Overview

Exporting items from a PhixFlow instance produces a zip file that you can download; see Export Configuration and Using the Download Area. You can then import the zip to another PhixFlow instance. 

How to Import an Exported Zip

1. Click the 

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    icon, in the top right of the PhixFlow header bar.
2. Select Import → Configuration.
3. PhixFlow opens the Import Configuration window, then immediately opens a file manager window, where you can browse for the zip file.
   
   
4. Select the zip file and click 

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   .
5. If your zip file is encrypted:
   1. PhixFlow prompts you to enter the password; see Passwords, above.
   2. Optionally, untick Publish Tables if you do not want PhixFlow to automatically publish table data to the PhixFlow database; see Import and Updates to the PhixFlow Database, below.
   3. Click 

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      .
6. PhixFlow imports the selected zip file.

When the import is complete, the console System Console reports log messages that list the imported items. If the import fails, the console reports the errors; see Import Errors, below.

What PhixFlow Does During Import

The import process compares the contents of the import with the items that are present on the target instance.

• If an item is not present on the target system and is present in the import, the new item is created on the target system.
• If an item is present on the target system and in the import, PhixFlow replaces the item on the target system.
• If an item is present on the target system but is not present in the import, PhixFlow permanently deletes the item on the target system.  This includes table and recordset data.

Note

If you move an item from an application to a package so that it can be shared, remember to export/import the application and package together. The item is deleted from the application and added to the package. If you do not export/import the package, the item is deleted from the application and is no longer available. This also deletes references, so adding the package at a later date will not reinstate the reference between the application and the item.  To reinstate the deleted object and references to it, export/import the application and the package together.

Updating the PhixFlow Database 

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If Publish Tables is ticked, at the end of the import process PhixFlow publishes imported data to the database. This means that changes to tables and attributes will be applied to the PhixFlow database when the import completes; see Publishing Tables. If publishing fails, the import will still complete successfully. The console displays any publishing errors.

PhixFlow automatically rebuilds its database cache when the import completes. We recommend that you run large import processes during periods of low system usage, for example overnight. This gives PhixFlow time to complete the import and rebuild the caches without affecting the performance seen by users.

Import Errors 

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Large Imports

Very large imports can fail if they exceed limits on the server. If this happens, PhixFlow reports an Upload too large error. Consider splitting the items into several export zip files.

Missing Items

An import will fail if there is a reference to an item that does not exist:

• either in the import file
• or in the target system.

When you export items from one PhixFlow instance, it is important to ensure all items are present in the zip. For example, if items refer to other items in a package, ensure the package is included in the export.

If an import fails due to missing items, the console will log the following error messages:

• Error 612 messages - one message for each missing item. The message reports the item with the reference, and the item that is missing at the start, in the form
  item-type "name" (reference) refers to item-type (reference)
  

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  title Example Error 612
  Area "inputform" (AreaComponent-08055461a13a51cb6914ca5be6dde21c) refers to Stream (Stream-36de2ecf9ecb2af08a42066d8c1fdd6a) but Stream (Stream-36de2ecf9ecb2af08a42066d8c1fdd6a) does not exist in the import zip or the repository. It is important for all referenced items to be imported. Please re-export from the source instance, including Stream (Stream-36de2ecf9ecb2af08a42066d8c1fdd6a) Note: To allow missing items when ALL AreaComponents refer to a Stream, consider adding AreaComponent.stream to System Configuration Allow Missing On Import. This will always null a reference from AreaComponents to a missing stream.

  
  

• Error 618 message - this message includes the reference for all the missing items.

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  title Example Error 618
  There are items missing from the import file. It is important for all referenced items to be imported. Please re-export from the source instance, including the following items: Stream-36de2ecf9ecb2af08a42066d8c1fdd6a

  
  

How to Find Missing Items

1. In the console, find the Error 618 message.
2. Copy the references for the missing items to a text file.
3. Go back to the PhixFlow instance where the import file was generated.
4. Go to

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   → Other → Show in Repository,
5. Paste one missing item reference into the field.
6. PhixFlow opens the repository with the missing item highlighted.

Repeat this process to find all the missing items. Re-export all items you require; see Export Configuration. If you have may items, consider adding them to a Package.

Ignoring References

In very rare circumstances, there may be a problem with references between types of item. In this case, you can configure PhixFlow to ignore missing items. 

For example, you can set PhixFlow to ignore (null) any references to missing users during an import.

To ignore references:

1. In the console, find the  Error 612 message from the failed import process.
2. Copy the <from object>.<to object> string from the message.
3. Click the 

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    icon, in the top right of the PhixFlow header bar.
4. Open System → Configuration.
5. Navigate to the Advanced section.
6. In the Allow Missing on Import box, specify a comma-separated list of missing items or fields listed in the import failure error message. For example:
   
7. Next time you run the import, PhixFlow overrides the error messages and completes the import process.

Learn More

• Export Configuration
• Export Table Data
• Exporting Data from an Analysis Model
• Importing Data
• Using the Download Area
• Configuring the Download Area