Locking and checking out a code list

From the Action options menu in the Code lists page, you can lock, unlock, check out, and undo the check out of code lists. Locking a code list prevents anyone from changing the code list. Checking out a code list allows the person who checked it out to upload changes.

Code lists are not modified directly in Configuration Hub. To modify a code list, you must check out the code list and edit it using a spreadsheet tool or text editor for comma-separated values (CSV) files. You can check out a code list to upload changes to it.

A locked code list can always be downloaded as read-only. If you lock a code list and then decide you want to change it, you can click Check out to check out the code list without needing to unlock it first. If you locked a code list, you can unlock it. However, if you want to unlock a code list that was not locked by you (it was locked by someone else), only IBM Support can unlock it.

Code lists remain locked until they are unlocked by the person who locked them. Similarly, a code list remains checked out until the person who checked it out either does an Undo check out, or their code list changes are deployed to production.

To check out a code list, in the Code lists page, click Action items > Check out menu for the code list you want to lock to display the Check out code list modal. In the Check out code list modal, you can enter comments in Reason for check out to indicate why you are checking out the code list.

A checked out code list can always be downloaded as read-only.

Important:
  • The owner of a checked out code list can undo their own checkout-out only before they do any deployment on the revised of the code list. If you check out a code list, you become the owner of it. In such a case, only you can undo your check-out only before you upload its first new version.
  • Undoing a checked out code list results in the deletion of work-in-progress version of the code list from Configuration Hub. In this scenario, the code list is still visible in Configuration Hub and the work-in-progress version is still deployed in CTE, but it is reverted to the original version provided by IBM®.After a new version of the code list is uploaded, only IBM Support can undo the check-out. Undoing a checked out code list results in the deletion of work-in-progress version of the code list from Configuration Hub. In this scenario, the code list is still visible in Configuration Hub and the work-in-progress version is still deployed in CTE, but it is reverted to the original version provided by IBM.
  • IBM Support cannot do Undo check out if the code list has been uploaded and deployed.

Locking and unlocking a code list

You can lock a code list to prevent others from working with it. A locked code list needs to be unlocked before it can be revised.

About this task

A locked code list can always be downloaded as read-only. If a person locks a code list and then decides they want to change it, they can click Check out to check out the code list without needing to unlock it first. The person who locked the code list can also unlock it to make it available to be revised, or IBM Support can unlock it. Only IBM Support can unlock a code list that was locked by someone else.

Procedure

  1. From the side navigation menu, select Company resources > Code lists. Then, on the Code lists page, click the Action items menu for the code list you want to lock.
  2. From the Action items menu, select Lock. The Lock code list modal is displayed.
  3. In Reason for lock, type a comment to indicate why you are locking the code list.
    Important: IBM Support must add a Reason for lock.
  4. For Will you be working on this code list in Config Center?, click Yes if you are going to update the code list externally. If the code list is not going to be updated externally, click No.
    Important: If you are going to update the code list externally, you must click Yes to avoid a conflict. Additionally, if the code list is designated in Config Center as belonging to a Configuration Hub customer, you must lock the code list and click Yes for Will you be working on this code list in Config Center? to avoid a conflict.
  5. Click Lock to lock the code list and prevent others from working with it.
  6. To unlock a currently locked code list, in the Code lists page, click Action items > Unlock.
    Important: If you locked the code list, you can click Unlock to unlock it. However, if you want to unlock a code list that was not locked by you (it was locked by someone else), only IBM Support can unlock it. If IBM Support locks a code list, it cannot be unlocked by a company administrator (admin).
  7. When IBM Support clicks Unlock to unlock a code list that was locked by someone else, the Unlock code list modal is displayed. Click Unlock to unlock the code list.

Checking out a code list

To modify a code list, you must first use the Check out function to check out the code list.

About this task

Code lists are not modified directly in Configuration Hub. To modify a code list, you must check out the code list and edit it using a spreadsheet tool or text editor for comma-separated values (CSV) files. Checking out a code list gives you the ability to upload changes to it.

A checked out code list can also always be downloaded as read-only. If you want to cancel a change that you have checked out and uploaded but not yet deployed to CTE, you can now use the Undo check out function to return to the code list page.

Important: Any updated files are deleted from Configuration Hub as part of the undo process.

Procedure

  1. From the side navigation menu, select Company resources > Code lists. Then, on the Code lists page, click the Action items menu for the code list you want to check out.
  2. From the Action items menu, select Check out. The Check out code list modal is displayed.
  3. Optional: In Reason for check out, type a comment to indicate why you are checking out the code list.
  4. Click Check out to check out the code list and modify it.
    Important: After you complete your work with the code list, be sure to clean up any data from your local system, as you normally would when you work with a code list.

Skipping environments during uploading a new code list

As a business user, you can check out a code list to edit and upload its new version in only either CTE or production.

Note: This procedure is applicable only if you are skipping an environment while you upload a new code list version during check out. Also, the skip environment feature is applicable for only the variant type of code lists.

Procedure

To skip an environment when you check out a code list, refer to the following procedure.
  1. On the Check out code list page, refer to the Choose an environment to edit section.
  2. If you select Production, skip this step. If you select CTE, refer to the following procedure.
    1. Upload the code list to the CTE.
    2. Click Deploy to CTE.
    3. Click Finish.
  3. If you select CTE, skip this step. If you select Production, refer to the following procedure.
    1. Upload the code list to the production environment.
    2. Click Deploy to production.

Undoing a code list check out

You can now reverse a code list that you checked out and uploaded but not yet deployed to CTE. When you check out and upload a code list, then decide you no longer want to deploy to CTE, you can click the Undo check out and return to the code list page.

To undo a code list check out, use the Undo check out function.
  1. From the side navigation menu, select Company resources > Code lists. Then, on the Code lists page, click the Action items menu for the code list for which you want to reverse the check out.
  2. From the Action items menu, select Undo check out. The Confirmation modal is displayed.
  3. Click Undo to undo the check out. The code list is then available for others to work with.

If you want to cancel a change that you have checked out and uploaded, but not yet deployed to CTE, you can now use the Undo check out function to return to the code list page.

You can transfer the check out to another user by using the Transfer check out function. You might use the Transfer check out function if a user who checked out and worked on a code list that is no longer available. This function transfers the check out to the user that you specify and maintains the progress you made when you worked on the code list.