When zombie s arise they can be handled manually by ecflowview. (See Zombie) or via the command line interface:

• ecflow_client –zombie_get
• ecflow_client –zombie_fail <task-path>
• ecflow_client –zombie_fob <task-path>
• ecflow_client –zombie_adopt <task-path>
• ecflow_client –zombie_remove <task-path>
• ecflow_client –zombie_block <task-path>

However it is also possible to ask ecflow_server to make the same response in an automated fashion. How ever very careful consideration should be made before doing this. Otherwise it could mask a serious underlying problem.

The automated response can be defined with:

• python interface( See ecflow.ZombieAttr)

• text interface ( See Definition file Grammar)

  zombie             ::=  "zombie" >> `zombie_type` >> ":" >> !(`client_side_action` | `server_side_action`) >> ":" >> *`child` >> ":" >> !`zombie_life_time`
  zombie_type        ::=  "user" | "ecf" | "path"
  child              ::=  "init" | "event" | "meter" | "label" | "wait" | "abort" | "complete"
  client_side_action ::=  "fob" | "fail" | "block"
  server_side_action ::=  "adopt" | "delete"
  zombie_life_time   ::=  unsigned integer  ( default:  user(300), ecf(3600), path(900)  )

The zombie attribute is inherited in the same manner as Variable inheritance.

Example: For tasks under suite “s1” add a zombie attribute, such that child label commands(i.e ecflow_client –label) never block:

• python

  s1 = ecflow.Suite('s1')
  child_list = [ ChildCmdType.label ]
  zombie_attr = ZombieAttr(ZombieType.ecf, child_list, ZombieUserActionType.fob, 300)
  s1.add_zombie(zombie_attr)
  

• text

  suite s1
     zombie ecf:fob:label:

Example: For tasks under suite “s1” add a zombie attribute, such that child commands( event, meter, label) never block:

• python

  s1 = ecflow.Suite('s1')
  child_list = [ ChildCmdType.label, ChildCmdType.event, ChildCmdType.meter ]
  zombie_attr = ZombieAttr(ZombieType.ecf, child_list, ZombieUserActionType.fob, 300)
  s1.add_zombie(zombie_attr)
  

• text

  suite s1
     zombie ecf:fob:label,event,meter:

Example: For all tasks under family “critical”, if any zombies arise then fail the job:

• python

  with ecflow.Suite('s1') as s1:
     with s1.add_family("critical") as crit :
        child_list = [ ]  # empty child list means apply to all child commands
        crit.add_zombie(ZombieAttr(ZombieType.ecf, child_list, ZombieUserActionType.fail, 300))
        crit.add_zombie(ZombieAttr(ZombieType.path, child_list, ZombieUserActionType.fail, 300))
        crit.add_zombie(ZombieAttr(ZombieType.user, child_list, ZombieUserActionType.fail, 300))
  

• text

  suite s1
     family critical
        zombie ecf:fail::
        zombie path:fail::
        zombie user:fail::

The zombie attribute can also be added on the shell command line, using --alter .  i.e

• ecflow_client --alter add zombie "ecf:fob::"   /suiteX          # fob (init,event, meter, label,abort, complete) child commands.  This prevents zombies from blocking the script. Use with great care.
• ecflow_client --alter add zombie "ecf:fail::"   /suiteY          # fail the script straight away for any child command, in the job file.

You can only add one zombie attribute of each time(ecf,path,user). T

To delete a zombie attribute, please use one of:

• ecflow_client --alter delete zombie ecf     /suiteX
• ecflow_client --alter delete zombie path   /suiteX
• ecflow_client --alter delete zombie user  /suiteX

Here are some more examples:

•   Add a zombie attribute, that will fail the task as soon as a zombie arises.

           ecflow_client --alter add zombie "ecf:fail::" /suiteZ

•   Add a zombie attribute, such that all zombies never block the scripts.

        ecflow_client --alter add zombie "ecf:fob::" /suiteZ        

        ecflow_client --alter add zombie "path:fob::" /suiteZ

        Use with caution, but may be applicable for some suites.!

     - Add a zombie attribute, that kills the zombie process automatically when

       a  init/complete child is recieved by the server.

       This will use whatever is defined for ECF_KILL_CMD

       ecflow_client --alter add zombie "ecf:kill:init,complete:" /suiteZ

     - Add a zombie attribute that adopts all zombies.

       ecflow_client --alter add zombie "ecf:adopt::" /suiteZ