Refreshing the to-do list

I know there is a way to refresh the to-do list from a cgi task using the following method

print qq|&lt;script language="javascript"&gt;if (opener.top.Ctl) { 
        opener.top.Ctl.pw_refresh(); 
      }
      else { 
        opener.location.reload(); 
      }
      self.close();
 &lt;/script&gt;|;

however is there a way to have an external task refresh the to do list to show progress
i.e. i have 3 external tasks one after the other. Can the to-do list show progress from task 1 to task 2 to task 3

Hazzie

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Comments

Migrateduser

An external task should not refresh the To Do list. An "external" task is one that is run by the server without any dependence upon a user and therefore should not assume that there is a user.

You could have your external tasks update a job variable named "Status" as they complete and have the To Do list display this value, or you could replace your external task with CGI tasks and have the CGI tasks update the display.

Brinko Kobrin
Interwoven Staff Engineer

Hazzie

Thanks for the reply.

I am a little unsure as to how the "external task updating a job variable" suggestion would bring any bennefit as the user would still have to press refresh to see that updated value. Unfortunatly the turn "all to cgis" is not going to work. I suppose i will have to live with it.

Hazzie

Migrateduser

You are correct. The user would still have to refresh to see the value of the job variable. I was only suggesting that as a way to indicate the status.

If an external task is running, how could the UI know when to refresh unless the external task is aware of the user's session and can signal the browser. You could have the browser poll (periodically refresh) but that would increase the workload on the server.

Brinko Kobrin
Interwoven Staff Engineer

Migrateduser

Could the callback process force a refresh of the UI?

Dave Smith
Sr. Software Engineer
Nike, Inc.
(503) 671-4238
DavidH.Smith@nike.com

Migrateduser

Basically, no. It is possible for some web clients do maintain an open connection to a server and listen for events, but that is not how WebDesk or WebDesk Pro were built. Once the pages have been displayed, the connection between the browser and the server is cut until the next client-initiated action. (This minimizes the load placed upon the server and thus improves scalability.)

Brinko Kobrin
Interwoven Staff Engineer