AutoMan
Overview
The AutoMan interface is invoked during a PROMIS track-in operation, track-out, abort, or data collection operation. It engages in a dynamic client/server communication protocol with a remote HyperScript, sending and receiving messages via the root HyperScript server. The remote automation object performs the required automation task, using SECS messaging or other protocols, and communicates back to the AutoMan interface with information indicating the success or failure of the automation task.
AutoMan has the following features:
- Customizable automation interface to PROMIS application
- Supports standard VT terminal interface.
- Fast, Easy, Effective interface that requires very little setup and training.
- Integrated with “Into Process Step”, “Out of Process Step”, “Abort Step”, “Enter Lot Data”, “Correct Lot Data”, “Gather General Data”.
- Supports complete test results data entry.
User Interface
The AutoMan user interface is presented in a small window, integrated with the track-in or data collection user interface. This window is used to display messages to the user while the automation process is underway, as well as provide a means for operator intervention, whether solicited or unsolicited. The following figure shows a typical AutoMan session.
When the AutoMan automation task is complete, the window is removed and the PROMIS function continues to completion in a normal fashion. For the PROMIS track-in operation, the function will either complete the track-in or abort the track-in, depending on the success of the automation task. In the case of data collection, the successful receipt of data from the remote automation object will allow the data collection operation to complete, which may involve additional manual entry of non-automated data, derived results, and SPC control charts.
Methods
The AutoMan interface to PROMIS is a set of pre-defined automation transaction methods that are executed using EVENT and QUERY messages. The EVENT or QUERY message specifies the method to execute along with zero or more tokens to use as the arguments of the method. When a incoming message token has one or more values, the transaction method reads the token values. When a token has no values, and the incoming message type is a QUERY, the transaction method assigns the values of the tokens and returns them to the sender in a REPLY message.
To build a complete automation system you create automation targets using HyperScript, which define appropriate transaction methods to work with the pre-defined methods in AutoMan.
The following automation methods are supported by AutoMan: