Readme for Micro Focus Connect SBM Connector 24.2

This readme describes how to configure Micro Focus SBM Connector. Refer to the Micro Focus Community and Micro Focus Connect Help Center for further configuration instructions.

The Micro Focus SBM Connector for Micro Focus Connect (Micro Focus SBM Connector) lets you synchronize SBM assets with assets in other Micro Focus Connectors, for example assets found in the Micro Focus Azure DevOps Connector.

Copyright

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Contents
  Installation and Upgrade Information Technical Notes
Prerequisites Known Issues Need assistance with the product?

Features

Supported Versions

This version of the connector is certified with SBM 12.1.0.0

Unless otherwise specified, for any given MF Connect connector from Open ext, all versions of the connector product that are officially released and supported by it's vendor both four months before the time of the release of the connector as well as at the time of using the connector, are supported by OpenText. Not all product versions will be tested and validated by OpenText for each connector release. Instead, OpenText chooses a subset of versions that we deem representative or most important to run validation and certification tests against. These selected versions are mentioned in the respective connector read-me, clearly identifying them as "validated" or "certified". As stated above, this does not mean that Micro Focus Connect does not support other product versions – it only means that no validation test cycle was executed for the other versions.

Supported Assets

This version of the connector supports SBM assets.

 

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Prerequisites

This connector requires at least build 24.2 of Micro Focus Connect and can be configured using the Micro Focus Connect UI.

The thesaurus.properties file should be copied to the Micro Focus Connect's AppData\data folder.

The following are required to run the Connector. For further configuration instructions, see the Micro Focus Connect Release Notes.

  1. Install the SBM Extension ( ERH ) for the SBMConnector, provided in the Micro Focus SBM KnowledgeBase

    SBM requires a special extension designed specifically to handle SBM Connector requests. This can be found in the SBM KnowledgeBase.

    On the SBM Server:

    1. Locate the installDir\SBM\Application Engine folder.
    2. Create an ExternalRequestHandlers folder, if not already present.
    3. Locate the ERH_SBMConnector folder.
    4. Copy the ERH_SBMConnector folder contents directly into the ExternalRequestHandlers folder.

      installDir\SBM\Application Engine\ExternalRequestHandlers\ERH_SBMConnector.xml
      installDir\SBM\Application Engine\ExternalRequestHandlers\SBMConnector\ ( All Folder Contents )

    5. Stop and restart SBM Application Engine and IIS.

    Note: SBM Connector requires the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2017. This should already be installed as part of the SBM runtime installation.

    SBM 11.8 and higher no longer require the SBM Extension ( ERH ) to be installed.

  2. Create a Connector directory. For example: C:\Program Files\Micro Focus\Connect\AppData\connectors\mfcConnectorSBM
    • NOTE: If this is being installed into an existing connector directory, you must remove the existing mfc*.jars
  3. Copy the following libraries (and the provided Connector jar) into the connector directory you created.

 

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Installation and Upgrade Information

The following information contains notes regarding installation, but does not replace the entire process.

SBM Data Source Properties

Connection/Authentication

Type Names

SBM Table/Transition - Optional

The original SBMConnector required the SBM table, which limited all defined data source types to this SBM table. These data source properties are now optional and may be set individually per data source type.

SBM Data Source Type Properties

Access

Internal Fields

SBM Table/Transition - Optional

When the SBM table is not defined at the data source it is required here. Also, when the SBM table is provided, the SBM transition and SBM project are required. If the SBM table is an auxiliary, the project string can be any characters.

SBM Filter - Optional

This provides the ability to filter down the SBM table by binary/trinary and/or single selection type fields.

SBM Data Source Relationships

Data Source Relationships are supported, but have a dependency on the table identifier being defined at the data source type level. Relationships can only be defined for relational and multi-relational SBM field types and require that a data source type be defined for the related SBM field. Relationships can only be one-one, you cannot define multiple data source types to a single related SBM field.

