Using Import and Export Functions

This document covers the following topics:

Importing and exporting objects via Entire Operations is only possible if the Monitor is running. All import and export operations are executed asynchronously.


Importing Objects

This section provides information on the process of importing objects and handling errors.

Warning:
You should use the import function with care. It can delete definitions from or add definitions to your database.

Start of instruction setTo import objects

  1. In the title bar of the Entire Operations home page select General and choose Import/Export.

    A user-specific Import/Export window like the example below opens:

    Import/Export

    The window lists all processing requests submitted for the objects to be imported (or exported). The list is empty if no requests exist.

    The list indicates the current processing status and whether a request has been completed successfully.

    The columns available in the Import/Export window are described in Columns: Import/Export Window.

  2. Choose the import symbol (Import symbol).

    An Import Objects window like the example below opens:

    Import object, Add Import

    The input fields available are described in Fields and Options: Import Objects Window.

  3. Select a Location.

    Depending on the chosen location, specific fields are displayed. The screen below is an example for location Natural-Source:

    Import object

    See also:

  4. Enter the required definitions for the object to be imported.

  5. Choose OK to confirm.

    The window is closing and the new request is displayed in the list Import/Export.

    If the import process was successful, the the data collected for the objects in the list is outputted to the export file.

    For more information on the syntax relevant for entries in an output file, see Syntax in Import/Export Files and Object Processing Rules.

This section covers the following topics:

Columns: Import/Export Window

The Import/Export window provides the following columns:

Column Description
Creation Time Date and time when the import or export request was added.
Import/Export Type Operation to be performed (Import Objects or Export Objects) and the type of object selected for processing.
Status Status of the import or export operation:
Queued Import/export request is queued for processing.
Running Operation is in progress.
Completed Operation performed successfully.
Aborted Operation failed.
Objects Number of objects that were processed successfully.
Failed Number of objects that were not processed successfully.
Properties Properties settings used for processing a selected request.

These settings correspond to the information shown in the Import Objects or Export Objects window.

Fields and Options: Import Objects Window

The fields and options provided in the Import Objects window are described in the following table.

All values entered in this window are checked for their validity. If a Natural object is specified as import file, the file existence is also checked.

Field Description
Location The location of the file to be imported.

Select either of the following options:

Natural source Import from a Natural text object. See also the fields Library and Member prefix.
Text file Import from a text file.
Library Only for Natural source locations.

Enter the name of the library, where the Natural objects reside.

Member prefix Only for Natural source locations.

Enter the prefix (maximum is 5 characters) of the names of the objects to be imported or enter the name of a rejected object (ERR-nnnn, see also Handling Import Errors).

For explanations of prefix, see the description of the Member prefix field used for the export operation.

Node Only for Text file locations.

Enter the name of the node through which the specified text file can be accessed. The text file must exist.

Text file Only for Text file locations.

Enter the name of the text file to be used for the import operation.

User ID Only for Text file locations.

Enter the default user ID if defined for the specified node.

Group Only for Text file locations.

Enter the UNIX group or Windows domain (optional) if defined for the specified node.

Initial Mode         The mode to be used when starting to import the object definitions contained in the file to the Entire Operations database. The mode can change during import if the file contains mode commands.

Select one of the following options:

Check Objects  Check syntax of objects.
Add objects  Add objects to the database (default).
Update objects  Update objects on the database.
Replace objects Replace objects on the database or add them if they do not exist.
Delete objects  Delete object from the database.
Owner

Network

Job

These fields can be used to define a range of objects to be imported from the import file.
Enter the required owner, network and job.

Notes:

  1. A selection on a lower level is accepted only if exactly one object is selected on the higher level (i.e. if you have not already used a wildcard).
  2. Selections cannot be verified against the target database, since they usually do not exist there. If nothing can be imported, check your selections.
  3. The selection is valid for all objects in the import file which contain Owner, Network and Job within their key fields.
Stop after ... errors Enter the number of errors which can occur before terminating the import process.

Valid range: 1 to 99999.

Default: 5.

or ... warnings Enter number of warnings which can occur before terminating the import process.

