Importing and exporting generic processes

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You can move generic processes between servers by exporting and importing them.

About this task

Exporting a generic process from the Processes page creates a JSON file (with a json file extension) that contains the process and the properties that are associated with the process. However, you can export a generic process to a YAML format using REST command. See How-to: Export and import elements with YAML configuration for an example procedure.

When you export components, applications, processes, or templates, and then import them on a different computer, the same versions of the same plug-ins must be installed on both computers.

Importing a generic process makes the exported version of the process available from another server.

Procedure

  1. On the first server, click Processes to open the Processes tab.
  2. Export the processes using any of the following methods:.
    • To export processes in bulk:
      1. Select the processes to be exported.
      2. Click Bulk Actions.
      3. Select Export to JSON or Export to YAML.
    • To export a latest promoted process:
      1. Click the menu option of the process to be exported.
      2. Select Export to JSON or Export to YAML.
    • To export a draft process:
      1. Open a process in the process designer.
      2. Select a draft version, if required.
      3. Click Export > Export to JSON or Export > Export to YAML.
    You can load the file into a text editor or save it.
    Important: You must create the JSON file that contains the process definition from a server that uses the same version of IBM DevOps Deploy (Deploy) as the destination server.
    A file is created with the same name as the selected process.
    The file name takes the form of this example: exampleprocess.json.
  3. Make the file available to the second server.
  4. On the second server, click Processes > Import Process to open the Import Process window.
  5. To upgrade an existing process, select Upgrade Process.
    If the name of the process in the JSON file matches an existing process, the process parameters are updated with new values. If the process name is not found, the command has no effect.
    Note: An existing process must match the name of the process in the JSON file, not the name of the file itself. The process name is the first parameter in the JSON file. The following text is the JSON representation of a process named Post-process test.
    "name": "Post-process test",
  6. Select an upgrade type from the dropdown list in the Generic Process Upgrade Type for Linked Processes field.
    • Use Existing Process type does not modify existing child processes that already exist on the system, but it still creates any child processes that are missing from the system but included in the import.
    • Create Process type generates a new process and appends a suffix to its name even if a process with the same name already exists during the import.
    • Fail If Process Exists type causes the import to fail if one of the processes being imported already exists on the system.
    • Fail If Process Does Not Exist type causes the import to fail if the process being imported does not already exist on the system.
    • Upgrade Process if Exists type updates any processes referenced by name to match the content of the import document and creates any processes that are missing.
  7. Click Choose File, and then select the JSON file that contains the process definition.
  8. Click Submit.

Results

You have exported and imported the generic processes between the servers.