Release Manager
The Release Manager is accessed via Admin :
Introduction
The Release Manager within SSP provides combined export and import features for the most commonly changed parts within SSP, knowing:
Forms
Process
Datastore parameters
Webservices
Service Catalog templates
On the source system, containing the new versions that need to be moved to other environments, a release file is created. This release file is copied to the target system. After loading the release file, the target system will show how the release file will be processed. A few minor configurations can be set, which are stored in the import properties file that becomes part of the release file. The combination of the release content and import properties should be enough to import everything further down in the chain of SSP systems. There shouldn’t be additional manual work to be done. This is to avoid different imports in different environments.
Prerequisites
In order to make the Release Manager work properly for elements that refer to external sources (Datastore parameters and webservices), the connection strings to these external sources should be removed from the elements.
Datastore connection string
Within datastore parameters, it is no longer be possible to define connection strings. Connection type settings are removed from Datastore parameter definitions.
Instead, here you need to choose 1 of the existing external data connection strings. These external data connections strings are defined under a new menu item in Adapters:
By default the option “Custom” is selected, that allows the definition of the connection string within the Datastore parameter. Migrated strings will be of type custom.
Connection strings have these settings:
Name
Type of Connection
Value
Within a Datastore parameter, the connection looks like this:
Web service connection string
Also web services have connection strings that may differ per environment. As the URL may contain specific information for a webservice, the connection string for webservices only consists out of a URL that can be extended within the webservice call definition:
The SOAP connection strings will be defined in the same place as where database connection strings can be defined.
Option to define custom URL remains available.
Coded form URL
When defining a link to a coded form, the list with connection strings as used for webservices, should also be available here. Same as with webservices, it is possible to define a custom extension to the URL defined in the connection string.
Language
All environments need to have the same languages installed
Export - Create Release
The export function creates the release package that will be moved across the various SSP environments. In order to include all required elements in a release, the export function includes information about related items. For example, when a form contains a subform, that subform is shown as a related item to the just selected form.
Create Release
Choosing export elements
Element Columns
Per element the following information is shown:
Selecting elements
The Release Manager starts with a screen showing 4 empty columns: Forms, Processes, Datastore parameters and Web Services. At the top of each column, a search box is available. This search box can be used to select elements in the following ways:
By Name
By last update
Adding a form
After a condition has been set through the button “Add element”, the forms matching the search criteria will be shown in the list of forms.
To see the related items, click on the button 'Show Relations':
Relations are highlighted with a different background color.
Any item can be removed from the package, with the 'Delete'-button:
The option to load relations is not available for Web Services.
Remove all
Load relations
Forms
When clicking on the button load relations or load all relations, the following objects are added to the export release:
Datastore parameters used within list fields of form
Web-Services used within list fields of form (not NCALC)
Processes linked to the form(s)
Non-Dynamic Subforms used within the form
Elements mentioned above linked to the subform
Subforms used with subforms…. (unlimited amount of nested forms)
Process
When clicking on the button load relations or load all relations, the following objects are added to the export release:
Fields used within action step forms of the process
Datastore parameters used within list fields of action step
External Forms used within action steps of the process
Datastore parameters used within list fields of the form
Web-Services used within list fields of form (not NCALC)
Subforms used within these forms
Datastore parameters used within any of the subforms
Subforms used with subforms…. (unlimited amount of nested forms)
(SSP Internal) Webservices used in steps of the type “webservice call” • (SSP Internal) Webservices defined on general settings of the process
(SSP Internal) Webservices defined as source for a wait step
Sub-Processes used in the process o All elements mentioned above linked to the subprocess.
Import properties
Forms
Overwrite Category Name and Topic Name
The new reference will be used during import.
Always import
This option allows to enforce the adding of the element at import, instead of checking for replace options.
Process
Always import
This option allows to enforce the adding of the element at import, instead of checking for replace options.
Datastore parameter
Overwrite Category
Same as with forms
Include Data
Option to set if data should be included in the export
Always import
This option allows to enforce the adding of the element at import, instead of checking for replace options.
