Transporting Data

The Transport Case allows you to move objects from one Automation Engine system to another or from one Client to another one within the same system. You do this in three phases: Adding objects to the transport case in the originating system, unloading its contents and loading it in the target system or Client. For this purpose, you use both the commands available on the Automic Web Interface and the following utilities: AE DB Unload (to unload data from the database), AE DB Load(to load data to the database) and optionally AE DB Change (to modify the objects exported via the Transport Case), see AE DB Change. When you transport objects, a file is created that contains all the data of all affected objects. The file is not a 1:1 export of the database tables and is therefore not easy to read. You need specific privileges to be able to use this function.

Important!

• You can only add objects to the Transport Case. Adding folders is not possible.
• The Transport Case functionality is downward, but not upward compatible. Transporting objects from older versions and service packs into newer ones is supported. Transporting newer Transport Cases into older Automation Engine systems, including an older service pack of the same version, is not supported.

Differences between Transporting and Exporting or Importing

• When importing objects you can select the Automation Engine system folder in which the objects should be stored. When transporting, the folders, subfolders and objects are transferred to exactly the same locations in the target Client/system.
• Importing/exporting might cause a heavy workload for the Dialog Work Processes (DWP). as the Transport Case loads directly to the Database, this is the better choice if you want to transfer large amounts of data.
• Using the Transport Case is also recommendable if you want to carry out mass changes in the file that is created for transporting. For example, you want to transfer all the objects in your test system to your production system. The name of the objects contains the TEST_ prefix and you want to replace it everywhere with the PROD_ prefix. You can do so via the AE DB Change utility.

Concepts

• Unloading

  After moving the objects to the Transport Case, you unload them. This means that the object data is written to a text file called UC_DATA.TXT that can be transferred (unloaded) from the original to the target database. This file is stored on a location that you can specify in the INI file. You use the DB Unload utility for this purpose. For more information, see Utility DB Unload.

• Loading

  The file created by the unload process mus then be transferred (loaded) to the target system or Client. You use the DB Load utility for this purpose.

Recommendations

• Exports and imports involve a huge amount of data that is moved in the database. Ensure that sufficient database space is available and note that the whole process can take a while. In some cases, it can affect the performance of basic operations.

• Although they are possible, parallel unloads are not advisable and should be avoided.

• To avoid that database locks caused by the DB Load utility obstruct the Automation Engine, make sure that no activities are running on the target Client when loading the object data to the target system.

  If you decide to transport objects to a system/client with running activities, the performance will be temporarily impacted. To avoid bottlenecks, turn off the following:

  • Version Management (variable: UC_CLIENT_SETTINGS, Validity key: VERSION_MANAGEMENT)
  • Revisioning (AE DB Revision Report)

• Loading Objects to Client 0

  Take into account that the objects available in Client 0 are also available to all other Clients.

• Transporting Users and User Groups

  When transporting Users and User Groups, their passwords are automatically reset to "pass".

  When loading Users, the system verifies whether the User Groups they belong to are already available either in the target Client or in the Transport Case. If they are available, it creates a link to them. If not, a warning is written to the log file of the AE DB Load utility. When loading User Groups, the system neither checks whether their Users are already available nor creates any links to existing ones. Therefore, it is recommendable to transport User Groups first and load the Users afterward in a separate transport file.

• Transporting authorizations at object level

  On the Authorizations Page of the object definition, Users are granted rights at object level. You can transport these authorizations by using the start parameters of the AE DB Load utility. By default, the transport is canceled if the specified Users are missing. This default behavior can be changed with the corresponding start parameters. Therefore, it is recommendable to transport Users first.

• Loading Notifications

  Users and User Groups are used in Notifications. If you transport these objects at the same time, it is possible that Notifications are loaded first. In this case, the system starts searching for the Users or User Groups used in those Notifications. If they are not yet available, the Notifications are loaded but without the User and User Group references. Therefore, load Users and User Groups first and Notifications in a second loading process in a separate file.

• Loading Authorizations

  When transporting authorizations at object level (see Authorizations Page), the transport is by default canceled if the specified users are missing. The administrator can change this default behavior by using the corresponding start parameters of the loading program AE DB Load (see AE DB Load).

• Transporting Calendars

  Let's suppose that you want to transport Calendar A, which uses Calendar Events defined in Calendar B. For Calendar A to work properly in the target system/client, you must also transport the Calendar Events it is referencing even if you are not going to transport Calendar B.

  Calendars (CALE) are re-calculated after each transport. This can cause occasional error messages in the log file if the Calendar was re-calculated before the Calendar Events it uses have been read. These messages can be ignored because there is a subsequent calculation of Calendar Events without any manual interference being required.

To Move Objects Using the Transport Case

Whether you are moving objects between Clients in an Automation Engine system or between separate systems, the process is always the same:

1. Add the objects to the Transport Case.

   1. In the Process Assembly perspective on the Explorer list select one or more objects.
   2. Right-click and select Transfer > Transport. This option is also available from the Global Search drop down list.

   The objects are not actually moved to the Transport Case. Rather, a reference to them is copied and displayed there. They are now registered for transport but you can still work with them in the Transport Case page.

2. Unload the Transport Case. For this purpose, use the AE DB Unload utility.

   After unloading, the objects are not removed from the Transport Case. If you want to remove objects or empty the case, do one of the following:

   • To remove individual objects select one or more, right-click and select Remove from Transport Case.
   • To empty the case, right-click anywhere on the list and select Clear Transport Case.

   The Transport Case of system client 0000 displays all objects that should be transported.

3. Optionally, modify the exported data using the AE DB Change program. For more information, see AE DB Change.

4. Import loaded or modified data using the AE DB Load utility of the target system. It automatically recognizes the loading type and opens some input dialogs.

   Specify if you want to keep the same Clients (for example, if you import to a different database) or if the utility should import all objects to one particular Client. You also have the option whether or not to clean the transport folder.

   The objects are stored in the target Client at the same location and with the same folder structure as in the original Client. If the folders do not yet exist, they are created automatically.

To Cancel Transport Registration

1. Select one or more objects in the Transport Case.
2. Right-click and select Remove from Transport Case.

Tip: Use start parameters to export and import objects in batch mode. For more information, see Start Parameters - Utilities.