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3.9.1 How Configurations work

The Configurations function allows you to manage collections and hierarchies in a very effective way. With Configurations , you can save any collection in its current hierarchical form. In other words, all objects will be saved, as well as the meta-information on objects, and structural information regarding how the collection is configured. The Configurations feature is similar to Version Control in that it stores previous versions (in this case collection hierarchies, rather than single objects), allows you to replace the current configuration with an older configuration, allows you to load previous configurations to the server without overwriting new content, and allows you to browse previous configurations.

SAVING A CONFIGURATION

The Save function allows you to save a collection as a configuration. The selected collection and its contents are saved to a configuration file. This collection is now given a special attribute HW_ArchiveType with the value "Configuration". The configuration file is assigned a major and minor version number. You can also enter a comment on the configuration to be saved.

Only the most recent version of a configuration is stored in the Hyperwave Information Server database (this version is labeled "current" in the Configuration Control dialog box). All previous versions are saved in separate configuration files.

Only the most recent version of a configuration can be modified. All previous configurations are stored in static files outside the database.

IDENTIFYING CONFIGURATIONS

Collections that are configurations appear on the Hyperwave Information Server interface with a special icon. This icon looks like the standard Collection icon, with a small red C in the bottom right hand corner .

RESTORING A CONFIGURATION

The Restore function allows you to restore a previous configuration to the Hyperwave Information Server database. This function assigns the restored configuration as the most recent version, and the configuration that had until now been the most recent version is deleted. You can identify which configuration in the history you wish to restore by its major and minor version numbers.

Only when a previous configuration is restored to the database can it be modified, as it is no longer stored in a static file.

MERGING A CONFIGURATION

The Merge function allows you to restore a previous configuration to the Hyperwave Information Server without overwriting the most recent version. In this way, it differentiates itself from the Restore function. The previous configuration is loaded to the Hyperwave Information Server database, incorporating any changes that have been made since it was last saved and assigning it as the most recent version. Again, the configuration to be loaded is identified by its major and minor version number.

VIEW ALL CONFIGURATIONS

In the Configuration Control dialog box (Figure 29), you can view all previous configurations for a configuration object. Configuration objects are listed with their major and minor version numbers, the user who saved them, the date they were saved and the GOid attributes. All previous configurations can be transparently browsed using your web browser. There is no need for any extra tools.

All objects belonging to archived configurations can be identified by the attribute HW_Configuration. The value of this attribute is the GOid of the root collection of this configuration.

DELETING A CONFIGURATION

The Delete function allows you to delete archived configurations from the configuration history. It is not possible to delete the current configuration, as it exists on the server and is not stored as an archived file.


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