The Components User Interface

The Components Page

The Components page allows you to list components, view component details, create components, and edit components. This page also contains controls for filtering the component list and selecting sort criteria. You can change the sort criteria for the components list by clicking on one of the sort arrows in the header area. Click either the ascending or descending arrow selects that column for sorting and the sort order.

Path

Allows you to specify where to look for or store components. Click on change path to specify a different path.

Show

Allows you to list either components or plans. If you select plans the HTML user interface displays the plans page as though you had click on the plans option in the left-hand navigation menu.

You can also narrow the list by selecting a category from the category pull down menu.

(Check Box)

Marks a component for inclusion when one of the actions are clicked in the Actions for Checked components area. When clicked, Actions for Checked components will either delete, check in, or categorize a component.

Component

A user definable text string that names the component object. By default, the components are listed in alphabetical order by component name. You can sort the components list by the items in this column by clicking on one of the sort arrows in the header area for this column. Click either the ascending or descending arrow selects this column for sorting and the sort order.

Type

A user definable object that is used to control how to handle resources.

For more information on component types see Building a Component.

Version

Displays the revision number of the component. Each time a component is modified, its version number is incremented.

You can sort the components list by the items in this column by clicking on one of the sort arrows in the header area for this column. Click either the ascending or descending arrow selects this column for sorting and the sort order.

Label

A optional user definable text string that can be used to further group components together.

You can sort the components list by the items in this column by clicking on one of the sort arrows in the header area for this column. Click either the ascending or descending arrow selects this column for sorting and the sort order.

Description

An optional user defined text string that describes the component object. This attribute is not used by the provisioning software but can provide meaningful information to the user.

Action

Links that take you to other component related pages to either create a new component, view more information about a specific component, or edit components.

Actions for Checked Component

From this area you can either delete, check in, or apply categories to the checked components.

The Components Details Page

The Component Details page allows you to view Component information and attributes. This page is organized into several general informational and functional sections and also contains buttons that allow you to show where the component is uninstalled, delete the component, go to the Component Edit page, and download XML files.

General Information

This section of the Components Details Page displays general information about the component.

Component

The name of the component. By default, the components are listed in alphabetical order by component name. You can sort the components list by the items in this column by clicking on one of the sort arrows.

Type

The name of the component type.

A user definable object that is used to control how to handle resources.

For more information on component types see Building a Component.

Version

Displays the revision number of the component.

Platform

Displays the operating system(s) that are valid targets for component deployment.

Checked In

Displays the date and time when the component was checked in. That is, created or modified.

Checked In By

Displays the user ID of the one who checked in the component. That provides an audit trail when trying to troubleshoot problems or inconsistencies.

Label

A user definable text string that can be used to control the sorting on the components page.

Category

A user definable object that is used to filter the component list. Categories are created using the categories page accessed from the Administrative page. Categories are then applied to a component from the Components page. Categories can also be created by clicking in the “Apply Categories . . .” link.

Description

An optional user defined text string that describes the component object. This attribute is not used by the provisioning software but can provide meaningful information to the user.

File/Directory Information

This section only appears if the component type is a file and displays general information about the file. The directory section is identical to this one except that it is labeled directory.

File Name

This is a the text string that names the component type. This field is called Directory Name for a directory.

Time Stamp

The date and time the file or directory was created.

Total Size

The total amount of disk storage space required to store the file or directory.

User

This is the owner of the file or directory.

Group

This is the group relationship for this file or directory.

Permissions

This shows the Read, Write, and Execute permissions for the User, Group, and everyone else not in the first two categories. The first three characters represent the R (read), W (write), and X (execute) permissions for the user (owner). The second three characters represent the R (read), W (write), and X (execute) permissions for the group. The third set of three characters represent the permissions for everyone else who is not either the owner or part of the group.

Options

Displays the options that were checked when the component was created.

Referenced Components

This section of the Components Details Page displays components that are referenced by the parent component.

