Timing Function in IDM ; how to set "timer"

Question

I have a question which has not been discussed here before (or, if it has, I haven't noticed).
It concerns the use of a TIMER function in IDM.
I am pretty sure IDM has one; just not sure how to implement this.
Let's say you want to evaluate the time difference between when a person logs into the system, and today's (current) date? If a certain amount of time has elapsed, send that person an Email Notification?
Or : someone has not performed a certain required action; after a certain time, send them a "*notice*" (could also be an email notification).
Or, even more complex : send 2 or 3 such notifications, at regular intervals; and, if the person does not respond, then IDM will automatically perform an action of its own (maybe, disable that person's account, etc)
Basically, my point is : does IDM possess a certain "*internal clock/timer*" which can be activated, to monitor certain activities; and, based on how much time has elapsed, perform a certain action ??
If yes, then how can I configure and/or implement such a function?

Answer 1

Going with the deferred task example you'd have to do something like this:
(Again, it doesn't have to be a deferred task.)
<Action id="0" name="Add Deferred Task" application="com.waveset.session.WorkflowServices">
    <Argument name="op" value="addDeferredTask"/>
    <Argument name="type" value="User"/>
    <Argument name="name" value="$(accountId)"/>
    <Argument name="subject" value="Configurator"/>
    <Argument name="task" value="Your Workflow Name"/>
    <Argument name="date"> <!-- date the deferred task is to execute -->
        <ref>date</ref> <!-- precalculated date -->
    </Argument>
    <Argument name="date_task_added">
        <!-- add the time the task was actually registered -->
        <invoke name="getTime"> <!-- calculates "now" -->
            <invoke name="getInstance" class="java.util.Calendar"/>
        </invoke>
    </Argument>
    ... other deferred task arguments here
</Action>IDM will wait until the date the task is to be executed, see the "date" argument. When IDM actually executes the deferred task (it may be a long time after it was originally scheduled to execute if there's been a delay or an outage or whatever) you'll have a variable in your workflow called "date_task_added" that should be a java date object. (Or a string, I can't remember. If it is you'll just have to convert it, no biggy.) That will give you the date the deferred task was registered. Within the workflow you can build another date object using the exact same code to calculate "now".
From there getting the time difference between both objects is a simple matter of getting the milliseconds for each and doing the math to get the difference. That's just one way, there's dozens of ways of calculating time differences with the java date and calendar objects.
Note: untested code. You may have to tweak it to work properly.