GENTRAN:Server Notifications on stalled events

Do you have an event that occasionally stalls. There are many reasons an event might stall: network errors, unexpected data values and poor code just to name a few. My goal here is not to give you or anyone a hard time about that one program you wrote like 5 years ago; however, I'm sure it would be fun. My goal is to show you how to setup a notification so that the next time it does get stalled your not stuck with 3 or 4 days in unsent transactions and a pissed off boss.

First take note of the Session and Command that is stalled:

Next, you will have to stop the event that runs the session. If the event is currently stalled you will have to stop and restart the "GENTRAN:Server Executive" service. This can either be done from Services under the Control Panel, or from the command prompt using the following commands.

NET STOP "GENTRAN:Server Executive"
NET START "GENTRAN:Server Executive"

Once you are able to suspend the event under the Events tab you will be able to edit the session under the Sessions tab. Set the Notification flag and them set the number of minutes the process should be allowed to run before it sends you the notification. If you are uncertain, run the event and see how long it normally takes to complete.

Now it's time to setup the notification. The Audit Number is 1-3-1591, you will need this to setup the notification and it normally looks like the following in the Audit Log.

Open Gentran Server for Windows Configuration and select the "Audit/Notification" tab. Click on the "Notifications" button, the Gentran Notifications windows will open. Create a new Notification.

Select an operator to receive the notification.

Select OK and your all done. Note if you do not have operators or notifications setup they will have to be setup first. Do to the number of steps that will have to be a topic for a future post.