This page is for administrators or expert users who need to move items from one PhixFlow instance to another
Overview
Exporting items from a PhixFlow instance produces a zip file that you can download; see Export Pane and Configuring the Download Area. You can then import the zip to another PhixFlow instance.
How to Import an Exported Zip
- In the Administration, select Import → Import Configuration.
- PhixFlow opens the Import Configuration window, then immediately opens a file manage window, where you can browse for the zip file.
- Select the file and click Upload File.
- If your zip file was created with encrypted fields, PhixFlow requires the file's security password. This was set when the zip file was exported.
- PhixFlow prompts you to enter the password.
- Optionally, untick Publish Streams, if you do not want PhixFlow to automatically publish stream data to its database.
- Click
- PhixFlow imports the selected zip file.
When the import is complete, the console reports log messages that list the imported items.
Very large imports may exceed limits on the server. If this happens, PhixFlow reports an Upload too large error.
Import and Updates to the PhixFlow Database
If Publish Streams is ticked, at the end of the import process, PhixFlow publishes imported data to the database. This means that changes to streams and stream attributes will be applied to the stream data tables in the database. If publishing fails, the import will still complete successfully, and the publishing errors will appear in the console. See also Publishing Streams.
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.
Managing Missing Items
When you export items from one PhixFlow instance, it is important to ensure all items are present. For example, if items refer to other items in a package, ensure the package is included in the export.
The 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.
If an import fails due to missing items, the console will include:
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)
Error 618 message - this message includes the reference for all the missing items.
How to Find Missing Items
- In the console, find the Error 618 message.
- Copy the references for the missing items to a text file.
- Go back to the PhixFlow instance where the import file was generated.
- Go to Administration → Other → Show in Repository,
- Paste one missing item reference into the field.
- PhixFlow opens the repository with the missing item highlighted.
- Do something that means the item will be included in the export, Can the export window be open at the same time? Add it to a package, something else?
Repeat this process to find all the missing items. Re-export all items you require; see Export Pane.
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 "null" any relationship from one type of item to a missing instance of another type. For example, items from one instance can refer to users. As different instances will have different users, the import will always fail PhixFlow to ignore (null) any references to missing users during an import.
Before deciding to ignore references, please discuss with PhixFlow support if there is another way to resolve your issue.
To configure PhixFlow to ignore specific references,
Go to System Configuration → Allow Missing on Import option to allow PhixFlow to "null" any relationship from one type of item to a missing instance of another type.
What to do
In the console, find Error 612.
copy the <from object>.<to object> string
Go to System Configuration and find Allow Missing on Import
Paste the string into the field
Save the configuration
All log messages have a ? that goes to the system console help YOu need a link to troubleshooting import to here.