The default value for the root/home directory of the installed program product is typically C:\ARGENT\QueueEngine. Customers can change the directory name during product installation. Throughout the remainder of this document, the term “home directory” will be used to refer to the name of the installed product root directory.

Sub-Directories

The following directories are installed under the home directory:

\BenchMarks

This directory contains command files that can be used to bench-mark the performance and throughput of the Argent Queue Engine. The command files are organized within sub-directories focused on single- and multiple-process environments. The command files are not needed in production environments and the \BenchMarks sub-directory can be safely deleted after product installation.

Customers that want to run bench-mark tests to verify the capabilities of the Argent Queue Engine should retain this directory.

\Dashboard

This directory contains sample files that can be used by developers at customer sites. This directory contains files that customer developers can use as examples of how the Argent Queue Engine information can be used in dashboarding tools.

\JobArchive

This directory contains job archive information. Files in this directory have names similar to “JOBS_4_Aug_2008.ARC“. Each .ARC file in the directory contains job slot information from JobsSlot.bin for each obsolete job detected during routine processing within XS_Main.exe. If the JobsSlot.bin file contains slots for 150 jobs and 30 jobs are eligible for archiving, a single JOBS_d_Mon_CCYY.ARC file is created that contains the job slot information for all of the 30 eligible jobs.

The \JobArchive sub-directory is perpetual and is not purged by the Argent Queue Engine.

\JobDef

This directory is used as a work area for during job execution.

The files stored in this directory include transient files with the following general form: <queue_name>.nnn, where nnn is an ascending sequence number. These files are created by the QSHOW command and also by a worker thread controlled by the Job Scheduler user interface. The files are work files used to temporarily store information returned from the

XSGetJobsInQueueByFile() API.

When the QSHOW HIGH_PRIORITY /JOBS command is executed, for example, the list of jobs is retrieved using the XSGetJobsInQueueByFile() API and stored in a file named HIGH_PRIORITY.001. The QSHOW command reads the data in the file and display the results. The file is then deleted using the Windows DeleteFile() API.

A worker thread within the Job Scheduler user interface also uses the AQEGetJobsInQueueByFile() API within AQE_API.dll to retrieve job information. The files have the same names as for QSHOW. The files are deleted when the AQEGetJobsInQueueByFile() API completes.

The type of files stored in this directory include .JS1 and .JS2. Both .JS1 and .JS2 files will have the assigned job number formatted into the full name. The full name of a .JS1 file will be J_nnnnnn.JS1, where nnnnnn is the assigned job number.

The .JS1 files are used as a signaling mechanism between XS_Main.exe and XS_Load.exe. They are transient and are deleted after an operator request has been processed. An operator request to abort a job, for example, will result in a .JS1 file being created. After the abort request has been processed, the .JS1file is deleted.

Any I/O failure during the creation of a .JS1 file will result in a service log file message similar to the following:

“Failed to write temporary job definition file for job JOB_SAMPLE (J000156)”

The C:\ARGENT\QueueEngine\JobsSlot.bin file is the master list of jobs to be processed. A .JS1 file contains the job slot information for a single job.

.JS2 files are similar to .JS1 files: .JS2 files are used as a signaling mechanism between XS_Load.exe and XS_Main.exe.

A .JS2 file is created after an operator request has been processed and the job status information has been updated.

Summary:

The C:\ARGENT\QueueEngine\JobsSlot.bin is master list of jobs to be processed. A J_nnnnnn.JS1 file is an image of single job slot and represents a request. A J_nnnnnn.JS2 file is also an image of a single job slot and represents the result of a request.

\JobLog

This directory is used to store job log files. A job log is a text file containing the standard output from each individual job. In addition, each job log file contains information about how the associated job was started and ended.

The name of each job log file typically contains the job name as well as the job number. An example of a job log filename within the \JobLog sub-directory is:

JOB_PROD_PAYROLL_01_J000156.TXT

The contents of the \JobLog directory are purged by AJSPurge.exe during rollover and archival processing based on the job retention interval.

