Selective and Ordered Import of Artifacts

You can control import of Essbase artifacts using a selection list text file, for 11g migrations (using the 11g LCM Export Utility) and for cloud service migrations (using the CLI utility).

A selection list text file contains a list of all artifacts in the exported zip that are grouped by section. You can generate the file during export using lcmexport command. At the end of the file is an IMPORT section that contains the list of artifact entries to be imported.

You can edit the file and delete, or comment, the rows of artifacts that you want to skip in the import, using lcmimport command. You provide the text file as an argument in lcmimport operation. You can also control the order of import.

Sample selection list text file

@Provisions
/Sample/Provisions/CalcAssociation.csv

@Databases/Basic/Calc_scripts
/Sample/Databases/Basic/Calc scripts/Default Calc
/Sample/Databases/Basic/Calc scripts/CalcAll.csc

# ------------IMPORT-----------------
import @Provisions
import @Databases/Basic/Calc_scripts
# ------------IMPORT----------------

How to use this feature

• When we use 11g LCM Export Utility, you can specify the optional argument –generateartifactlist to generate a text file containing a list of exported artifacts.
• To skip a complete category of files, such as .rul files, comment the corresponding IMPORT section at the end of the text file.
• To skip specific files, delete or comment those entries in the text file.
• To control the import order, rearrange the entries under any specific category into the order that you prefer them to be imported. Files are then imported in the order listed under that category. During import, specify this file using

  -al,-artifactlist

• Note that the lcmimport command has an -overwrite option.

  • If –overwrite is true, the import operation recreates the entire application. It only imports the artifacts or files that are listed in the text file.
  • If –overwrite is false, the import operation imports just the artifacts or files that aren't commented in the text file. It doesn't impact other artifacts already present in the target application.

Sample use cases

• Import only the data from exported zip

  You have an exported zip of Sample app and want to just import the data from Sample/Basic.

  • In the text file generated during lcmexport, comment all the import entries, except import @Databases/Basic.
  • Also comment /Sample/Databases/Basic/Basic outline under @Databases/Basic, just to import data alone.
  • Note that -overwrite option is not valid for this use case (“data only” import). The reason is that during import, LCM will drop the entire application and import it as blank. Then, only data is attempted to be imported, without the outline, therefore making the application invalid.
• Import outline only

  You want to update the Sample.Basic cube with just the outline from the exported zip.

  • In the IMPORT section at the end of the text file, comment all entries except "import @Databases/Basic".
  • Also comment "/Sample/Databases/Basic/Data" under "@Databases/Basic", just to import the outline.

• Import single cube for an application with multiple cubes

  Sample application has three cubes named Basic, Basic1, Basic2, and you want to just import Basic.

  • In the IMPORT section at the end of the text file, comment all entries except "Basic" cube (import @Databases/Basic, import @Databases/Basic/Xml_files, etc.).
  • Without the -overwrite option, it imports or overrides only the Basic cube, whereas other cubes (Basic1, Basic2) in that application, remain as they are without any impact.
  • With the -overwrite option, it drops and recreates the application, with just the Basic cube.