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Global - Connections​

A Connection stores where and how VisualCron connects to another system, for example an FTP server, a database or a cloud service: the address, the port, the sign-in and the protocol settings. Connections are global objects. You create a Connection once, and every Task and Trigger that needs it can use it. When a password or an address changes, change it in the Connection, and every Task and Trigger that uses the Connection uses the new value.

Connections have their own permissions, which control who can see, change and use them (see Main - User Permissions). Windows accounts that Tasks run as are stored as Credentials, not as Connections.

Manage Connections​

To open the Manage Connections window, click Server -> Global objects -> Connections. You can also open it from a Task or Trigger that uses a Connection. It then shows only the Connection types that the Task or Trigger can use.

The Global objects group of the Server ribbon with Connections highlighted, and the Manage Connections window listing Connections by group, with names and addresses blurred

The grid shows the type, name, address and port of each Connection, grouped by Group. To filter the list by name, address or group, type in the search box on the toolbar.

The toolbar has these commands:

  • Add: opens the list of Connection types. Click a type to open the window for a new Connection of that type
  • Edit: opens the selected Connection
  • Clone: creates a copy of the selected Connection
  • Delete: deletes the selected Connection. Before you delete a Connection, use Object relations to see which Tasks and Triggers use it
  • Clear filter: clears the search box and shows all Connection types again, for example after you opened Manage Connections from a Task
  • Explorer: opens the selected Connection in the Connection Explorer, or an SQL Connection in the SQL Explorer, so that you can browse the server from the Client computer
  • Audit log: opens the Audit log for Connections

Right-click a Connection for the same commands and these:

  • Versions..: the version history of the Connection
  • Object relations: the Jobs, Tasks and Triggers that use the Connection (see Object Relations)
  • Export ...: exports the selected Connection

Add a Connection​

To add a Connection, complete the following steps:

  1. In Manage Connections, click Add.
  2. Click the Connection type.
  3. On the Common settings tab, enter a Name.
  4. On the Connection settings tab, enter the settings for the type, as described on the page for that type.
  5. (Optional) If the type has a Test button on Common settings, click Test.
  6. Click OK.

The Connection is saved and is listed in Manage Connections under its Group. Tasks and Triggers that use the type can now select it.

Connection types​

Connection types include:

Common settings​

Every Connection window has the same Common settings tab:

  • Protocol type: the Connection type
  • Test: shown for the types that support it. For most types, the Server, not the Client computer, connects with the values that are in the window now, including changes you have not saved, and reports success or the error. XendApp Connections are tested from the Client computer. VMWare Connections show Test, but report that the type is not supported for testing. Each type's page says what its test checks
  • Brute force test: FTP and SFTP Connections only. Opens a tester on the Client computer that tries combinations of settings, such as encryption, port and proxy. Click Select connection to copy a working combination into the Connection
  • Name: required. Tasks and Triggers show this name when you choose a Connection. Telegram Connections show Number here instead. On Twitter Connections, Name is unavailable
  • Group: the group that Manage Connections lists the Connection under. Choose a group or type a new name. A new Connection is in "Default group"
  • Timeout: in seconds. "60" on a new Connection, except SSH Connections, which start with "0". Each type's page says how the type uses it
  • Code page: the character encoding for text exchanged with the server, where the type uses one. "windows-1252" on a new Connection
  • Permissions..: overrides the Connection permissions of user groups for this Connection only, to grant or deny them access to it. Clicking OK in the permissions window saves the Connection on the Server at once, and Cancel in the Connection window does not undo that. For the permission model, see Main - User Permissions
  • Copy Connection Id: the link at the bottom of the window. Copies the Connection's Id to the Clipboard

Proxy​

Many Connection types have a Proxy tab under Connection settings. It is the same for every type that has it. Types without a Proxy tab, for example SCP, TCP, AS/400 and IIS, connect directly.

  • Proxy type: "No proxy", "HTTP Proxy", "SOCKS4" or "SOCKS5". With "No proxy", the Connection connects directly and the other fields are unavailable
  • Address: the host name or IP address of the proxy server. A new Connection shows a sample web address here; replace it
  • Port: the port of the proxy server. "8080" on a new Connection
  • Test url: the web address that Test requests through the proxy
  • Authentication: "Basic", "Digest", "NTLM" or "Not set". Available only with "HTTP Proxy". A new Connection has "Not set"
  • Use credentials: send a user name and password to the proxy. Selected on a new Connection. While it is selected, Username and Password are required
  • Domain: sent to the proxy only by Microsoft Azure Block blob Connections. The other types save it but do not send it
  • Username and Password: the account for the proxy server
  • Use proxy for data channel: used only by FTP Connections, and shown when a proxy type is selected. When it is selected, which is the default, file transfers and folder listings also go through the proxy. Clear it to send them directly
  • Test: the Client computer requests Test url through the proxy with these settings and the proxy Username and Password, and reports "Proxy is available" when the page loads. The test runs on the Client computer, not on the Server, so it does not show whether the Server can reach the proxy

Only FTP, SFTP, SSH and WebDAV Connections use Authentication. Amazon, Microsoft Azure Page blob, Google Drive and OneDrive Connections send the proxy Username and Password with Basic authentication when Use credentials is selected, whatever Authentication shows. Telnet Connections and the other types do not use Authentication.

Microsoft Azure Block blob Connections always use the proxy as an HTTP proxy, even when Proxy type is "SOCKS4" or "SOCKS5". With Use credentials selected, they send Domain, Username and Password, and agree the authentication method with the proxy, whatever Authentication shows.

warning

For FTP, SFTP and SSH Connections, when Proxy type is "HTTP Proxy", Authentication is "Not set" and Use credentials is selected, the Server sends the Connection's own Username and Password, the sign-in for the FTP, SFTP or SSH server, to the proxy with Basic authentication. It does not send the proxy Username and Password. A new Connection has these settings as soon as you choose "HTTP Proxy", and Test on this tab does not show the problem, because it uses the proxy account. To send the proxy account, set Authentication to "Basic", "Digest" or "NTLM".

warning

Some Connections show a Proxy tab that the Server does not apply. In these cases the Server connects directly, so make sure that it can reach the server without a proxy, or the Jobs fail:

  • Box, Dropbox and Slack Connections
  • Microsoft Azure Connections with the "Form Recognizer" Connection type
  • Office365 Connections
  • SMTP Connections
  • Exchange EWS, Exchange WebDAV and Microsoft Graph API Connections, when the Server sends email, for example from the Email - Send Task, and when you click Test. The Email Tasks that read, delete or move messages, and the Email Trigger, use the Proxy tab
  • VisualCron Connections