Importing

The Import window is used to import data that you exported using the export function. Import extracts the JAR files that you exported and imports the objects to the local database.

During the import process, mapping rules are applied first to modify the content of the import source XML file. You can specify with context mapping rules the context into which you want to import items from various source contexts. Then, if an import item exists in the target database, import policies or import actions selected from the Import window are applied to determine how that item is modified.

The access control list (ACL) that is associated with your user profile applies to import operations. For example, if you do not have revise privileges for a particular item type, you cannot use the Import as new version option to try to avoid ACL control. If you try to import an item action for which you do not have privileges, the entire transaction fails.

The import action is available to administrators of a context or its parent context (for example, organization or site). Imported items are created in contexts as specified by context mapping rules, if the administrator has write access to the mapped context. Product or library items should not be imported into the site or organization levels.

To open the Import window, select Utilities > Import/Export Management, available from Products

, Libraries

, Organizations

, or Site

. Then, click Import. The Import window opens, displaying your current context at the top of the window.

1. In the Import file name field, specify the exported data JAR file in the local file system to import to the local Windchill database.

2. (Optional) In the Import rule file field, specify a mapping rule file in the local file system to control the import process.

3. (Optional) In the Context-mapping file field, specify a context mapping file in the local file system to identify into which target context the import file items are placed.

If you do not specify a context mapping file, items are imported into the context from which the import action was launched. This is the Default target Context shown at the top of the Import window.

4. (Optional) Specify import policies by selecting Import policy file and specifying the policy file.

Import actions in the file are combined with ones found in the system registry files in <Windchill>/codebase/registry/ixb/import_settings/defaultImportPolicy.xsl.

Select Import action and then select one of the following actions from the list to be applied to all objects in the import file:

◦ Default—If the import object matches the full object identity of an existing database object, the existing database object is maintained and the import object is not imported. If the import object is new, it is created with a version.iteration matching the version.iteration in the import XML file.

◦ Import as latest iteration—If the import object is newer than the existing database object, the import process creates an object with the next available iteration on the latest version.

◦ Import as new version—If there is a version of the import object in your site database, the import process creates an object with the next available version and the first iteration.

◦ Import as checked out—If there is a version of the import object in your site database, the import process creates a checked-out (working) copy of the existing object with the same version as in the import XML file. The newly imported object is kept checked out until you check it in.

◦ Modify non-versioned attributes—This option updates certain non-versioned attributes (such as lifecycle) of an existing database object without iterating the object.

◦ Update checked out object in place—This option replaces the content, attributes, and links of the checked-out object.

5. Select or clear the Resolve overridable conflicts checkbox. This checkbox controls the value of the property wt.ixb.import.overrideConflicts. If the checkbox is selected, the software resolves overridable conflicts. (Non-overridable conflicts are not affected.) For example, the following types of conflicts are resolved:

6. (Optional) Select the Generate detailed status log checkbox to increase the level of detail shown in the status log.

The system performs a lightweight check to determine whether the import process is successful.

If the Generate detailed status log checkbox is not selected, the log shows how many objects are imported and how many XML files are processed. If the Generate detailed status log checkbox is selected, the log also shows which files are imported, what conflicts might arise during import, and whether the import process is completed or fails. Note that because this is a lightweight check, it is possible for the import process to fail even if the preview did not indicate any issues.

Using Preview is a recommended practice, especially for checking the effect of policy files, which have the potential of creating significant changes to the database.

When importing large sets of data, the Import Status Log field may display a web link instead of the complete log. Clicking the link allows you to download the complete log for your current import job from the Windchill server.

Messages in the Import Status Log section of the Import window show progress or problems that you can resolve. For information that can help in resolving conflicts, see Import and Export Policies, Mapping Rules, and Conflict Messages.