Import component versions

This topic explains how to import artifacts as component versions to Deployment Automation.

In this topic:

Import overview

After defining a component's source and processes, you import its artifacts into Deployment Automation.

In a standard setup in which the server carries out the import tasks, the artifacts are imported into the server's repository, CodeStation. But you can install component integrators and use them to handle version import, taking the load off the server. For details, see Manage component integrators.

By default, a complete copy of an artifact's content is copied to Deployment Automation. The original artifacts are untouched. This provides tamper-proof storage and the ability to review and validate artifacts with the Deployment Automation user interface.

If you use a source configuration type that supports maintaining versions externally, you can limit CodeStation to using references to the artifacts instead of actually copying the artifacts.

Each time a component is imported, including the first time, it is versioned. Versions can be assigned automatically by Deployment Automation, applied manually, or come from a build server. Every time a component's artifacts are modified and reimported, a new version of the component is created.

A component may have several unique versions in Deployment Automation. A version can be full or incremental. A full version contains all component artifacts, while an incremental version contains only the artifacts modified since the previous version was created.

For administrative information, see Configure component version import.

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Import versions automatically

When you select the Import Versions Automatically option for a component, the source location is periodically polled for new versions, and any found versions are automatically imported.

The default polling period is 15 seconds, which you can change in Administration > System > System Settings. For details, see Create components.

If you have multiple file versions that you are trying to import at once, such as Dimensions CM baselines, only the latest version is imported through automatic import. If you need earlier versions, import them manually.

You can also set a quiet period. Specified in minutes, the quiet period gives time for any changes detected in a particular polling period to be imported before the next polling period starts. This prevents any changes done during processing to be missed in the next polling period.

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Import versions manually

If you keep the Import Versions Automatically option cleared for a component, you need to manually import the files and assign the versions.

To import versions manually:

1. In Deployment Automation, navigate to Management > Components.

2. From the components list, open a component.

3. Select the Versions tab and click Import. The system imports any new version of the component artifacts from the source configuration location, based on the options set for the component.

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CodeStation: maintain versions externally

When you import artifacts using the server's storage, you can clear the Copy to CodeStation option for a component. Deployment Automation then maintains the full versions for the component only in the external source configuration tool.

Keeping artifacts in an external source has the following limitations:

• On the Versions > Artifacts page, you can download all versions in bulk but not individually.
• Version information is obtained only during the version import. If you modify an artifact version in the source configuration tool, the metadata stored about that version is not updated in CodeStation.

• Changing connection parameters to external systems may affect the ability to download existing versions. For example, if credentials to a Dimensions CM server have changed or a file share location has been moved, the metadata stored for existing versions will not include the updated information.

  To mitigate this, if you want to download an earlier version, edit the component details and clear the Use Latest Component Properties for Version Download option. Selecting or clearing this option enables you to download versions from the current or original location, based on the component property settings.

  If you have changed the repository or connection parameters more than once between imports, you may not be able to download some versions.

  Caution: If you modify the source directory, you cannot download it again. The download procedure strictly verifies that the content matches what was originally imported, including file set and size.

To ensure better performance, versions that are not stored in CodeStation are cached in local storage in the server profile. By default, versions are kept in local storage for 24 hours and then deleted.

When a new download request is initiated, the server checks local storage first and provides the content from there if it is found. Otherwise, the server downloads the version and puts it in local storage.

You can change the cache time in your server settings.

To change the cache period of the server's local storage:

1. Navigate to your Deployment Automation profile directory, for example:

   Windows	C:\Users\<username>\.microfocus\da\conf\server
   UNIX/Linux	/opt/MicroFocus/da/<username>/.microfocus/da/conf/server

2. Edit the da_config.xml file to set the scheduledTimeInHRS property to the number of hours you want the local storage cache to be retained. For example:

   <versionCacheCleanUpConfig>
       <scheduledTimeInHRS>12</scheduledTimeInHRS>
   </versionCacheCleanUpConfig>                   

3. Save your changes.

If you later decide to copy to CodeStation, Deployment Automation begins copying the full version to CodeStation. The inventory maintains its integrity.

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View the version import queue

As versions are being imported for various components, you can view the version import requests that are running or waiting to run.

To view the queue of component version imports, click the Component Version Import View icon in the dashboard of the Deployment Automation user interface. It expands the Component Version Import View pane. The number on the icon indicates the number of import requests in the queue.

In the Component Version Import View pane, you can:

• View information about each request, such as import type, time scheduled, who did the import, and status.
• Open the page for the component by clicking the component name link.
• View the list of current import requests.

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See also:

• Create components
• Manage external source configuration types