Valid range: 1 to 99999.

Default: 10.

Handling Import Errors

If at least one error occurs within the object, the whole object is rejected. Errors and warnings are counted for single objects during the import. If the error or warning limit is reached, the whole import is cancelled.

Whenever an object is rejected, it is saved with the prefix ERR- and an ascending number (ERR-0001, ERR-0002, and so on) in the library specified for the import operation. These objects contain the rejected object and the errors which caused the rejection. The error text is written directly above the line which contains the error.

Note
You must specify a Natural library name for storing these objects. Otherwise, errors are only protocolled in the job log.

In addition, a header is written to the object informing you about the:

  • Number of errors or warnings in this object;

  • User who started the import;

  • Date and time when the object was rejected.

    (See also Date and Time Formats in the User's Guide.)

You can edit these error objects manually and import them again.

Possible error causes and advice about fixing errors are described in the following section.

Error Severity

There are three levels of error severity:

  • Warnings
    Warnings are displayed, but do not cause the rejection of the object.

  • Errors
    Errors cause rejection of the object but do not cause termination of the import. Import continues with the next object within the file, if the error/warning limit has not been reached.

  • Fatal Errors
    Fatal errors are serious problems which cannot be ignored and cause immediate termination of the import. A fatal error occurs, for example, when it is impossible for the parser to continue at a new point.

Causes of Errors - Syntax

If errors or warnings occur during import, some of the possible causes could be syntax errors, for example:

  • A value has invalid format.

  • A character in a numeric field.

  • A keyword was invalid or non-existing.

  • The value of a field exceeds valid length.

  • A non-existing object type was specified.

These errors should not occur when importing an unchanged exported object. If you edit the exported object online or create a new object manually, these errors could occur.

Causes of Errors - Logical Errors

If errors or warnings occur during import, some of the possible causes could be logical errors, for example:

  • Value has correct syntax but does not meet the requirements of Entire Operations.

  • A Job type is specified, which is not allowed in Entire Operations.

  • The field has a special range (e.g. only Y or N).

  • Adding an object to Entire Operations which already exists.

  • Deleting a non-existing object.

Repeating a Failed Import

Start of instruction setTo repeat a failed import operation

  1. Correct all erroneous ERR- objects as described in the previous section.

  2. If the settings from the import window are not suitable, specify the desired import mode in the first line of the first error object.

  3. Start a new import as described in Importing Objects with the location NAT (Natural source) for all objects prefixed with ERR-.

Deleting Single or Multiple Import/Export Requests

Start of instruction setTo delete single or multiple import/export requests

  • From the table in the Import/Export window, select one or more requests and choose Delete (Delete button).

    The selected import and/or export requests are removed from the table.

Exporting Objects

This section explains the export of objects and their key fields.

Exporting an object can invoke the transformation of records from the Entire Operations database into an external format.

The following functions are available to export objects:

  • The Import/Export function in menu General: selects and exports (or imports) any type of object, see Exporting from menu General .

  • The Export function for a selected object node: selects and exports all objects contained in this node, see Exporting Node Items .

  • The Export function in a maintenance window: exports current settings of Entire Operations defaults, message, network activation definitions and import or export operations.

This section provides instructions for all export options.

Exporting Node Items

Start of instruction setTo export node items

  1. In the object workspace, select a node or a node instance and choose Export from the context menu.

    An Export Objects window like the example below opens:

    Export objects, text file

    Depending on the node or node instance selected, the From section contains different output fields that indicate the source objects used for the export.

  2. Select the required options and the location where you want to export the object(s). Depending on the location selected, additional fields appear in the To section of the window.

    All input fields and options available in the Export Objects window section are described in Fields and Options: Export Objects Window.

  3. When you are finished, choose OK.

    A user-specific Import/Export window opens.

    The window contains a list of all processing requests submitted for the objects to be exported (or imported). If you selected a node in Step 1, requests for all objects contained in this node are listed.

    The list indicates the current processing status and whether a request has been completed successfully.

    The columns and functions available in the Import/Export window are described in Columns: Import/Export Window and Functions: Import/Export Window, respectively.

