Utilities > Windows Task Manager

Windows Task Manager

You use this program to selectively view and terminate SYSPRO processes.

As an administrator, you would typically use this program when there is a runaway process on the server (e.g. caused by a program failure) or you want to perform system maintenance and you detect that an operator who is not on site (e.g. after hours) is still logged into SYSPRO.

If you run more than one instance of SYSPRO on a single server, then you can use the IMPALT.INI file (located in the Work folder) to define all your alternate SYSPRO instances. This program will use the current instance, together with any alternate instances, when determining what is an 'unknown' process.

Task Manager

Field Description
File  
System manager Loads the Quick Launch Favorites Menu program to launch programs while another program is currently loaded.
View  
Refresh Refreshes the current display.
Show All Windows Processes Displays all Windows processes currently running.
Only Show SYSPRO Processes Displays only the SYSPRO processes currently running.
Only Show Unknown Processes Displays only the processes that are unknown (i.e. potential runaway processes).
End

See also: Notes and warnings.
End Process Terminates the currently highlighted process.

If job logging is enabled for the company, then the job logging system is updated to indicate that the process was ended (e.g. Killed by OPERATOR on CCMM-YY-DD hh:mm:ss).
End All Unknown Processes Terminates all unknown processes. This option is only enabled when you select the: Only Show Unknown Processes option from the View menu.
Image name Indicates the name of the program associated with the process.

The entry: SYSPRO Executable indicates that the program is a SYSPRO program.

The entry: SYSPRO SRS Client Executable is displayed for the SYSPRO Reporting Services program: SYSPROReportingServices.EXE.

The entry: SYSPRO SRS Server Executable is displayed for the SYSPRO Reporting Services program: SYSPROSrs.exe.

PID Indicates the process identity number.
Operator Indicates the SYSPRO operator currently running the process.

A runaway process is indicated by question marks instead of the operator name and the Client ID is listed as unknown.

The SYSPRO Communication Service (SCS) cleans up the runaway processes on a per user basis (i.e. if UserA is disconnected for some reason and the corresponding SYSPRO process is left running on the server, then the process is only cleared when UserA connects again).

As part of the day end processes you should automate the tidying up of these run away processes using IMPPID (/prog=IMPPID /link=KILL-ALL-EXIT). This should be done before an automation run and also before upgrading ports to avoid file/table locks occurring.

[Note]

If you are running more than one instance of SYSPRO on a server, then each process called SYSPRO.EXE is correlated with the user file in the Work folder for the current SYSPRO instance.

However the alternate instances have different user files and therefore the SYSPRO.EXE processes are shown as 'unknown'.

You need to use the IMPALT.INI file to identify all alternate instances of SYSPRO. The Windows Task Manager program can then correctly identify these instances and not list them as 'unknown'.
Operator location Indicates the physical location defined against the operator (Operators).
Client id Indicates the client machines identity code.

The word 'Unknown' in this column indicates a runaway process, together with question marks in the Operator column.
Computer name  
Processes This is displayed in the footer of the listview and indicates the number of processes currently running.
System Indicates the SYSPRO instance for the process. This applies if you defined alternate instances of SYSPRO in the IMPALT.INI file in the working directory. This assists you when attempting to kill unknown processes with multiple instances of SYSPRO as you can now identify the exact instance to kill (see IMPALT.INI).

Use the Field chooser option to add this column to the listview.

IMPALT.INI

You use the IMPALT.INI file (located in your Work folder) to indicate alternate instances of SYSPRO which you are running on a single server.

The Windows Task Manager program reads the IMPALT.INI file to identify all instances of SYSPRO defined. If an alternate SYSPRO instance is configured in IMPALT.INI, then each Windows process id is matched to a corresponding entry in each instance's user file (i.e. the Windows Task Manager program uses the current instance, together with any alternate ones, when determining what is an 'unknown' process).

[Note]

  • Up to 100 alternate instances can be defined in the IMPALT.INI file

  • The IMPDES= entry describes the system/instance.

  • Each instance is defined between an [instance] and [instance-end] tag.

  • The program currently only uses the IMPDES= and IMPWRK= entries, but it is suggested that you add all entries to the IMPALT.INI file

  • Blank lines can be removed from the IMPALT.INI file.

Sample IMPALT.INI

      ; Pointers to alternate SYSPRO instances
      ;
      [instance]
      ; This points to the current folder from which I am running SYSPRO
      IMPDES=SYSPRO TST700
      IMPBAS=C:\TST700\BASE
      IMPWRK=C:\TST700\WORK
      IMPDT1=C:\TST700\DATA
      [instance-end]
      
      [instance]
      ; This points to the alternate folder from which I am running SYSPRO
      IMPDES=IMP700 IMPBAS=C:\IMP700\BASE
      IMPWRK=C:\IMP700\WORK
      IMPDT1=C:\IMP7000\DATA
      [instance-end]
      ;
      ; end of IMPALT.INI

Diagnosing runaway processes

Each operator in SYSPRO is associated with a User file that reflects the state of that operator (i.e. the resources that are open by the operator in terms of the operator code, computer name, application server process identifier and the list of the programs being run).

If a network-related problem occurs (or the client computer is powered off prematurely) then this is generally detected by the application server process which shuts itself down gracefully. In some cases, however, the process on the application server continues as a runaway process. A runaway process can consume excessive server operating system resources and cause applications like SYSPRO to slow down considerably, even making it difficult to access and use SYSPRO's Windows Task Manager program to end the process.

