Configuring System Actions


Overview

Tasks

Included with

Tivoli Service Desk

Overview

What system actions do

System actions run Tivoli Script routines or external applications such as word processing programs. For ease of maintenance and to simplify future upgrades, system actions should be used to invoke all custom Tivoli Script routines used in Tivoli Service Desk.

Using system actions

You can add system actions to action groups that you create. You can then assign these action groups to profiles.

Note: If you add a system action to an action group, that's not enough to make the system action work. The name of the system action .kb file must be added to the USES chain of the action group main .kb file. This requires code customization. See Configuring Action Groups.

Security rights can be assigned to system actions. System actions can appear as toolbar buttons or menu selections.

Default system actions

Tivoli Service Desk includes a set of default system actions for each application you install. You can use these system actions to create profiles and design toolbars and menus.

Custom system actions

You can create custom system actions to run an external application, such as a word processing program. Or, you can create a system action to run a Tivoli Script routine.

Tasks

Adding a system action

All the custom Tivoli Script routines or external applications you want to include in a Tivoli Service Desk profile must first be defined as system actions. You need to add a system action only when it is not one of the standard system actions included with Tivoli Service Desk.

To add a system action:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, choose the System Actions tab.
  2. Choose Clear.
  3. In the Name box, type a short, descriptive name you want to assign to this system action.
  4. In the Action box, use one of the following examples to type the complete name of the program or routine that you want the system action to run:
    • If you want the system action to start an external application, type the program file name, along with the appropriate file name extension such as .exe or .bat. Be sure to include the path to this file.
      Example: c:\sample\do.exe
    • If you want the system action to run a Tivoli Script routine, you must type the file name and the function name.
      Example: Myfile:Myfunc()
      Note: The system action name must be in the form File:Routine(), where File is the name of the .kb file that contains the routine and Routine is the name of the routine.
      Caution: If this is a routine in a custom .kb file, you must include the name of the custom .kb file in the USES chain in the action group .kb file. Otherwise, the custom routine is not included when Tivoli Service Desk is parsed and the system action does not work. For more information on Tivoli Script routines, see the Tivoli Service Desk Developer's Toolkit Script Programming Guide.
  5. In the Description box, type any additional identifying information for this system action.
    Note: This description should be detailed enough to remind you what this system action does. It does not appear anywhere else in Tivoli Service Desk.
  6. Do you want to require selected security rights for this system action?
    Note: Multiple rights can be assigned to one system action.
  7. Under System Action, choose Add.
Copying a system action Copy a system action when you want to base a new system action on an existing system action.

To copy a system action:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, choose the System Actions tab.
  2. From the System Action list, select the system action to copy.
  3. In the Name box, type the name you want to assign to this system action.
  4. Under System Action, choose Add.
    Result: The action, description, and assigned system actions are saved as part of the new system action. To make changes to this system action, see Editing a system action.

Editing a system action

You can edit both the system actions supplied with Tivoli Service Desk and system actions you create. You can:

To edit a system action:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, choose the System Actions tab.
  2. From the System Actions list, select the system action you want to edit.
    Result: The current system action name, action, description and rights appear in the corresponding boxes in the System Actions tab.
  3. Do you want to change the name of the system action?
    • If yes, in the Name box, type a new name.
    • If no, go to the next step.
  4. Do you want the system action to invoke a different program or Tivoli Script routine?
    • If yes, in the Action box, type the complete name of the program or routine that you want the system action to run. See Adding a System Action for rules governing what you can enter here.
    • If no, go to the next step.
  5. Do you want to change the description of the system action?
    • If yes, in the Description box, type a new explanation of what this system action does.
    • If no, go to the next step.
  6. Do you want to change the rights required to access this system action?
    Note: Multiple rights can be assigned to one system action.
    • To add a right:
    • To remove a right, from the Rights list, select one or more rights and choose Remove.
      Note: See Selecting from a list for information on selecting multiple rights.
    • If no, go to the next step.
  7. Choose Save.

Deleting a system action

You remove a system action from Tivoli Service Desk by deleting it.

Caution: Do not delete a system action that belongs to an action group or one that is associated with a toolbar button or menu item. A deleted system action is immediately removed from all action groups, toolbar buttons, or menu items. The toolbar buttons and menu items no longer work.

To delete a system action:

  1. In the Profile Configuration dialog box, choose the System Actions tab.
  2. From the System Actions list, select the system action you want to delete.
  3. Choose Delete.