WebService
Always import
This option allows to enforce the adding of the element at import, instead of checking for replace options.
Information stored with elements in release export
Forms
The following information will be stored within the release when a form is exported:
Form definition (XML file)
References to Person attributes
In Default answers
In Section conditions
In Dynamic List filters
References to datastore parameters for lists
Per referred datastore parameter field structure •
References to webservices for lists
Per referred webservice field structure
References to ticketing custom fields
In process field mapping
CSS Classes used in form field definitions
Topics and Categories linked to forms
Roles containing specific access rights for a form
Processes
Process definition (XML file) •
References to datastore parameters for lists in action steps
Per referred datastore parameter field structure
References to (SSP Internal) webservices in webservice type steps
Per referred webservice field structure
References to (SSP Internal) webservices in general settings of process
Per referred webservice field structure
References to webservices in wait steps
Per referred webservice field structure
References to Forms used within actions steps of the process
Datastore parameters used within list fields of form
Web-Services used within list fields of form (not NCALC)
Subforms used within these forms
Datastore parameters used within any of the subforms
Subforms used with subforms…. (unlimited amount of nested forms)
Sub-Processes used in the process
All elements mentioned above linked to the subprocess.
References to fixed groups as actor
References to fixed persons as actor
References to ticketing custom fields
In Update Ticket steps
References to global mail templates
References to person attributes
In variables initial values
In Variable definition steps o In action steps default answers
References to layouts
Roles containing specific access rights
Datastore parameters
Datastore parameter definition (XML file)
Data contained in datastore parameter
Used connection string
Roles containing specific access rights
Web Services
Web Service definition (XML file)
Used connection string
Build Release
When all elements have been selected, the release can be created on the tab 'Export'.
At the bottom of the page there is a button called 'Download Export Package'. By clicking this button, the export function will start gathering all information and create a ZIP file. The created zip file is offered to the users for download.
The ZIP file is named similar as the release was named.
Import Release
The importing of a release will be done in another environment. The release ZIP can be uploaded, and the import function will show the results of a quality analysis done on the loaded ZIP file.
Open from admin the section 'Import package'.
An overview of recent imports are shown:
Any import will first be automatically validated. Administrators should check the warnings after validation before starting the actual import.
After validation, this screen is shown:
Order of import result:
Forms
Processes
Datastore parameters
Web Services
Quality Analysis
General message agreements
Error: Something is wrong and import will not continue
Warning: Something is wrong and import can continue
Notification: A special situation has been dealt with, or a non-critical issue has been discovered
Forms
For forms the following information is checked:
Can the internal label of the form be found?
No or always add option is true: Form will be added
Yes and always add option is false: Form will be replaced
In case the form will be added these additional message are shown:
Notification in case of:
When internal label was found but adding of form is done due to always-add option enabled.
Internal label is extended with a number
Form was not found and a new form is added
Messages for both replace as add:
Warnings in case of
Datastore parameter fields do not match source structure and datastore parameter definition is not in import file
Webservice fields do not match source structure and webservice definition is not in import file
References to non-existing ticketing custom fields
Roles that refer directly to the form are not found (searched on name)
In case of update: Show roles that currently refer to the form to be replaced.
Errors in case of
Person field references not found
Web service references not found and web service definition is not in import file
Datastore parameter references not found and datastore parameter definition is not in import file
Webservice references not found and webservice definition is not in import file
Linked process is not found (on name) and process definition is not in import file
Used subform is not found and subform definition is not in import file
Subforms will have their own checks done in a similar way as main forms.
Process
Can the name of the process be found or always add is off?
No: Process will be added, also in case of always add
Yes: Process will be replaced
In case the process will be added these additional message are shown:
Notification in case of:
When name was found, but adding of process is done due to always-add option enabled.
When new process is added
Messages for both replace as add:
Warnings in case of
Webservice fields do not match source structure
Datastore parameter fields do not match source structure
Roles that refer directly to the process are not found (searched on name)
In case of update: Show roles that currently refer to the process to be replaced.
