Activity Processing (Service)

⚠	This article was migrated from an older version and has not been updated for the current version of Grooper. This tag will be removed upon article review and update.

This article is about the current version of Grooper.

Note that some content may still need to be updated.

2025

Activity Processing is a Grooper Service that executes Activities assigned to edit_document Batch Process Steps in a settings Batch Process. This allows Grooper to automate Batch Steps that do not require a human operator.

When configuring an Activity Processing service, a Processing Queue may or may not be specified.

When unspecified, the service will assign work using the "default" Processing Queue. The Activity Processing service will pick up tasks for any Batch Process Steps that do not have an assigned Processing Queue.
When specified, only the Activity Processing service will only process tasks for Batch Process steps with that Processing Queue assigned.
- Be aware, while an Activity Processing service can only be configured to point to a single Processing Queue, multiple Activity Processing services may be added to the Grooper service list (each referencing their own Processing Queues).

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The Grooper Service user account must have the following permissions:

File store access

Type: NTFS\Share
Reason: Read and write access to the Grooper file store location

Database access

Type: SQL
Reason: Read and write access to the Grooper database

Logon As Service

Type: Local Security Policy
Reason: Run services installed via Grooper Command Console

About

Unattended Activities in a Batch Process can be automated using an Activity Processing Grooper service. The Activity Processing service will act like a Windows service and automatically start tasks in a Batch, as processing threads in your system's resources become available. This is one of the ways Grooper leverages your system resources for parallel processing.

Imagine you're running Grooper on a machine with eight (8) processing threads. If you have a Batch with five (5) Batch Folders, and each one is on the Recognize step of the Batch Process, there's no need for your system to process each Batch Folder sequentially (with each Batch Folder waiting to be processed until the one before it is finished).

You have 8 threads and 5 Batch Folders in this scenario.
Each one of those threads can process one Batch Folder as a single task.
With 8 available threads, all 5 Batch Folders could be processed concurrently by 5 individual threads.
This is multi-threaded Activity processing.

You could then set up an Activity Processing service to process all Code Activity steps in a Batch Process with the maximum allowable processing threads available.

How To

Install an Activity Processing service without a Processing Queue

Activity Processing services allow you to automate Code Activity tasks. If you do not assign a Processing Queue to the Activity Processing service, it will pick up tasks in the "default queue", automatically processing any tasks that aren't in a specific Processing Queue. Creating an Activity Processing service without a Processing Queue is generally the easiest way to get started automating steps in a Batch Process.

In this scenario, we will install an Activity Processing service with no associated Processing Queue and give it a certain number of threads to use.

This service will pick up and process any Code Activity tasks for Batch Process Steps with no Processing Queue assigned.

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Be aware of the "n minus one" rule!

Services are assigned a number of CPU threads when you install them. For some services, like Import Watcher, the will always run using a single thread. Activity Processing services can run using multiple threads.

Keep in mind, your machine only has a certain number of processing threads available. You will run into errors if you over-allocate your available threads.

Remember too, the operating system itself must always have a single thread available to run. So, the absolute maximum number of threads you can assign to all your services should not go beyond the total number of threads available minus one reserved for the operating system. Hence, the "n minus one" rule.

The "n minus one" rule is as follows:

If "n" is the maximum number of threads available on your machine, the maximum number of threads you can distribute to Grooper services is "n" minus one.

Be aware of the "n minus x" rule!

Other programs running in the background will need threads to run as well.

If SQL is installed on the same machine as your Grooper services, you should follow an "n minus two" rule, reserving one for the OS and one for SQL.
If IIS and SQL are installed on the same machine as your Grooper services, you should follow an "n minus three" rule, reserving one for the OS, one for SQL, and one for IIS.
If other applications, such as anti-virus software, are running in the background you will need to reserve threads for those applications as well.

THE LONG STORY SHORT HERE IS DO NOT OVER-ALLOCATE YOUR AVAILABLE THREADS! GROOPER CAN BEHAVE ERRATICALLY IF YOU DO!

Open Grooper Command Console

⚠	Grooper Command Console must be run as an administrator to install, edit, start and stop services.

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The Grooper Service user account must have the following permissions:

File store access

Type: NTFS\Share
Reason: Read and write access to the Grooper file store location

Database access

Type: SQL
Reason: Read and write access to the Grooper database

Logon As Service

Type: Local Security Policy
Reason: Run services installed via Grooper Command Console

In Grooper Command Console enter the following command:

services install <connectionNo> <typeName> <userName> <password> [threadCount] [queueName]

<connectionNo> (required):

Replace this with the integer representing the appropriate connection. Use the connections list command to get a list of your connections.

<typeName> (required):

Since we are installing an Activity Processing service, replace this with ActivityProcessing.

<userName> and <password> (required):

Replace these with the appropriate Active Directory credentials of your Grooper Service User.

[threadCount] and [queueName] (optional):

If you want to specify a specific thread count, replace [threadCount] with an appropriate integer. Not setting an integer here will assume the default setting of "multiple" threads.
If you want to specify a queue name, replace [queueName] with the name of an appropriate Processing Queue object. Leaving this blank will assume the Default processing queue.

Install an Activity Processing service with a Processing Queue

Processing Queues allow Activity Processing services to divide CPU threads amongst different steps in a Batch Process. This is mechanism that allows you to control how many threads are utilized by specified steps.

Commonly, a Processing Queue is created and implemented to throttle certain Activities, such as Recognize or Export, restricting the maximum number of threads that can be used to process those steps (thus freeing up compute for other Activities).

Refer to this section of the Render article for more information
In this example, we describe how to implement a single-threaded Activity Processing service that executes Export steps using a Processing Queue.

Install an Activity Processing service for the Render activity

An Activity Processing service is required to run the Render activity. This Activity Processing service must use a specially configured Processing Queue.

The Processing Queue assigned to any Render step must have its Concurrency Mode set to PerMachine.
Refer to this section of the Render article for more information
- This tutorial will instruct you how to set up a Processing Queue and Activity Processing service for a Render step in a Batch Process.

Addressing "ghost services" - Deleting services from Windows

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Very rarely, a Grooper service will not uninstall properly when you uninstall a Grooper service service. Or, a user may delete a Grooper Repository connection or purge a Grooper Repository without uninstalling services first.

This can make it appear as though a duplicate or "ghost" Windows service is installed without being listed in GCC (or Grooper Config before version 2024).

If this does occur, you will need to manually delete the service. If you know the name of the service instance (something like Grooper.ServiceTypeName.##) you need to delete, you can use the following command lines to stop the service (if necessary) and manually delete it.

SC STOP Grooper.ServiceTypeName.##
SC DELETE Grooper.ServiceTypeName.##

OR

You can delete the service from the Windows Registry Editor, using the following steps:

Open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe)
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services.
Select the key of the service you want to delete.
- Grooper services will always be named something like Grooper.ServiceTypeName.##
From the "Edit" menu select "Delete.
You will be prompted "Are you sure you want to delete this Key?". Click Yes.
Exit the Registry Editor.