  4. Choose OK.

    All objects listed in the Import/Export window are exported in the previously specified format.

    If the export process is successful, the data collected for the listed objects is output in the specified export file.

    The syntax that applies to the entries in the export file is explained in Syntax in Import/Export Files and Object Processing Rules.

Exporting from the Menu General

Start of instruction setTo export objects from the General menu

  1. In menu General, choose function Import/Export.

  2. In the Import/Export window, choose Export (Export).

    The Export Objekte window is displayed:

    graphics/now_export_object_general.png

  3. In field Objekttyp, select the the type of object to be exported. In field E-Mail enter the e-mail address of the receiver.

    Proceed with Steps 2 to 4 in Exporting Node Items.

Exporting Current Settings

Start of instruction setTo export current Entire Operations defaults, message or network activation settings

  1. Invoke Administration and choose Entire Operations Defaults.

    (See also Accessing Default Settings for Entire Operations in the Administration documentation.)

    Or:
    Invoke Administration and choose Messages and Exits. Select tab Global User Exits

    (See also Global Messages and Exits in the Administration documentation.)

    Or:

    Invoke General and choose Reporting

    (See also Viewing Mailbox Messages in the User's Guide.)

    Or:

    Invoke General and choose Next Activations.

    (See also Viewing and Maintaining Next Network Activations in the User's Guide.)

  2. Choose the export symbol (Export) right side of the title bar.

    An Export Objects window opens where the type of settings to be exported is indicated in the Object type field, for example, Defaults or Mailbox Entry.

  3. Proceed with Steps 2 to 4 in Exporting Node Items.

Fields and Options: Export Objects Window

The fields and options provided in the Export Objects window are described in the following table.

Field/Option Description
From:  
  Depending on the Object type selected, owner, network, network version and job used for the export are displays as output fields in the From section.
Object type Object type to be exported.

See also Object Type to be Exported: Key Fields of the Objects.

...   The remaining From fields differ according to the object type selected.
To:  
Target Version Entire Operations version to be used as the target version for the export: see Target and Current Versions.
Location Location of the file that contains the export data.

Select either of the following options:

Natural source Export to a Natural text object.

See also the fields Library and Member prefix.

Text file Export to a text file. See also Using Favorites for Text Files.
Node Only for Text file locations.

Enter the name of the node through which the specified text file can be accessed. The text file must exist.

Text file Only for Text file locations.

Enter the name of the text file to be used for the export.

Favorites This option button is only available if Text file is selected: see Using Favorites for Text Files.
User ID Only for Text file locations.

Enter the default user ID if defined for the specified node.

Group Only for Text file locations.

Enter the UNIX group or Windows domain (optional) if defined for the specified node.

Library Only for Natural source locations.

Enter the name of the library that contains the Natural text object used for the export operation.

Member prefix Only for Natural source locations.

Enter the prefix (maximum is 5 alphanumeric characters) of the Natural text object(s) that are to store the export data.

The prefix is padded with hyphens (-) to its maximum length of 5 character. For example, the prefix entry PRE is converted to PRE--, PREF to PREF-. The prefix is followed by a 3-digit number, for example, PREF-001.

One or more text objects with the specified prefix are created depending on the amount of data to be exported. For example: The prefix PREF can comprise text objects with the names PREF-001, PREF-002 and PREF—003.

Append/New/Replace Only for Natural source locations.

Determine how to handle the export data contained in the Natural text object(s) specified with the prefix in the Member prefix field.

Possible option settings are:

Append 

Select this option to append the data to be exported to the specified text object.

Text object with the specified prefix must exist.

New 

Select this option to save the data in a new text object.

If a text object with the specified prefix already exists, an appropriate message is returned.

This is the default setting.

Replace Select this option to replace the data in the specified text object.
Passwords Only for object types which contain passwords (e.g., password of a protected data set).

Possible radio button settings:

selected  Export passwords.
not selected  Do not export passwords.
with Schedules If you also export the schedules, the imported networks will get the same schedule definitions as the exported networks. (They can be modified after the import.)

