Batch Job Setup

There are several processes that an administrator may want to run on a regular basis at night to maintain the project on a regular cadence without being hindered by underlying user claims or user activity.

Typical examples might be regular Data Integrity Reports (DICE) on the project databases, or spatial map builds in the model, as well as possibly project specific requirements like weekly progress reporting, regular exports of E3D models for consumption outside E3D, and clash runs.

It is useful/logical to separate batch files into operations that only read the data model and don’t write, and those that require write access. The reading batch operations can typically be run at any time, as they are not impacted by users being logged-in and can be run concurrently.

Batches that write data typically require all users to be logged out to prevent user claims blocking processes, and are run when the project is inactive—usually at night or on weekends. These writing batches typically start by expunging all users from the project. Sequence write operations carefully to avoid the chance of two operations trying to claim the same item at the same time.

AVEVA applications can be triggered by a DOS script, typically launched through a scheduled Windows task. All batch files must set up an environment (setting paths to projects and foreign projects as required), call the application using the start command, and pass arguments to specify user credentials, MDB, mode, and finally the macro to be run.

In MSIX-installed products, all batch runs are initiated using Apprun in a CMD shell, or using Powershell. For more information on this process, refer to Run AVEVA MSIX Installed Products using Commands in AVEVA Unified Engineering.