Auto logging requests with API

Dan Munns · February 15, 2019

Hi,

I need to log a request with a specific service and CI that has two questions (which will be answered in the scheduler app .json hopefully) so that the request will be created, log the start and end times on the change calendar and then close.

This job will (hopefully) be run once at the beginning of the year, create 24 requests, add them to the calendar and then close.

Any ideas / insights?

First time trying something like this with APIs so total novice, but hey, every days a school day right?

Dan Munns · February 18, 2019

Anyone?

Steve G · February 18, 2019

Hi @Dan Munns,

The logChangeRequest API is the one you need to use, if you're looking to add a change to the calendar. The questions and answers can be added as a JSON array of objects to the questionFieldMap input parameter (with the string escaped, as you're inserting a JSON formatted string into your JSON config). So for example, the following config would log one Change Request at midnight on 1st January every year:

{
  "APIKey": "yourapikey",
  "InstanceID": "yourinstanceid",
  "Schedule": [{
    "Enabled": true,
    "CronSchedule": "0 0 0 1 1 *",
    "ScheduleFrom": "",
    "ScheduleTo": "",
    "Service": "apps/com.hornbill.servicemanager/ChangeRequests",
    "API": "logChangeRequest",
    "APIParams": {
      "0": {
        "Type": "Content",
        "Parameter": "summary",
        "Content": "Annual call log - Service Desk"
      },
      "1": {
        "Type": "Content",
        "Parameter": "description",
        "Content": "Annual call log description - Service Desk"
      },
      "2": {
        "Type": "Content",
        "Parameter": "status",
        "Content": "status.open"
      },
      "3": {
        "Type": "Content",
        "Parameter": "serviceId",
        "Content": "119"
      },
      "4": {
        "Type": "Content",
        "Parameter": "catalogId",
        "Content": "679"
      },
      "5": {
        "Type": "Content",
        "Parameter": "catalogName",
        "Content": "Annual Call Log"
      },
      "6": {
        "Type": "Content",
        "Parameter": "bpmName",
        "Content": "Annual Call Log"
      },
      "7": {
        "Type": "Content",
        "Parameter":"questionFieldMap",
        "Content":"[{\"question\":\"What is your name?\",\"answer\":\"Steve\",\"field_type\":\"textarea\",\"entity_type\":\"request\"},{\"question\":\"Role?\",\"answer\":\"Developer\",\"field_type\":\"text\",\"entity_type\":\"request\"}]"
      }
    }
  }]
}

There's no way for the scheduler tool to do anything with the calls once they have been logged, so the adding to the calendar and closing of the change will need to be done by the BPM workflow set against the new requests.

If you want to log more than one request, you just need to add additional objects to the Schedule array in the config.

I hope this helps, let me know if you need any more information.

Cheers,
Steve

Dan Munns · February 18, 2019

@Steve G thanks for this.

I am having trouble getting the BPM to kick off. All the other variables are showing correctly on the logged request and the service and catalog ids are populated but the BPM doesnt start.

Any ideas what that could be?

"Enabled":true,
      "CronSchedule":"0 59 11 18 02 *",
      "ScheduleFrom":"2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
      "ScheduleTo":"2020-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
      "Service":"apps/com.hornbill.servicemanager/Requests",
      "API":"logRequest",
      "APIParams":{
        "0":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"summary",
          "Content":"UAT Patching - March"
        },
        "1":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"description",
          "Content":"Server patching will take place between the hours of 12:00 – 15:00."
        },
        "2":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"requestType",
          "Content":"Change Request"
        },
        "3":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"status",
          "Content":"status.new"
        },
        "4":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"categoryName",
          "Content":"IT Security->Patching"
        },
        "5":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"serviceId",
          "Content":"36"
        },
        "6":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"catalogId",
          "Content":"361"
        }

Steve G · February 18, 2019

Hi @Dan Munns,

That's odd, not sure why the BPM wouldn't spawn. Is there anything relevant in the server log when this runs? Can you try manually defining the bpmName parameter and see if the BPM is able to be spawned then?

Thanks,

Steve

Dan Munns · February 18, 2019

@Steve G I will add a BPM name parameter in.

Where in the order should it go?

I did add the -debug=true flag to see if that shed any light on it but it seems not to work if the file is specified and not just the default conf.json file.

Steve G · February 18, 2019

It should go in-between the catalogName and questionFieldMap params:

Dan Munns · February 18, 2019

@Steve G ahh ok. I am using the logRequest api and specifying the request type using the requestType parameter.

Could this be why the BPM isnt triggered. Will I need to change it to the logChangeRequest api? Or is bpmName a valid parameter in logRequest as well? (if so it isn't on the table)

Dan Munns · February 18, 2019

@Steve G so adding bpmname to logRequest fails as the parameter is not recognised.

Changing the api to logChangeRequest produces the below error:

Below is the .json text:

"Enabled":true,
      "CronSchedule":"0 58 14 18 02 *",
      "ScheduleFrom":"2018-11-12T00:00:00.000Z",
      "ScheduleTo":"2020-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
      "Service":"apps/com.hornbill.servicemanager/Requests",
      "API":"logChangeRequest",
      "APIParams":{
        "0":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"summary",
          "Content":"UAT Patching - March"
        },
        "1":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"description",
          "Content":"UAT patching will take place between the hours of 12:00 – 15:00."
        },
        "2":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"status",
          "Content":"status.new"
        },
        "3":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"categoryName",
          "Content":"IT Security->Patching"
        },
		"4":
		{
		  "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"serviceId",
          "Content":"36"
		},
		"5":
		{
		  "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"catalogId",
          "Content":"361"
		},
		"6":
		{
		  "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"bpmName",
          "Content":"UAT - Patching"

Dan Munns · February 18, 2019

My bad on the error, forgot to change the service to ChangeRequests

Still hasnt triggered the BPM though

Dan Munns · February 19, 2019

@Steve G I still can't get this to trigger the BPM.

