Release Note 48.0
ECDB MAILER: EPICURE Central Database Report Mailer
V1.0
David M. Kline
The EPICURE Central Database Report Mailer (ECDBmailer) works in conjunction with the AutoLoad application and any future EPICURE applications that provide reports for individuals who require periodic updates of information that resides in the Central Database. The ECDBmailer application provides the facility to electronically mail reports to individuals who request them. This document provides a description about the ECDBmailer and its operation.
The ``REPORT_DIRECTORY'' keyword identifies the directory that the AutoLoad application or any other one has placed the reports into. The data is a logical and ECDBmailer attempts to translate it. If the translation fails, an error message is written into the logfile and the application will terminate procedure execution.
The ''DEFAULT_DIRECTORY'' keyword identifies the directory that the mailer will ``set default'' to before any other processing takes place. It is the location of the ``boot/configuration'' file and the application source code (DCL command procedure). The data is a logical and ECDBmailer attempts to translate it. If the translation fails, the application writes an error message into its logfile and terminates procedure execution.
The ``MAIL_LIST_FILE'' keyword identifies the file that contains the username(s) that are to receive mail from ECDBmailer and the report file name that is to be mailed. ECDBmailer verifies the existence of the file before it attempts to mail the report(s). If the file is not found, an error message is written to the logfile and execution terminates.
The ``MAIL_DATA_FILE_LOC'' keyword identifies the location of the mail list file. The keyword data is a logical that ECDBmailer attempts to translate. If the translation fails, an error message is written to the logfile and procedure execution terminates.
The ``PROCESS_NAME'' keyword identifies the ECDBmailer process name. This keyword is used mainly to determine whether another process with the same name is present. If an error occurs while trying to set its process name, either another process innocently has the same name or another ECDBmailer is executing. Either way, the application writes an error message in its logfile and exits without mailing any reports.
After the ECDBmailer application has configured itself for execution, the data identified by the keywords ``MAIL_DATA_FILE_LOC'' and ``MAIL_LIST_FILE'' are combined to define the file name that contains the list of names and reports that are to be mailed. ECDBmailer attempts to open the file for read access. If the file is not found, an error message is written to the logfile and ECDBmailer terminates execution. Otherwise, each line of the file is read and the username(s) and report file names are extracted. The report file file name is verified and a status message is written to the logfile identifying the username(s) and the report file name. The application will then use the mail VAX/VMS utility to send the report to the username(s). The application will continue to process this way until the end-of-file marker has been reached. At that point the file is closed and the application will terminate.