Copying existing metadata into the case management development environment

You can use FileNet® Deployment Manager to export and import FileNet P8 assets from the object store in a production environment into the case management development environment target object store. You can then use those assets, mainly metadata, when you design a solution. For example, you can reuse property templates, document classes, or choice value lists from the production environment where the solution will be deployed.

About this task

Reusable assets are limited to document subclasses, property templates, non-hierarchical choice lists, or other classes, such as custom object subclasses. Additionally, because you can reinitialize the target object store, IBM® Business Automation Workflow provides a method for you to store the exported metadata in a location in the design object store so that the target object store can be automatically repopulated with this metadata when the environment is reset.

Procedure

To reuse metadata from an object store when designing your solution:

  1. See the FileNet Deployment Manager documentation for details on exporting and importing metadata for the steps in this procedure.
  2. In FileNet Deployment Manager, create and save an export manifest of the wanted metadata from the production object store that contains the items that you want to reuse.
    FileNet Deployment Manager saves the new export manifest as an XML file with the name that you specified in the following directory: deployment_location\Environments\source_environment\Assets\ExportManifests.
  3. Create the deploy dataset.
    FileNet Deployment Manager uses the export manifest file to generate a deploy dataset of exported objects. The dataset directory includes a set of files where the exported metadata is stored.
  4. Convert the objects in the export files for import.
    FileNet Deployment Manager creates the converted data set in a new subfolder of the folder that you specified. The subfolder is named after the deploy dataset name with .converted appended to the name.
  5. Make a note of the converted data set location and directory name.
  6. Import the exported metadata into the case management development environment target object store.
    Select the following options:
    Table 1. Import options
    Option Specify

    Deploy Dataset

    The deploy dataset directory with the converted export objects.

    Storage Policy for Imported Objects

    As the exported data is metadata only, no content is present.

    Import Security Permissions

    Select this option to include security permission lists for the objects imported into the target object store. A permission list consists of an Access Control List (ACL) for an object. By default, this option is selected.

    Import Owner

    Select this option to include the owner information in the target object store. By default, this option is selected.

    Import Object ID

    Select this option to import the existing ID of the imported objects, allowing object relationships by ID to be maintained. If the option is not selected, the import process generates new object IDs. By default, this option is selected.

    Use Original Create/Update Timestamps and Users

    Select this option to preserve the source system property settings for Creator, DateCreated, DateLastModified, and LastModifier. These property values in the converted objects are carried over into the target environment. By default, this option is selected.

    This option requires privileged write access (AccessRight.PRIVILEGED_WRITE). See the IBM FileNet P8 documentation's security topics for more information about this permission.

    Update Options

    These options affect objects that already exist in the target object store.
    Update if newer
    The object in the destination is only updated if the object being imported has been modified more recently.
    Always Update
    The object in the destination will always be updated, even if it has been modified more recently than the object being imported.
    Never Update
    The object in the destination will never be updated, even if the object being imported has been modified more recently.
  7. To simplify resetting the development environment, add the exported deploy dataset to the data set document object that is located in the reinitialization folder for the case management design object store.
    1. In IBM Administration Console for Content Platform Engine, select the case management design object store.
    2. Click Browse > Root Folder > IBM Business Automation Workflow > Datasets > DevEnvReinitInfo > dev_env_connection_definition.
    3. On the dev_env_connection_definition page in the right pane, click DeployDataset in the Containment Name column.
    4. On the DeployDataset page, click Actions > Checkin, checkout, cancel > Exclusive checkout, and then click Actions > Checkin, checkout, cancel > Checkin.
    5. In the Checkin document window, add the following exported deploy dataset XML files by clicking Add to navigate to the converted deploy dataset folder and attach each XML file that is contained in that folder.
      • Catalog.xml
      • deployDataset1.xml
      Restriction: Do not change the names of the Catalog.xml and deployDataset1.xml files. If you change the names, then Case Builder cannot read the files.
    6. Click Checkin.
  8. Notify the business analyst that the object store is ready for use with the imported data.