KBI 310370 Configuring An XML And Checking With A Threshold Value Using Argent Sentry Ultra

Version

Argent Advanced Technology 1304-A and above

Date

Wednesday, 24 Apr 2013

Summary

Argent Advanced Technology has been enhanced with a new rule in Argent Sentry – Xml Feed Check Rules – to compare an xml element or an xml attribute with a specified value

Technical Background

This compares an xml element or an xml attribute with a specified value provided.

Specify the comparison element in the ‘XML Element‘ field. For example: pubDate.

If it has any attribute field, mention it in the ‘XML Attribute‘ field

The ‘Check Option‘ filed has the following three options for comparison

  • Compare With All XML Feed Values – It compares the specified xml element with all values of the similar type element
  • Compare With Lowest Feed Values – It compares the specified xml element with the lowest value of similar type xml element
  • Compare With Highest Feed Values – It compares the specified xml element with the highest value of similar type xml element

The rule condition can be set in ‘XML Feed Rule Condition‘.

The data type of the xml element may be specified as numeric, text or date/time

Numeric Data Type

The numeric data type has the following comparison options:

  • Less Than
  • Less Than Or Equal
  • Equal
  • Greater Than Or Equal
  • Greater Than
  • Not Equal

Two conditions can be specified using the ‘AND‘ option provided

Text Data Type

The Text data type has the following entries

  • Contains – The xml feed string is contained within (becomes a part of) the given string
  • Is Empty – The xml feed string is empty
  • Is Not Empty – The xml feed string is present
  • Matches – The xml feed string is exactly similar to the given string
  • Does Not Match – The xml feed string does not match with the given string

If the data type is Text, selecting the highest or lowest value options in the check option is irrelevant

Date/Time Data Type

It has four options:

  • Date Only
  • Time Only
  • Date And Time
  • Displacement

For the first three options, the rule can be set by selecting any one of the conditions-‘Less Than‘, ‘Less Than Or Equal‘, ‘Equal‘, ‘Greater Than Or Equal‘, ‘Greater Than‘ and ‘Not Equal‘. It is possible to compare the date and time between two dates or time intervals by checking the AND option

If the displacement option is used, the xml feed element can be compared using either of the following two ways:

  • From Rule execution time
  It compares the xml feed with the time when the rule is executed.
  • From Specific date
  It allows comparing the xml element with a specific date provided.
Select the Displacement Unit as day or hour or minute.
The rule can be set by selecting any one of -‘Less Than‘, ‘Less Than Or Equal‘,
Equal‘,’Greater Than Or Equal‘, ‘Greater Than‘ and ‘Not Equal‘ option and by providing the value

Use the AND option to specify two conditions

Following sections describes detailed step by step instructions

Step 1: Add New URL Object (XML) Whose Data Are To Be Checked

FYI:

A fresh installation of Argent Sentry Ultra 1304-A automatically inserts a sample licensed node to test XML rule. All you need to do is setting the URL to test as an alias in the licensed object through Administration->License Manager. If you are upgrading from an old version you have to follow the following instructions to configure a licensed object

Step 2: Specify The XML URL To Check In ‘URL Address’

Step 3: License Newly Added URL Object

Step 4: Configure The Rule (Mock Up Screenshot)

Specify the condition to check the rule

Other Check Options are,

  • Compare With Lowest XML Feed Value
  • Compare With Highest XML Feed Value

Other Rule Breaking Conditions are,

  • When Any Of XML Feed Values Satisfy
  • When XML Tag/Attribute Not Found

Rule conditions can be configured for numeric, text and date values

Step 9: Configure The Relator With Newly Configured Rule And The Monitoring Group That Contains Newly Licensed URL Object

Resolution

N/A