collect prefetch items

After items have been added to the prefetch queue by commands such as add nohash prefetch items and add prefetch items, this command collects those items from the IBM BigFix Relay. Prefetch processing of the action is suspended until all the specified files are collected. If the add prefetch command has provided the downloads with new names, they will be renamed at this point.

This command is typically used to retrieve a plug-in and/or a set of files that can be processed by a plug-in. In this case, a file is first added to the prefetch list, collected, and then processed by a subsequent execute prefetch plug-in command, which might create a file containing additional downloads. Each collect prefetch items command is treated as a synchronization point, causing the prefetch processing of the action to wait for the files to download before proceeding. Once the files are available, the action is reprocessed from the beginning. This allows the action to compensate for any files that may have changed due to altered conditions on the machine. The next command in the action will be processed only after the collect prefetch items command is executed and all files in the prefetch list have been downloaded.

The end prefetch block command does an automatic collection, ensuring that subsequent action commands will have the necessary files at hand.

Once the files have been collected, they can be examined with some new Inspectors which may have different interpretations, depending upon whether the action is active during prefetch processing or not. For more information on these Inspectors, see Introducing Dynamic Downloads.

Syntax

collect prefetch items

Example

begin prefetch block
      parameter "ini"="{file "server_bf.ini" of site (value of setting 
       "MyCustomSite") of client}"
      add prefetch item name=myPlugIn.exe sha1=12 size=12 sha256=347 size=456
        url=http://mysite/plugin.exe
      // collect the plug-in before continuing:
      collect prefetch items
      execute prefetch plug-in "{download path "myPlugIn.exe"}" /downloads 
        "{parameter "ini"}" "{download path "urllist"}"
      add prefetch item {concatenation " ; " of lines of download file "urllist"}
end prefetch block

In this example, the collect statement ensures that the plug-in has been successfully downloaded before proceeding with the rest of the prefetch block.

Version 7.2 and above