Inconsistent return values from jdeLaunchUBEEX

My client has a ube primarily utilized via the Scheduler, to submit reports and after completion of ube, will email the pdf to address identified in processing option.  They have recently added a new version.  They are running the report hourly, however, currently as this is new functionality, there are very few records hitting the system that meet calling ube selection criteria, sometimes not for days. The jdeLaunchUBEEX api returns a value of '0' and no job number, when no data selected which is most of the time, and therefore the calling ube will not email a blank pdf.  The