I have added additional fields thinking it might be missing info or the info was not correct to trigger the BPM but still no joy.

"Enabled":true,
      "CronSchedule":"0 09 12 19 02 *",
      "ScheduleFrom":"2018-11-12T00:00:00.000Z",
      "ScheduleTo":"2099-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
      "Service":"apps/com.hornbill.servicemanager/ChangeRequests",
      "API":"logChangeRequest",
      "APIParams":{
        "0":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"summary",
          "Content":"UAT Patching - March"
        },
        "1":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"description",
          "Content":"UAT patching will take place between the hours of 12:00 – 15:00."
        },
        "2":
        {
		  "Type":"Content",
		  "Parameter":"customerId",
		  "Content":"admin"
		},
		"3":
		{
		  "Type":"Content",
		  "Parameter":"teamId",
		  "Content":"STB/IT_*******_Development/*******_Development/"
		},
		"4":
		{
		  "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"status",
          "Content":"status.new"
        },
        "5":
        {
          "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"categoryId",
          "Content":"813"
        },
		"6":
		{
		  "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"serviceId",
          "Content":"36"
		},
		"7":
		{
		  "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"catalogId",
          "Content":"361"
		},
		"8":
		{
		  "Type":"Content",
          "Parameter":"bpmName",
          "Content":"***** IT - Patching"
		}
      }
    },

I have checked in the database and the info in the .json is all being added (I just cant see the BPM name associated with the request) but still no BPM ID.

Dan Munns · February 19, 2019

@Steve G no worries I worked it out.

I name our BPMs; "Team name - BPM name" and had put the name as such. In the database (I cant remember what table) they are "team-name---bpm-name" so I changed that and it all works fine!

Steve G · February 20, 2019

Hi @Dan Munns,

That's great, thanks for letting me know.

Cheers,

Steve

Dan Munns · February 20, 2019

@Steve G sorry to be a pain but I had an issue with the cron scheduler today where it logged two requests instead of just one.

I have one for the second Wed and one for the third Wed of the month but both triggered today.

This is the one that shouldn't have triggered: 0 0 08 09-15 2 3 which I read as everyday in Feb between 09th and 15th on Wed at 0800 so I dont see why it triggered.

This one also triggered, which I was expecting: 0 0 08 16-22 2 3 which I read as the same as above but between 16th and 22nd.

Am I missing something?

Dan Munns · February 22, 2019

The cron 0 0 08 16-22 2 3 triggered today as well when it shouldn't have.

Any ideas @Steve G @Victor?

Steve G · February 22, 2019

Hi @Dan Munns,

It's likely to be the extra 0 characters in the cron expression causing the issue - supported day of month values are 1-31. So those should read:

0 0 8 9-15 2 3

0 0 8 16-22 2 3

These are the supported values for the expression:

Cheers,

Steve

Dan Munns · February 22, 2019

Thanks @Steve G I have made the changes and will see what happens.

Dan Munns · March 6, 2019

@Steve G the cron is still wrong somewhere. It is now raising 2 requests every Wednesday. It raised them today with the schedules set as so:

      "Enabled":true,
      "CronSchedule":"0 0 8 9-15 3 3",
      "ScheduleFrom":"2018-11-12T00:00:00.000Z",
      "ScheduleTo":"2099-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",

      "Enabled":true,
      "CronSchedule":"0 0 8 16-22 3 3",
      "ScheduleFrom":"2018-11-12T00:00:00.000Z",
      "ScheduleTo":"2099-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",

It reads to me to raise the first request every Wednesday in March where the day is between 9th and 15th at 0800 with the second request being the same but with the days being between the 16th and 22nd.

Am I going mad or am I totally going wrong somewhere?

Dan Munns · March 11, 2019

@Steve G did you see this?

It just seems to be raising random times now,. There were three this morning!

Steve G · March 12, 2019

Hi @Dan Munns,

I'll have a look to see if I can replicate this, will get back to you with the results.

Cheers,

Steve

Dan Munns · March 12, 2019

Thanks @Steve G

Steve G · March 12, 2019

Hi @Dan Munns,

There was a duplicate task bug with the Go cron library used to build this tool, but was only evident on certain Windows builds - this was probably what was causing your issue. I've just released v1.2.1 of the tool that contains the latest cron library, which includes a fix for that issue. Could you download the OS-specific release ZIP from here and let me know if this fixes the issue for you? https://github.com/hornbill/goAPIScheduler/releases/tag/1.2.1

Cheers,

Steve

Dan Munns · March 14, 2019

@Steve G thanks.

I have deployed the new app and will report back on Wednesday (the next run) with results.

Thanks again,

Dan

Dan Munns · March 22, 2019

Hi @Steve G

Something still isn't working correctly.

This cron shedule has logged a request Wednesday, yesterday and today:

"CronSchedule":"0 0 8 16-22 3 3",

Wednesday I was expecting but not the other two.

Dan Munns · March 27, 2019

Hi @Steve G

Any insights? It logged another one today

Auto logging requests with API

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