The Outline API is designed to prevent the caller from creating an illegal outline. To check the outline, use the EsxOtlVerifyOutline() function to verify it before saving it to the server. The Outline API calls EsxOtlVerifyOutline() automatically when an outline is written to the server, if it was not called previously.
Each function call in the Outline API verifies that processing by the caller does not result in an illegal outline. For example, EsxOtlRenameMember() checks a new member name to make sure that it is valid and does not already exist in the outline. Here are a few exceptions to this automatic validation:
EsxOtlOpenOutline() allows the caller to read in a previously created outline that is illegal. This outline could be illegal because the Outline Editor in the Application Manager allows you to save an invalid outline to a local file. Any existing errors are detected when EsxOtlVerifyOutline() is called. Also, some individual operations are illegal during processing if the outline starts out as illegal.
EsxOtlDeleteMember() and EsxOtlDeleteDimension() do not check for any alias combinations that contain a deleted member. EsxOtlVerifyOutline() detects this condition.
EsxOtlSetMemberFormula() allows you to enter an illegal formula, and EsxOtlVerifyOutline() does not check member formulas. An illegal member formula causes failure during restructure. EsxGetProcessState() displays the error message returned from the server.