Autoscribe has unveiled a completely revised version of the Scheduler module for the Matrix Gemini Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). The versatile new Matrix Scheduler runs as a “service” so that even if a user logs off their PC the schedule is still executed. It allows the scheduling of user-defined tasks based on specific dates or dates built from the classifiers of years, months, weeks, days and times. One example might be: ’14.30 on the 3rd Thursday of January, March, and September’.
The module also allows non-working dates (i.e weekends and public holidays) to be programmed in with the option to include or exclude tasks that would be scheduled to occur during these periods. Where a user task is not allowed to be launched on either a weekend or a public holiday and an actual scheduled date falls at that time, the scheduled date can be rescheduled forwards or backwards.
Matrix Scheduler comprises three parts: new workflow screens to manage the scheduling of user tasks and holidays from within Matrix Gemini itself, a separate Matrix TaskLauncher which is a Windows service, and the actual task libraries which contain the specific tasks. Matrix TaskLauncher not only performs ‘Matrix’ operations but is also capable of running any appropriate Windows executable files.