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Quickstart

Install JAMS on a single machine, create your first Job, and watch it run.

By the end you will have a working JAMS environment with a Credential, a Folder, and two Jobs (one on a schedule, one you submit by hand), and you will have watched both of them in the Monitor.

This walkthrough installs the Scheduler and Client on one machine, which is right for evaluation and testing. Production setups such as high availability are covered separately in Install & Configure.

Work through this in one sitting

A Job stays visible in the Monitor for only 10 minutes after it runs, whatever its status. If you break off partway through, you may have to repeat the exercise to see your results.

Before you begin​

  • A Windows Server machine that meets the System Requirements. If prerequisites are missing, the installer stops and tells you.
  • The latest installer, downloaded from the JAMS Support Site and saved to that machine.
  • A Windows account with administrator privileges that can also create the JAMS Database in SQL Server. Typically an account with dbcreator and either securityadmin or sysadmin rights.
  • Your license file.

Already installed JAMS by following the Installation Guide? Skip to step 3.

1. Install JAMS on a single machine​

You can install JAMS on a single machine or virtual machine for testing or setup purposes. Additional configurations, such as high availability, can be setup, but they are not covered in this Quick Start Guide. For this process, the JAMS Scheduler and JAMS Client are installed on the same machine.

  1. Log in to Windows with the administrator account described above.

  2. Right-click SetupJAMS and select Run as Administrator.

  3. On the Welcome page, click Next.

    note

    You may see an error message on the Welcome screen that the certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted. If this message appears, see Managing the JAMS Database for more information before continuing with the installation.

  4. On the License Agreement page, select I accept this license agreement, then

  5. On the Core Components page, select both JAMS Client and JAMS Scheduler. Click Next.

  6. On the Message Queue (MSMQ) page, view the message regarding installing MSMQ. Click Next. Integration Packs are optional. You do not need any for this walkthrough.

  7. If WebView2 is not installed and you are installing the JAMS Client, select the checkbox on the WebView2 Runtime page. See WebView2 Runtime for more information.

  8. On Contact Information, fill in your details or leave them blank and add them later. Completing it creates two objects for you: Default_SMTP_Connection_Credential and Default_SMTP_Connection. Click Next.

  9. On the SQL page, select the checkbox to install SQL Express locally, then enter the database details and the authentication method JAMS should use.

    note

    JAMS Services rely on a connection to SQL to start properly, and they will fail to start if a SQL connection to a valid JAMS database cannot be made. When installing or updating your SQL Instance, review the startup sequence of the MSSQL Services and ensure they are set to an appropriate startup type, such as Automatic.

  10. Click Next to begin the installation.

    note

    Users should NEVER attempt to manually create the JAMS Database.

  11. On the Locations page, accept the default target directory. Changing it can mean extra customisation later.

  12. On the JAMS Sample Jobs page, select the checkbox to install sample Jobs and nominate a JAMS user to run them. This sets the Execute As property on those Jobs. Click Next.

  13. Click Close after the installation is completed.

2. Apply the JAMS license​

JAMS licenses are sent out as XML files. To apply a JAMS license, copy the license key file(s) into the C:\Program Files\MVPSI\JAMS\Scheduler directory. No other actions should be necessary.

3. Open the JAMS Client​

  1. Click the Windows Start menu.
  2. Right-click JAMS Client and select More → Run as administrator.

4. Create a Credential​

Before you can create and run a Job, you must create a Credential. This allows you to control who can run Jobs in your system.

  1. Click Credentials in the Shortcuts menu.
  2. Click +.
  3. In Credential Name, enter TestCredential.
  4. In Secret Provider, select JAMS.
  5. Click Ok.
  6. If the logon name differs from the Credential name, enter it in Logon As.
  7. Click Set Password, enter a password, and click Ok.
  8. Click Save and Close.

5. Create a Folder​

Folders hold Jobs. At least one must exist, and it is bad practice to save Jobs in the root Folder.

  1. Click Definitions from the Shortcuts menu.
  2. Right-click the root Folder (\) and select Add Folder.
  3. Enter TestFolder as the name.
  4. Click Ok.

TestFolder now sits under the root alongside the two Folders JAMS ships with: Samples, containing runnable example Jobs, and JAMS, containing template Jobs for common actions such as watching for a file.

6. Create a scheduled Job​

important

Note that Jobs will appear in the Monitor for only 10 minutes after the Job has executed (run) independent of its status. We encourage you to work through uninterrupted to avoid repeating the exercise.

  1. On the Job Definitions tab, right-click TestFolder and select Add Job.

  2. Confirm Folder shows \TestFolder.

  3. In Name, enter TestScheduledJob.

  4. In Description, enter This Job runs on a daily basis.

  5. Confirm Execution Method shows Command.

  6. Leave Edit this job definition after adding selected, then click Ok.

  7. On the Source tab, enter:

    Echo "Hello World!"

  8. Click the Schedule tab, click +, then select Run this job → on a schedule.

  9. Confirm Enabled is selected.

  10. In Scheduled Date, enter Daily.

  11. In Scheduled Time, enter a time one hour from now. If it is 11:30, enter 12:30. On a virtual machine, use that machine's clock.

  12. Click Finish.

  13. Click the Properties tab and set Execute As to TestCredential.

  14. Click Save and Close. The TestScheduledJob is now available in the TestFolder.

7. Create an ad hoc Job​

This is similar to Creating a Scheduled Job, but without a schedule. This one runs only when you submit it.

  1. Right-click TestFolder and select Add Job.

  2. In Name, enter TestUnscheduledJob.

  3. In Description, enter This Job runs as needed.

  4. Confirm Execution Method shows Command, leave Edit this job definition after adding selected, and click Ok.

  5. On the Source tab, enter:

    Echo "Hello World!"

  6. Click the Properties tab and set Execute As to TestCredential.

  7. Click Save and Close.

8. Submit the ad hoc Job​

  1. In the Definitions screen, click TestFolder.
  2. Right-click TestUnscheduledJob and select Submit.
  3. Click Submit Run Request.
  4. Click OK.

9. Watch them in the Monitor​

  1. Click Monitor from the Shortcuts menu.
  2. Click the Monitor Classic tab.
  3. Find TestUnscheduledJob. Its Status should read Successful.
  4. Find TestScheduledJob. Its Status should read Timed, and stays that way until its scheduled time arrives.

Not seeing a Job? Troubleshooting​

There are a number of reasons why your Job may not behave as you expect. Common configuration issues, such as those listed below, could be causing the problems.

  • A scheduled Job that finished more than 10 minutes ago has dropped off the Monitor and will reappear at its next scheduled time.
  • A scheduled Job more than 60 minutes away has not appeared yet. It shows up within an hour of its run time.

What you just built​

In this guide, you configured the following core components:

  • Credential: Set up the security context that Jobs execute under.
  • Folder: Created an organizational container for your Jobs and assets.
  • Scheduled Job: Configured a Job to run automatically on a recurring daily schedule.
  • Ad-hoc Job: Created a Job ready for manual, on-demand execution.
  • Live Monitor: Verified real-time execution status for both Jobs.

Next​

Glossary

The vocabulary behind what you just did: Execution Methods, Schedules, Triggers, Dependencies, and the rest.

Install for production

Multi-machine installs, high availability, and the full installation procedure.

Building Jobs

Job types, Sequences, Variables, and scheduling in depth.

Troubleshooting

What to check when a Job does not run or does not finish the way you expected.