Errors in case of:
References to fixed group can’t be found
Actors
Responsible Group
References to address book entry (email address) can’t be found
Actors
References to web services not found
Web service step
Global process webservice definitions
References to datastore parameter not found
In action steps
References to form not found
In action steps
References to person attributes not found
In variables initial value
In Variable definition steps
In action steps
Reference to global email templates not found
In notification, action and approval steps
Reference to layout not found (matched on name)
In notification, action and approval steps
Datastore parameters
Can the name of the datastore parameter be found?
Yes: datastore parameter will be replaced
No: datastore parameter will be added
In case the datastore parameter will be added
Notification in case of:
When name was found but adding of process is done due to always-add option enabled.
New datastore is added
Messages in all cases:
Warnings in case of:
Category doesn’t exist
Errors in case of:
Connection string can’t be found (matched on name)
In case the import property category name can’t be found
Web Services
Can the name of the Web Service be found?
Yes: Web Service will be replaced
No: Web Service will be added
In case the Web Service will be added
Notification in case of:
When name was found but adding of process is done due to always-add option enabled.
In case a web service is added
Messages in all cases:
Errors in case of:
Connection string can’t be found (matched on name)
Import Overviews
For each entity (form, process, datastore parameter and web service), a detail page is available to see elements to be imported and their individual notifications, warnings and errors:
For each item in the list:
Buttons are available to
Replacing: Open the (local) item on another tab
Details: See the details of the import action
When clicking on the 'Check again' button, the quality review is done again for the items in the list. After finishing, the import home screen is shown.
When clicking on the 'Details' button an overlay popup is opened that shows the import impact for the individual element.
Import impact details
Each element that is included in the release can be checked in detail. The following information is shown (when available for the element):
Information if element is added or replaced
Error messages
Warning messages
Notifications
Information stored with import file element
Information stored with local element
Starting the import
Once all errors have been fixed, the import of the release can be started. The import will not start immediately and will be scheduled. Once the import task runs, the import is done in this order:
Web Services
Datastore parameters
Forms
Processes
Link between Forms and Processes
Adding new elements
In case an element is added to the target system, the standard import process takes place, with the following specifics per entity:
Forms
Linked to Topic
Linked to process
Process
In case a form is embedded in the process, references to form Ids are resolved for the target environment
In case of decisions points, wait steps and actor references, field Id will be converted into internal label reference.
Datastore parameter
Linked to Category
Replacing elements
The replacing of existing elements always happens in this order:
Original element is renamed
Timestamp is added to internal label or name (for example 20190215110000)
Original element is retired.
New element is imported
References are resolved
Forms
Topic is linked
Process is linked
Role access rights are updated
Process
References to form Ids are set
IDs should refer to the active version of the form, not retired!
References to global mail templates are set
Role access rights are updated
Datastore parameter
Role access rights are updated
Retirement of replaced items
Forms
After a form is imported and it replaces an existing form, the old form is moved into retirement mode. Retired forms will have no linked topic. Retired forms can never be active. Within a form, retired versions can be found in a new tab:
When going to this tab, a list with forms is shown with the following information:
Retirement date
Edit button
Form can be viewed, but changes can’t be saved
Preview button
Export button
Delete button
Processes
After a process is imported and it replaces an existing process, the old process is moved into retirement mode. Retired process versions can be found within the current process version:
The tab is only shown in case there are retired versions. When going to the tab, a list with processes is shown, that can be opened from that place. For the retired versions the following information is shown:
Retirement date
Edit button
Process can’t be saved
Export button
Delete button
Datastore parameters
In case an imported datastore parameter replaces an existing datastore parameter, no archiving is done for the old datastore parameter. The definition is overwritten and the old datastore parameter is removed from the database.
Web Service
In case an imported web service replaces an existing web service, no archiving is done for the old web service. The definition is overwritten and the old web service is removed from the database.
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