Applications or objects can be migrated into PAC from an External status (i. e. the sources reside in a repository under the control of an external version control software) to Control, or to a test or production status. Migrations from External may be processed in batch or online.

When new or changed Natural sources are transferred into a PAC controlled environment, a transfer event from External to Control status (or any other target status) must be created. This can be done by specifying the fully qualified URL. When the transfer event is executed, the handling is the same as with other migrations from a development status into a PAC controlled environment. PAC gets the source by means of a REQUEST DOCUMENT statement and writes it into the PCF, compiles the sources in the PCF and creates a new version of the cataloged object in the ACF. DDMs are written into the PCF. But instead of the source text the used URL is stored in the ACF.

Before storing the source into the PCF, the line numbers and line number references will be recreated.

The Natural member name, the programming mode, the save date, the user and the code page information will be extracted from the source text. This information is either inserted into the source text by the Local Versioning plug-in or by Natural for Eclipse. If that information does not exist, default values will be used. The member type of the source file can only be derived from its extension. Those URLs that do not allow to determine the member type will be rejected.