System Exporter(3.1)
- Jenni Wallin
With the System Exporter you can export data from your system into a ZIP file, a specific directory, or an MZ Package (MZP) file. The export contains data about your system, its configurations, and run-time information. You can send this export data to another system, where you can use the System Importer to import it and embed its contents locally.
Example - How System Exporter can be used
A system can import a tested and exported ZIP or MZP file of configurations from a test system and use it safely in production.
In System Exporter you can select data from the following folder types:
Configuration: Workflow configurations, agent profiles, workflow groups, Ultra formats, or alarm detectors.
Run-time: Data that is generated by the system during workflow run-time.
System: Other customized parts of
such as: Data Veracity, Event Category, Folder (structure), Pico Host, Ultra, User, or Workflow Alarm Value.
- Workflow packages: Workflow Packages are compiled versions of configuration, and are created in the Workflow Package Tab in the System Exporter.
Export formats
There are two export formats. They result in different behaviors when imported later. Select the one that suits your needs:
- ZIP file: Export to a ZIP file or, if chosen, in formats such as Directory output or xml format. The exported configurations must be compatible with the software packages of the system to which you import the configurations. This is normally not a problem as long as you are using the same release.
- MZP file: Export in Workflow Packages(3.0) format. A Workflow Package is read-only and self-contained, with the same binaries as in the exporting system. A Workflow Package is not affected by, nor will it affect, any existing configurations when imported, since the used binaries are not replaced. When selecting the MZP format, you compile a Workflow Package by selecting workflows in the Workflow Package Export tab in the System Exporter.
- Using Configuration Export: You can view all workflow packages in the Configuration Export tab and choose the workflow packages that you want to export while exporting an ECD. (If Include dependencies is selected, any packages used by the ECDs will be selected automatically when selecting an ECD).
Note!
- Historical data is not exported.
- Imported Event Notifications are disabled. You must enable these manually.
To open the System Exporter, click the Tools button in the upper left part of the Desktop window. Then select System Exporter from the menu.
Use File System Profile option if you want to export a file from and write to an external file storage system, for example Amazon S3, instead of a local file system. Click Browse Profile to choose a profile and this profile will be responsible for authentication of the external file storage system. And, when you click Export, the exported file is written to the external file system.
Note!
See File System Profile to know how to configure a File System Profile.
The System Exporter Configuration Export tab
Configuration Export tab
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Output Target | Click the Browse button to select the path and enter the name of the file to be exported. |
Available Entries | Contains a tree layout view of the data you can export. Select the relevant check boxes in the Include column. |
Export | Click this button to copy your selections to either a ZIP file or directly to the Target Output address. The Export button will change into Abort, which enables you to cancel the exporting process. |
Workflow Package Export tab
The System Exporter Workflow Package Export tab
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Output Target | Click the Browse button to define the path to where the MZP file is saved when clicking Export Package. It is possible to both set an Output Target and select to Commit Package before clicking Export Package. In this case an MZP file is both saved to the output directory and available as a read-only folder in The WebDesktop Workflow Package tab has a Download Package check box with the same function as the Browse button and Output Target field. |
Available Entries | Contains a tree layout view of the data you can export. Select the relevant check boxes in the Include column. This is where you select which workflows to compile into a Workflow Package. |
Export Package | Click this button to export your selections to an MZP file. The Export button will change into Abort, which enables you to cancel the exporting process. |
| Commit Package | If selected, a purple read-only folder consisting of committed Workflow Packages becomes visible among the Available Entries once Export Package is clicked. Such folders can be saved as Workflow Package MZP files when suitable. See the folder streamid_1 in the example below.
See Output Target for more information. |
| Package Name | Enter the file name of the file to be exported. |
| Package Version | Use this field to keep track of the version. Only numbers and dots are allowed in this field. Used for Workflow Packages. |
Toolbar
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| New | Creates a new Unit Test configuration in a new tab. You can only create a configuration of the same kind as the one in the tab you are working in. |
| Open | Opens a saved configuration that is visible in a new tab. You can only open a configuration of the same kind as the one in the tab you are working in. |
| Save | Saves the configuration. After you click Save, a dialog box opens. In the Version Comment text box, you can enter a description of the changes that you have made, then click . |
| Save As | Select to save the configuration with a new name. You can only use a-z, A-Z, 0-9, "-" and "_" to name a configuration. After you click Save As, a dialog box opens. Select in which folder to save the configuration. In the Version Comment text box, you can enter a description of the changes that you have made, then click . |
Collapse All
| Select this option to collapse the folders so only the folders are visible. |
Expand All
| Select this option to expand all folders to display the folders and all the configurations that they contain. |
Refresh
| Select this option to refresh the System Exporter view. |
| Properties | Note! The Properties button applies to the Configuration Export tab. That is, these settings are not applicable for Workflow Package Export (MZP file export). Select the Properties button to set these options:
|
How To Export Data
Note!
Since no runtime configuration change is included in the exported data and only the initial value is exported, you need to take a note of information such as file sequence numbers in Collector agents.
- In the System Exporter, select options according to your preferences in the Properties dialog.
Select the desired tab, Configuration Export (for a ZIP file or a directory) or Workflow Package Export (for MZP format).
Click the Browse button to select the directory path to where you want to save your selections, in MZP format, ZIP-packed, or not.
Hint!
To configure a default directory for when you click the Browse button, add the Desktop property
mz.gui.systemexport.default.dir. The value must be the full path to an existing directory, for example/home/mz.The System Exporter remembers the last directory to which an export was made, and will open the file browser in this directory the next time you click the Browse button. This directory is kept in memory until the Desktop is closed.
- Expand the folders in Available Entries and select the check boxes in the Include column for the entries you want to export.
Click the Save as... button if you want to save data about your export.
Note!
After you have selected the entries that you want to include, you can save your selection before you click . This is useful if you export a certain set of selections regularly.
The saved selection combination is a
*.criteria"file that contains data only about your selections. It is not an export ZIP file. The*.criteria"file is stored on your local disk and not in theClick on the Export button to start the export process. Either a file will be created in the Output Target directory, or the selected structure will be exported to the specified directory.
Note!
In the export material you also find three directories: One that includes the Ultra code that your export involves, one that includes profile-relevant APL code, and another one that contains workflow-related data. Use these files to compare the export material with the data in the system to which you import.
Export File Structure
In , when you save a profile or a workflow configuration, you create a database entry. When you export tree-structured profiles and workflows, this database entry is included in the exported material as a file.
If the profile or workflow data is password encrypted, they are exported as is. Otherwise, a directory named after the exported data file, is created. In this directory, the contents of the exported data file are divided into files, as follows:
The Ultra directory contains the files:
Internal: Ultra profile related meta information.Ultra_Format: Your Ultra code embedded in XML code.
The APL directory contains the files:
Internal: APL profile related meta information.APL_Source_Code: Your APL code embedded in XML code.
The Workflow directory contains the files:
Internal: Workflow related meta information.Template: Workflow data, such as Agent configurations.Workflow_Table: Workflow-table workflows related data.
The tree structure of the exported material is identical to the structure that is displayed in the System Exporter view.