The exposed property name is the relational/multi-relational SBM internal field name. This is the same label which is exposed within the connection mapping screens. You must manually enter this value when configurating the relationship.

 

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Known Issues

Attachments Not Supported

This release of the SBM Connector does not support attachments.

RichText Not Supported

This release of the SBM Connector does not support rich text content. Therefore, for example, any image links in SBM will not be synchronized to other connectors correctly.

Enumerated Value Lists Not Supported

This release of the SBM Connector does not support enumerated value lists.

Fallback users are not supported

When selecting a fallback user a message will state there are no users.

 

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Technical Notes

SBM Type and Fields

SBM Item Attributes

The following read-only SBM item attributes can be mapped to Hub attributes, but should be set up only as one way mappings. Any change to the mapped Hub item attribute will not be reflected on the related SBM item.

SBM Item Fields

The table below lists the SBM field types supported for synchronization with SBM Connector. Fields are labeled and mapped by the field database name. Additional details are provided below the table.

SBM Field Type SBM Field Attribute Atlas (Repository) Data Type
Binary/Trinary Dropdown list Enumerated, Text
Radio buttons Enumerated, Text
Check box Enumerated, Text
Date/Time Date and time Date/Time
Date only Date
Time of day Time span
Elapsed time Time span
Multi-Group Multi-Group Enumerated
Multi-Relational Multi-Relational Enumerated
Multi-Selection Multi-Selection Enumerated
Numeric Integer Integer
Floating point Real
Fixed precision Not Supported
Single Relational Relational Enumerated, Text
Single Selection Selection Enumerated, Text
State State Enumerated, Text
Text Fixed Length Text
Password Not Supported
Memo Content
Journal Not Supported
User User Enumerated, Text
Selection Type Fields: Binary/Trinary, Relational, Selection, State, User

These field types support both Text and Enumerated Repository Data Types. Enumerated Data Types require the that all "selection" options be present, including an internal '(None)' value. This is manageable with smaller lists, but may be a problem when many possible values are represented per selection field. SBM sends and stores the selection's display value.

Fixed Length Text

Fixed Length Text Fields have a defined length. If an incoming string is longer than the field's defined length, the SBM field will not be updated and a message will be placed in the log. Keep this in mind as your designing and mapping attributes across different products.

Relational and Multi-Relational

Fields of these types rely on the related SBM table's system title field value as the unique identifier. This may not cover all use cases.

These field types may be configured in a data source relationship.

State

Fields of this type rely on the display value as its unique identifier. Duplicate state name values are acceptable within SBM workflow definitions. If a conflict in state name is detected, no change to an SBM item's state field is made.

Target Item's Identifier

Configure SBM To Store Target Item's Identifier

When using an SBM data source as the hub in a connection, the SBM Application must contain an additional field to support the external unique identifier from the target data source.

It is recommended that you use an 80 character fixed-length Text field in SBM. The size can differ depending on the target's unique identifier. It is also recommended that you make this field read-only, and then override this attribute on any custom-defined Submit/Update transition.

If the SBM Data Source is used as the hub for multiple targets, then you'll need to create the same number of SBM fields to support each target. You cannot use the same SBM field when multiple targets are defined.

Configuring and Viewing SBM Connector Logs

The following log file is generated as part of SBM Connector.

SBM Connector Log File

The SBM Connector log file contains specific messages related to the requests coming from Micro Focus Connect to SBM. The file is located at:

installDir\SBM\Application Engine\Log\SBMConnector.log

The log's default logging level is AVERAGE(2). You can change the logging level by adding a value to the Windows Registry:

  1. In the Windows Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/TeamShare/TeamTrack.
  2. Create a new DWORD value called SBMConnectorLogLevel.
  3. Enter a number to specify the log level:
    • 1: None
    • 2: Minimal
    • 3: Average
    • 4: Verbose
  4. Step and restart SBM Application Engine and IIS for the new logging level to take effect.

 

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Need assistance with the product?

Get support enables you to open a support incident or to submit a bug. You can also browse many helpful support resources.

 

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