ADDRESS VOX Commands › Notification Manager Database Maintenance Commands › ALTERTIME Command

ALTERTIME Command

The ALTERTIME command changes the characteristics of a time block.

This command has the following format:

ADDRESS VOX "ALTERTIME KEY(parm key)
             [ASK(method key|name)]  
             [BGNDATE(mm/dd)]
             [BGNTIME(hh:mm)]
             [DOW(SUN|MON|...|SAT)]
             [ENDDATE(mm/dd)]
             [ENDTIME(hh:mm)]
             [FORTO(entity name|key)] 
             [NAME(name)]
             [PRIORITY(n)]
             [TELL(method key|name)]"

KEY

Specifies the key of the time block whose characteristics are to be altered.

ASK

(Optional) Specifies the name of the ask method to use during this time block.

If you specify the FORTO operand, you must specify a value of ForwardTo for this operand. If you specify a value other than ForwardTo, you cannot specify the FORTO operand.

BGNDATE

(Optional) Specifies the first date (no year is specified) on which this time block will be active. The period is active starting on this date every year. If you specify this operand, you can specify the ENDDATE operand, but not the DOW operand.

BGNTIME

(Optional) Specifies the time, in military time format (00:00 to 23:59), at which this time block becomes active on the specified dates or days of the week.

If you specify this operand, you must specify the ENDTIME operand.

DOW

(Optional) Specifies the days of the week on which this time block is active.

Days are specified as the first three characters of their English names. You can specify any number of days in any order. If you specify this operand, you cannot specify the BGNDATE and ENDDATE operands.

Separate the days of the week with spaces.

ENDDATE

(Optional) Specifies the last date (no year is specified) on which this time block becomes active. The period becomes inactive after this date every year. If you specify this operand, you can specify the BGNDATE operand, but not the DOW operand.

ENDTIME

(Optional) Specifies the time, in military time format (00:00 to 23:59), at which this time block becomes inactive on the specified dates or days of the week.

If you specify this operand, you must specify the BGNTIME operand.

Note: To make a time block active from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., you must specify the ENDTIME as 13:00. If you specify BGNTIME(10:00) ENDTIME(12:59), the minute from 12:59 to 13:00 is not covered by the time block.

FORTO

(Optional) Specifies the name or key of the entity to forward to during this time block.

If you specify this operand, you cannot specify a value of ForwardTo for both the TELL and ASK operands.

NAME

(Optional) Change the name of this time block to name. Names can only contain uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, blanks, and the following special characters: - _ @ # . $ % / ; : \

PRIORITY

(Optional) If multiple time blocks apply to a particular time of day, a certain algorithm is used to determine the order in which they will be attempted. This operand controls rule two of that ordering. The default ordering algorithm is as follows:

1. Time blocks with a BGNDATE and ENDDATE are performed before time blocks with a DOW.
2. Time periods with a higher priority are performed sooner.
3. If two time blocks with a BGNDATE and ENDDATE apply, the one whose BGNDATE is closest to the current date is performed first.
4. If two time blocks with a DOW apply, the one whose first active day of the week is closest to the current day of the week is performed first.
5. If there is still a tie, the time block whose start time is closest to the current time is performed first.
6. If there is still a tie, the time block whose end time is closest to the current time is performed first.
7. If there is still a tie, the order is random/undefined.

TELL

(Optional) Specifies the name of the tell method to use during this time block.

If you specify the FORTO operand, you must specify a value of ForwardTo for this operand. If you specify a value other than ForwardTo, you cannot specify the FORTO operand.

Return Information:

After ALTERTIME executes, it sets the special REXX return code variable RC.

• If the command executes successfully, the RC variable contains a value of zero.
• If the command does not execute successfully, the RC variable contains a nonzero value. Additionally, the VOX.ERROR variable contains the complete VOX error message, which includes the four digit return code and error message text.

Example:

The following example changes the beginning date of time block 400001034 to 07/20:

ADDRESS VOX "AlterTime KEY(400001034) BGNDATE(07/20)"