The final step in coupling an EASAP to underlying software applications after manipulating user inputs and creating template batch files is to actually run the software applications using the appropriate commands.

These commands are contained within PROCESS.

If an EASAP requires that more than one software application be executed, then multiple PROCESS's can be created on the PROCESSES branch, one for each software application. An example case for multiple PROCESS's is presented below:

• process1: Run CAD package to generate model geometry
• process2: Run mesh generator to generate mesh
• process3: Run solver to compute analysis results
• process4: Run graphics package to generate output

Other PROCESS tasks might include:

• Executing operating system commands to perform tasks such as copying or deleting files
• Running a VB script to drive a Microsoft® Office product, such as Excel® or Word®.

PROCESS is Parent to a number of Child objects which help define the behaviour of the PROCESS execution.

Object	Description
PROCESS	Issues the commands used to run the underlying software applications.
	CLEAR FILESPACE	Minimizes the disk space used by files generated from an EASAP run.
	DATA PROCESSING	The main Parent under which all the available data processing tools reside.
	FAILED IF	Defines conditions for which the EASAP run is deemed to have failed.
	MONITOR	Monitors the progress of a process currently submitted to the EASAP queue.
	REPLACEMENT	Indicates that EASA needs to search a file for all DORs and replace them with the appropriate object values.

Within each PROCESS object, the order of operation is as follows:

1. All data processing object operations, such as MAP, EXPAND, COMPUTE, EXTRACT, etc., are completed first.
2. The REPLACEMENT object operations are completed second in the order they appear on the tree.
3. The PROCESS’s Run Using: command(s) are executed.
4. Any MONITOR objects are initiated next.
5. When the commands in the Run Using: parameter of the PROCESS finish running all FAILED IF objects are evaluated.
6. Finally, the files specified in the CLEAR FILESPACE are deleted.

When a User clicks on the Stop button () for a run on the EASA→User→My Results page, the run is stopped using the default method as defined in the Compute Server Configuration. This method usually involves the killing of a Process ID (PID). In this case, the run will end abruptly and no results will be generated. However, many software applications support methods of stopping them in a friendlier manner, in which a results file can still be generated. To support the existence of special stopping methods available within software packages EASA provides STOP which is a Parent to one or more STOP PROCESS's.

Another benefit that can be achieved with EASA is to minimize the disk space used in storing results by automatically deleting any very large unneeded files generated by the underlying software applications. The deletion of unwanted files can be accomplished either during the execution of an EASAP run using the CLEAR FILESPACE and FILE MANAGEMENT objects.