\Mclaren\Reprographics\. The log file is located in the user’s profile at c:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Mclaren\EnterpriseEngineer\logs

Important Configuration Files

JobSources.xml

This configuration file tells the server which inbox to poll for tasks.

TaskPerformers.xml

This configuration file contains settings that guides transformation of native file into various different formats viz. PDF/XML/HTML etc.

Servers.xml

This configuration file tells Repro about the ECM servers [Repository (for Documentum)/ Content Server (for FileNet)] to connect to and provides connection information (configured via Reprographics Connection window).

Preferences

As Webtop in Documentum and Workplace/Workplace XT in FileNet P8 allow users to have set their profile preferences, Reprographics has following types of preferences:

a). General

This type of preferences include polling interval, the default timeout, daily boot time etc.

b). Email Notifications

Sends email notifications to administrator when job fails to complete.

This tab needs SMTP server information to be configured and email account of an administrator who needs to be notified via an email.

How Reprographics Works?

Step1: It finds a Work Task

Step2: Uses configuration information to determine necessary processes (Uses Parameter Gatherers)

Step3: Selects Task Performer* based on Parameter Gatherer information.

* = A component that executes the task usually defined in TaskPerformers.xml

Task Performers render the native files such as CAD into PDF and also performs non-rendering tasks such as change of lifecycle states of documents.

Multiple servers process same queue

Multiple Reprographics servers can poll the same inbox queue. If one server goes down the other will process all tasks. Multiple servers help to handle high volume of tasks. Reprographics server picks the task in FIFO fashion.

Multiple servers process different queues

In multiple Reprographics servers’ scenario (require multiple licenses), each server can poll a different inbox queue as well. JobSources.xml needs to be modified for queue (inbox) information. Specific tasks can be configured for different queues such as change of lifecycle state of documents, PDF publications etc.

There are various benefits of having multiple Reprographics servers:

a). In the event of a server failure, the other available server will continue to process remaining work tasks.

b). Handles high volumes and covers scenarios like large PDF creation

c). Improves processing of package.

Note: Reprographics server can be monitored remotely by visiting a URL such as http:///ReproAdmin/viewQueueContents.aspx

Prioritizing Queues

In case of multiple Reprographics queues, priority can be set on each of them. Repo server process each queue in order of priority. For example, server will finish processing the tasks of highest priority queue first before it starts processing lower priority queue.

By default all queues has priority 1 unless it is set in JobSources.xml.

Following can cause Reprographics server to fail:

a). Corrupt or password protected content

b). Infrastructure and/or configuration issue

e.g: An immutable document cannot be rendered. Network slowness causes timeout for task processing. 

Useful DQLs

1). Changing the folder location of a document [New folder object id=0b024afe804641qq, Old folder object  id =09024afe7044b7bd]
update dm_document object set i_folder_id='0b024afe804641qq' where r_object_id='09024afe7044b7bd'

2). Changing the folder location of all documents present in a specific folder[new folder object id =0b024afe80464199]
update dm_document object set i_folder_id='0b024afe80464199' where folder('/Workgroups/OldFolderLocation',descend)

3). Getting count of documents present in a particular folder
select count(*) From dm_document(all) where folder('/Workgroups/NewFolderLocation',descend)

4). Getting all or a specific property info of documents present in a folder
select r_object_id From dm_document(all) where folder('/Workgroups/MyFolder',descend)
select * From dm_document(all) where folder('/Workgroups/MyFolder',descend)

5).Getting folder path for documents (when object ids are known)
SELECT r_folder_path FROM dm_folder WHERE r_object_id in(select i_folder_id From dm_document(all) where r_object_id in ('0b024afe804641sss','0b024afe804641wer','0b024afe804641010'))

6). Getting document of a particular type
SELECT * from dm_document where a_content_type='html'

7). Getting a list of users belong to a group
select * from dm_user where user_group_name='group_name_to_search'
SELECT user_name,client_capability FROM dm_user WHERE user_name IN (SELECT users_names FROM dm_group WHERE group_name like 'group_to_search%') ORDER BY user_name

8). Changing the owner/target group of the documents
update dm_document objects set owner_name='new_ownername',set  targetgroup='new_group' where folder('/Workgroups/MyDocFolder',descend)

9). Get the document list that were modified after a particular date and are present in a specific folder

select count(*) From dm_document where folder('/Workgroups/MyDocFolder',descend) AND r_modify_date > DATE('01/01/2010 09:00:00','MM/DD/YYYY hh:mm:ss')

select * From dm_document where folder('/Workgroups/MyDocFolder',descend) AND r_modify_date > DATE('01/01/2010 09:00:00','MM/DD/YYYY hh:mm:ss')

10). Get mandatory attribute information of a Custom Type
select * from dmi_dd_attr_info where type_name like 'customType01'  and is_required = 1


11). Get all attribute information of a Custom Type

select * from dmi_dd_attr_info where type_name like 'customType01'

12). Query - get documents which are being worked on by users (checked out)
select * from TYPE where r_lock_owner is not NULLSTRING and r_lock_date is not NULLDATE

13). Query - get document which are not immutable (enables meta-data update)
update TYPE(all) object set Field1='NewValue' where Field1='OldValue' and r_immutable_flag=False 

14). Get all users which belong to a specific group

select group_name,i_all_users_names from dm_group where group_name like '%group1%' or group_name like '%group2%' order by group_name

Business process re engineering (BPR)

BPR is rethinking and redesign of business processes to achieve improvement in cost, quality, service and speed.

Factors that motivate for re engineering:
a). Customers
  - Demanding
  - Sophistication
  - Changing Needs
b). Competition
  - Local
  - Global
c). Change
  - Technology
  - Customer Preference

Key Characteristics of BPR:

a). Process-based (BPR initiatives must add value above the existing process & must meet the needs of the customer)

b). People centred

c). Focus on End-customers

d). Radical improvement - (Process improvements will not happen over night they need to be gradually introduced)

e). Integrated change - (Process improvement must be realistic and practical.)

Implementing BPR Strategy:
1. Select the process and appoint process Team -
   TIP -> Select a process - (Understand customer needs, Select core processes, Ask questions, Organize
               meetings and don't assume anything)
   TIP-> Appoint a process team - (Appoint BPR champion, Identify process owners,Establish executive
              improvment team, Provide training to Executive team)
 2. Understand the current process - (Develop a process overview, clearly define the process{Mission, scope, boundaries},Understand customers expectations, Identify improvement opportunities).
3. Develop and communicate vision of improved process
4. Identify Action Plan
5. Execute plan

Checking user’s permission on a document using WebTop

Step 1: Select the document.         

Step 2: Select ‘View’ -> ‘Properties’ -> ‘Permissions’

Step 3: Properties dialog box opened for the selected document while the ‘Permissions’ tab was selected. Click on the Search link available at the bottom

 

 

Step 4: A new dialog box opens, enter the user/group name in the ‘Starts with’ text box as shown below and then press ‘OK’ button available at the bottom.

 

A new dialog box opens which displays Permission Summary for the user/group