Although ending a runaway process should alleviate the slow response time on the server, this is not a long term solution (i.e. you are dealing with the symptom and not the cause). If a server is subjected to runaway processes on a regular basis, we strongly advise that you establish the cause of the runaway processes. You can use SYSPRO's Client-Server Diagnostic program to establish which operators are frequently experiencing connectivity problems.

Developer considerations

Standard SYSPRO programs such as IMPPID can accept parameters in a field known internally as LINK-EXTRA. This is typically used by SYSPRO developers to pass values to a program. These parameters are not case-sensitive.

You can use these parameters to interrogate the field LINK-EXTRA after IMPPID has been called. If LINK-EXTRA contains spaces, it indicates that the terminate action was successful. Otherwise LINK-EXTRA contains a description of the error.

Notes and warnings

Program access

  • You can prevent the unauthorized use of this utility from within the Groups program.

  • You can only run this program on a Windows platform currently supported by SYSPRO.

Deletion considerations

  • Care should be taken when terminating a SYSPRO process as the process is ended regardless of whether it is an active or runaway process. This can lead to the loss of data and other unpredictable results depending on the process that was running and the SYSPRO architecture and database in use.

  • You can only terminate SYSPRO processes. The ability to terminate a process on a server is dependent on your Windows permissions.

    Currently, only the following SYSPRO processes can be terminated by the Windows Task Manager program:

    • SYSPRO Executable - SYSPRO.EXE
    • SYSPRO SRS/SWS Server Executable - SRSMES.EXE

    The following SYSPRO processes cannot be terminated using Windows Task Manager:

    • SYSPRO CCI Service - CCITCP2.EXE
    • SYSPRO Service - SYSPROService.EXE
    • SYSPRO SRS Client Executable - SYSPROREPORTINGSERVICES.EXE
    • SYSPRO Workflow Administrator - SYSPROWORKFLOWADMIN.EXE
    • SYSPRO Workflow Host - SYSPROWORKFLOWHOSTSERVICE.EXE

End process

  • The following occurs when you terminate processes using either the End functions of the Windows Task Manager program, or one of the KILL command line parameters:

    • All run away process on the server are killed.

    • Active processes are killed according to the End option or Kill command line parameter used.

    • The Admin Users Currently Using SYSPRO(ADMUSR) file is updated.

    • The Update Admin System Audit file is updated.

Only show SYSPRO processes

  1. Open the Windows Task Manager program (SYSPRO menu > Utilities > Windows Task Manager).

    The Task Manager is displayed showing all active processes on the server.

  2. Select to only display SYSPRO processes.

    1. Select Only Show SYSPRO Processes from the View menu.

      The listview is refreshed to display only SYSPRO processes.

Only show Unknown processes

  1. Open the Windows Task Manager program (SYSPRO menu > Utilities > Windows Task Manager).

    The Task Manager is displayed showing all active processes on the server.

  2. Select to only display unknown processes.

    1. Select Only Show Unknown Processes from the View menu.

      The listview is refreshed to display only the unknown processes.

Terminating a SYSPRO process

You typically perform this task when there is a runaway process on the server (e.g. after a program failure).

  1. Open the Windows Task Manager program (SYSPRO menu > Utilities > Windows Task Manager).

    The Task Manager is displayed showing all active processes on the server.

  2. Select Only Show SYSPRO Processes from the View menu.

  3. Identify the SYSPRO process you want to terminate.

  4. Select End Process from the End menu.

  5. Exit the program.

Terminating all SYSPRO processes and exiting

  1. Open the Run SYSPRO Program program (SYSPRO button > Run a Program).

    Alternatively, use the shortcut keys Ctrl+R.

    The Run SYSPRO Program window is displayed.

  2. Enter IMPPID KILL-ALL-EXIT in the Program to run field to end all SYSPRO processes and exit.

Terminating all SYSPRO processes except for the current operator

As an administrator, you would typically use this task when you want to perform some system maintenance but detect that a user is still logged into SYSPRO (e.g. it's after hours and someone is still logged in but they have gone home for the day).

All SYSPRO processes will be killed on the server. This excludes any process running using the current operator code (e.g. if you use this option when logged in as the operator code ADMIN then SYSPRO processes run by ADMIN are not terminated. However all SYSPRO processes for other operators will be terminated).

  1. Open the Run SYSPRO Program program (SYSPRO button > Run a Program).

    Alternatively, use the shortcut keys Ctrl+R.

    The Run SYSPRO Program window is displayed.

  2. Enter IMPPID KILL-ALL in the Program to run field to end all SYSPRO processes.

Terminating all unknown processes

An unknown process is typically one where a Windows SYSPRO process on the server is found with no corresponding entry in SYSPRO's user file (i.e. a SYSPRO process is running on the server, but the user is not using SYSPRO). Terminating these processes should not do any harm.

  1. Open the Windows Task Manager program (SYSPRO menu > Utilities > Windows Task Manager).

    The Task Manager is displayed showing all active processes on the server.

  2. Select Only Show Unknown Processes from the View menu.

    The listview is refreshed to display only the unknown processes.

  3. Select End All Unknown Processes from the End menu.

    All unknown processes are terminated on the server.

  4. Exit the program.