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Exporting or Importing Classes

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You can export a class or the whole class structure to another database. When you export a class, the following parts are included in the export:

The parent class of the class you are exporting plus all the subclasses of the parent class. When you export a class, the export contains not just the class you selected, but the portion of the class structure to which it belongs.
Attribute definitions for the classes and all subclasses.
List of values definitions associated with attribute definitions. List of values are exported in the current language only.

The products in the classes are not exported.

When you export the whole class structure, all classes and subclasses are exported, along with the items listed above. Products are not exported.

When you export a class or the class structure, an XML file is created in a location you specify. The XML file contains the exported class structure. When you import this class structure, the system reads the XML file and synchronizes the class system of the import database to the XML file. The XML file takes precedence, and the class system is modified to reflect the portion of the class system in the XML file.

For example, in the XML file the subclass shoes, has the parent class footwear. In the import database the subclass shoes has the parent class Wardrobe. After importing the XML file, the subclass shoes will have the parent class footwear.

Use the following process to update the class structure in database B with changes from database A.

Back up database B.
Export the desired classes from database A.
Import the classes to database B.
Compare the updated class structure and list of values definitions in database B with database A.
Verify that components in affected customizable products in database B have the correct attributes.

Use the following process to update both the products and class structure in database B with changes from database A:

Use the process above to update the class structure in database B.
Export the products from database A, except customizable products.
Import the products into database B. Verify that the products are in the correct classes and inherit the correct attributes.
Export customizable products from database A.
Import customizable products to database B. For each customizable product, verify that the component products are present and have the correct attributes.

To export a class or the whole class structure

Review the processes above.
Navigate to Application Administration > Class Administration.

The Class Administration view appears.

Select the class you want to export.
From the Classes menu, choose Export Class.

The Class Export dialog box appears.

To export the class click Export in the Class Export dialog box. To export the whole class system, click Export All.

A Save As dialog box appears. If the database is remote, a download dialog box also appears.

Browse to the location where you want to store the file, specify the file name, and then click Save.

The system creates an XML file containing the exported class structure and stores it at the location you specified.

Close the Class Export dialog box.

When you import a class structure, you must import the entire contents of the export file. You cannot choose which classes in the file to import.

To import a class structure

Review the processes above.
Navigate to Application Administration > Class Administration.
From the Classes menu, choose Import Class.

The Class Import dialog box appears.

Click Browse, locate the XML file containing the class structure you want to import, and then click Open.
In the Class Import dialog box, click Import.

The new class structure is imported into the database.

From the Show drop-down list, choose Class Explorer.
In the Class Explorer tree display, expand classes as needed to verify that the imported classes are correctly placed.

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