It is important to note that although the Argent Queue Engine supports storing job log files in a directory other than the \JobLog sub-directory, the only directory purged by AJSPurge.exe is \JobLog.

Given the typical product home directory of C:\ARGENT\QueueEngine, the name of the job log directory will be C:\ARGENT\QueueEngine\JobLog. If a customer configures the Argent Queue Engine so that job log files are stored in D:\JobLog_Files, for example, that directory is not purged during archival and rollover processing.

\Logs

This is used to store the product service log files. The service log file is, effectively, a running commentary on the actions a given product takes on behalf of the customer. A service log file can have varying degrees of detail. Four levels of detail are currently supported:

1 – LOG_NONE

This level of detail avoids writing text, if possible. Error messages and other important information are written to the log.

2 – LOG_NORMAL

This level of detail provides some status information, such as the routine starting and stopping of services. This level of detail is adequate in most production environments.

3 – LOG_DETAILED

This level of detail provides some feedback information about completed API calls, completed function calls within the product, and enhanced information about progress of multi-step processing.

4 – LOG_HIGHLY_DETAILED

This level of detail provides the greatest level of information about the product as the code executes. This level of detail should only be invoked on the recommendation of experienced and trained Argent technical professionals.

Changing the level of service file logging level requires changing a Windows registry entry for the product.

For many Argent products, the level of service log file logging can be changed directly from the user interface. In some cases, direct access to the service log file detail value is not supported directly using the user interface.

For the Argent Queue Engine, the value of the service log file level of detail is controlled by the

HKLM\Software\Argent\ArgentQueueEngine\DebugLevel

registry key. After a typical product installation, this value is set to 2 (LOG_NORMAL). On the advice of experienced and trained Argent technical support professionals, customers may wish to set this value to a higher level.

The service log level of detail can be set to a value between 1 (LOG_NONE) and 4 (LOG_HIGHLY_DETAILED). After making a change, the Argent Queue Engine service should be re-started to be sure the changed value is read in to memory and used for all components of the product.

The current service log file within the \Logs sub-directory will have the name log.txt. Each Argent product supports the specification of a maximum service log file size. When the maximum log file size has been reached, the service log file will be renamed, and a new service log file will be created. Typically, the value for the maximum service log file size defaults to 5Mb (5,120Kb).

When the maximum size of a given service log file has been reached, the Argent product will rename the current log file to a name that includes that date and time the service log file reached its maximum size.

As mentioned above, the current service log file for the Argent Queue Engine is named log.txt. When the service log file maximum size is reached, the current service log file is renamed to log_dd_Mon_CCYY.TXT and further service log file messages are stored in log.txt.

All Argent products use a standardized approach to writing service log file messages and managing product service log files. This approach calls for opening and closing the service log file for each service log file message that needs to be written.

The result of this approach is that all Argent product service log files can be deleted at any time. The very next service log file message request invoked by the Argent product code will trigger a new log.txt file to be created within the \Logs sub-directory, if needed.

\Simulate

This sub-directory contains one relevant file: simulation.cmd. This command file is very powerful and changes the system clock on the system where it is invoked. The Argent Queue Engine supports the capability to test and anticipate the possible impact on a production environment by date/time changes, specifically, changes that occur when the definition of Daylight Savings Time (or the local, cultural equivalent) takes place.

This is not a production command file and should only be invoked on carefully prepared test-bed systems where changes to the system clock can be managed and controlled.

Production systems where the impact of a date/time change has been adequately tested do not require this support.

On the advice of experienced and trained Argent technical professionals, this sub-directory can be safely deleted.

\Temp

This sub-directory is a work area used by Argent program products. It is created during program product installation and contains transient and temporary files.

This file is not used during execution of production customer jobs.

Argent does not recommend deletion of this sub-directory, although files within this directory can be safely deleted.

\Word_Files

This sub-directory contains word processing files that are helpful to customers. The word processing files constitute relevant information for IT professionals and interested parties at customer sites that may need extended operational or technical information about Argent products.

This sub-directory is provided as a benefit to customers’ IT professionals and can be safely deleted at any time.