Possible radio button settings:

selected Export schedules (default).
not selected  Do not export schedules.
with Calendars If you export object(s) with calendars, all referenced calendars will be exported after objects, each calendar once.

Possible radio button settings:

selected  Export calendars.
not selected  Do not export calendars (default).
with Symbols If you export object(s) with symbols, all referenced symbol tables will be exported after objects, each symbol table once.

Possible radio button settings:

selected  Export symbols.
not selected  Do not export symbols (default).
with Grants If you export networks, you can determine whether access rights granted to users/owners in the source environment are also exported.

Possible radio button settings:

selected Export granted access rights.
not selected Do not export granted access rights (default).
Target and Current Versions

The version in the Target Version and Current Version fields of the Export Objects window have the format vvrrssffff, where:

vvrrss Valid Entire Operations version with leading zeros, for example, 050501 for Entire Operations Version 5.5.1.
ffff One- to two-digit cumulative fix number (if available) with leading zeros, for example, 0001.

Valid input values for Target Version are from 0501010014 to the current (or next) vvrrssffff version. The highest allowed value is preset as default.

You can select a version and cumulative fix from the drop-down list boxes.

The Current Version read-only field indicates the Entire Operations version installed in your current environment.

Object Types to be Exported: Key Fields of the Objects

The key fields you must specify for any Object name you want to export are described in the following table.

The object types listed in the following table are used in an import or export file. They correspond to the object types (terms in parentheses in the table below) you can select from the Export Objects window opened when performing the Import/Export function from the General node.

Object Type Key Field 1 Key Field 2 Key Field 3 Key Field 4 Remark
OWNER

(Owner)

Owner       This exports all objects which belong to a specific owner.
NETWORK-MASTER

(Network Master)

Owner Network  Version    
NETWORK-VERSION-USAGE

(Network Version Usage)

Owner Network      
JOB-MASTER

(Job Master)

Owner Network Version Job  
EOJ-CHECK-MASTER

(EOJ Check Master)

Owner Network Version Job  
DESCRIPTION

(Description)

Owner Network Version Job A hyphen (-) used instead of a job name exports the description of the network.
SCHEDULE

(Schedule)

Owner Schedule     Schedule = Network
CALENDAR

(Calendar)

Owner Calendar      
TO-ACTIVATE

(To Activate)

Owner Network Version Job Job is optional.
SYMBOL-MASTER

(Symbol Master)

Owner Symbol table      
SYMBOL-VERSION-USAGE

(Symbol Version Usage)

Owner Symbol table      
MAILBOX-DEFINITION

(Mailbox Definition)

Mailbox        
MAILBOX-ENTRY

(Mailbox Entry)

Mailbox        
NODE-DEFINITION

(Node Definition)

Node        
RESOURCE-DEFINITION

(Resource Definition)

Resource        
RESOURCE-PREREQ

(Resource Prereq)

Owner Network Version Job  
USER-DEFINITION

(User Definition)

User ID        
DEFAULTS

(Defaults)

Library        
CONDITION-ACTIVE

(Condition Active)

Owner Network Version   The export will be performed for all active runs of the condition.
GLOBAL-EXIT

(Global Exit)

        All global exits will be exported.

Repeating an Import or Export Operation

Start of instruction setTo repeat an import/export operation

  1. From the table in the Import/Export window, select a completed import or export and choose Repeat.

    An Import Objects or Export Objects window opens with the properties settings of the previous import or export, respectively.

    If required, change the current settings. The fields and options are explained in Fields and Options: Import Objects Window and Fields and Options: Export Objects Window, respectively.

  2. Choose OK.

    The request is added to the table and queued for processing.

    The same applies as stated for an initial import or export operation.

Retention Period for Import/Export Requests from Entire Operations Web Client

Data generated for import and export requests from Entire Operations Web Client is retained for the number of days specified for active jobs in the Retention Periods of the Entire Operations default settings (see Defaults for Time Ranges in the Administration documentation).

Older import and export requests listed in the Reporting window of Entire Operations Web Client are automatically removed after this period or during the next database cleanup (see also the Administration documentation).