Resource [tree]

A user definable text string that names the component type that is a child of the parent component (resource object).

Type

This identifies the component type for the child component.

Version

Displays the revision number of the resource. Each time a resource definition is modified, its version number is incremented.

Source

Identifies the source path for the child component (resource).

Action

Allows you to either check in (define) a new resource for the component or select resources from a list of resources that already exist.

Component Variables

This section of the Components Details Page displays information about the component variables.

Variable

A user definable variable that can be used to customize deployments.

Value

A user specified value for the component variables.

Component Procedures

This section of the Components Details Page displays information about the component procedures.

Checkbox

Marks a procedure for inclusion in a plan.

Procedure

Lists the procedures defined in this component.

Actions

Generates a plan that incudes the checked

Buttons

This section of the Components Details Page displays information about the component procedures.

Edit

Takes you to the component edit page allowing you to change component information.

Advanced Edit

Takes you to the XML edit page allowing you to change component information and function at the code level.

Delete

Allows you to delete this component. If some other object references this component, the HTML user interface displays a message and will not allow you to delete the component.

Done

Takes you back to the components page.

Download

Allows you to export the component XML code to a text file.

Variable Settings

Allows you to override the default value of any variable.

Where Installed

Displays where the component has been installed.

The Components Edit Page

The Component Edit page allows you to change Component information and attributes. However, not all fields can be changed.

As with the details page, the edit page displays different fields depending on which component type is displayed. For example, the fields for a file are different from that of an IIS application. The following only discuss the fields that yo can change.

Also, as with the details page, the edit page is organized into the same several general informational and functional sections as the component details page. Each section will be discussed individually.

General Information

This is the first section of the Components Edit Page and displays general information about the component.

Component

Displays the name for the component object. This field was set when the component was created and cannot be changed.

Type

Displays the name for the component type. This field was set when the component was created and cannot be changed

Version

Displays the revision number of the component. Each time a component is modified, its version number is incremented. The version number cannot be changed by the user.

Platform

Allows you to change the operating system(s) that are valid targets for component deployment. This is done by selecting an item from the pull down menu.

Checked In

Displays the date and time when the component was checked in. This field is set by the provisioning software and cannot be change by the user.

Checked In By

Displays the user ID of the one who checked in the component. This field is controlled by the provisioning software and cannot be change by the user.

Label

A text field that allows you to enter or change the label.

Category

Displays the component category. This field was set when the component was created and cannot be changed.

Description

A text field that allows you to enter or change the component description.

File/Directory Information

This section only appears if the component type is a file and displays general information about the file. The directory section is identical to this one except that it is labeled directory. None of these fields are changeable.

Resources Included

This section of the Components Edit Page displays information about the component's resources. Some fields can be changed and some cannot.

Resource [tree]

Displays the path to the resource component.

Type

Allows you to change the resource component type by selecting a new type form the pull down menu.

Version

Displays the revision number of the resource. This field is controlled by the provisioning software and cannot be changed by the user.

Source

Identifies the source for the resource.

Action

Allows you to either check in (define) a new resource for the component or select resources from a list of resources that already exist.

(Check Box)

Marks a resource for inclusion when one of the actions are clicked in the Actions for Checked Resources area. When clicked, Actions for Checked Resources will either check in, delete, move up or down and resource, or set the resource version to the most recent one.

Component Variables

This section of the Components Edit Page displays information about the component's variables.

Variable

This field allows the user to create new variables. This column also lists existing variables.

Value

This field allows the user to set the value for new variables. This column also lists the value for all existing variables.

(Check Box)

Marks a component variable for inclusion when one of the actions are clicked in the Actions for Checked Variables area. When clicked, Actions for Checked Variables will either move up, move down, or delete variable.

Buttons

This section of the Components Details Page displays information about the component procedures.

Check in

Checks in the changed version of the component and increments the revision number.

Check in as

Checks in the changed version of the component using a different name and sets the appropriate revision number.

Cancel

Takes you to the components details page without saving any changes.