When using Enterprise Toolkit to separate business units into distinct Environments, you may need to copy content between them, like forms, screens, data sources, documents, or folders containing a suite of applications.
This is where the repository comes into play. It provides a simple way to install content from one repository into target environments for immediate use.
You can even lock installed content, preventing alterations, allowing you to maintain a single “master copy”. Similarly, with data sources, you can choose to overwrite row data, keeping all environments up-to-date.
Adding to a Repository
Each environment under your control has its own repository, including the parent environment (aka Master Environment).
A parent repository typically contains shared resources, or overarching version control, while child repositories contain environment-specific data.
Depending on which environment you’re viewing when logged in as an Admin-level user, go to Platform & Billing > Repository to view that environment’s repository.
In the repository, you’ll see a list of added items, filter by type, and Add New button on the top right.
Clicking Add New will take you through to Add Content, where you can create a repository item with the following properties:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Item To List in Repository | Select the repository item type: -Data Source -Doc -Folder -Forms/Screen -Task Template Then select the published or saved item that gets installed when managing installs. |
| Repository Listing Name | Enter a description (text). |
| Icon To Display | Select an icon. |
| Description | Enter in a description (text). |
If you have multiple content items to add, the quickest way is to set up a Folder that groups all the content.
After configuring the repository item, click Add Item (top right). This will add the item to that environment’s repository and return you to the repository list.
Installing from a Repository
When viewing a repository, click the checkboxes on the left of added items to bring up the Manage Installs option.
The selected items can now be installed and updated, or uninstalled from target accounts, with the following options:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Lock Target Copy | This option will prevent local modifications of the installed content in the target accounts. This helps you to maintain a single master copy of the content, which you can then install/update to the target accounts when you publish a new version of your master copy. |
| Update Data Source Rows Please note, this option only applies to data source rows and not the column structure. | By default, any Data Source rows associated with the selected content in the target accounts will NOT be replaced/modified. This ensures that any local changes to the target Data Source rows are not lost during installation/update of content. If you wish to rather overwrite the target Data Source rows with those in your master/owning copy, then enable this option. Note: Data Source column structures are copied across regardless of this property being ticked or not. For example, if columns are added or removed from master data sources that any of the installed forms/screens are linked to, then extra columns will be copied or removed. Hence, overwritten by the master data source structure. |
| Ignore Issues (Force) Warning: Enabling this option will force the install to proceed which may result in data loss or could cause screens on the target account to break. | By default, the install will not proceed if any of the following issues are present when it is processed: -Required items no longer exist in the parent account -The target account contains altered or newer versions of the items being installed (Screens and Docs) -Some items will be removed that are required by other items on the target account (Folder Installs where items have been removed from the folder since the previous install) Some Form Screens that have existing form entries submitted against them will be removed (Folder Installs where items have been removed from the folder since the previous install) Some items make use of features to which the target account does not have access |
Updating/Synchronising Content To Other Environments
When you first add content to your repository, the system registers the current published version of any screen or Document involved.
This allows you to create new versions of a registered Screen/Doc in your master copy account, test changes, and publish these new versions within your master account without impacting installed environments.
We designed the repository to prevent you from breaking or otherwise affecting installed copies in other environments.
This enables you to thoroughly test and iterate on new versions in your master copy account before updating the latest published version in other environments.
Once you are ready to update existing installations with your latest published version, repeat the “Installing Content” instructions above.
How Connectors and Connections Are Handled
Connectors (e.g., Forms, Data Sources, Task Templates) are copied across if there are any when content is installed via the repository. However, any Connectors that require Connections that haven’t already been added to the target account will need to be added and authenticated before the content containing Connector(s) is installed.
If there are multiple Connections of the same type, a Connector being installed won’t know which Connection to use. Hence, the installation will fail, and a force install will be needed. Thereafter, the Connector will need to be set to the desired Connection.
Tips and Tricks
Save time by using Folders to deploy groups of Screens instead of one by one
Simply add your screens to a folder in your master copy account, then register the folder in the repository.
This way, you can install the Folder into your Environments, and this action will copy across all contents of the Folder.
Note that any folders you register within the repository should not enforce user security since these rules are not transferable between environments.
If you make updates to folder contents and wish to copy these across to Environments, then head to the repository and install the folder in the target environments again.
Use Global settings in your connector setups
Avoid needing to update connectors on the Screens or Data Sources that you install into Environments by using a common set of folder paths or Global values.
For file-based connectors (FTP, Dropbox, etc.), the file name and folder path to the file will be copied as part of the Repository install. As such, you should aim to use the same generic folder structure and file names for each of your Environments, using the Connection login details to set different roots for each client.
e.g., set up a separate Dropbox account for each Environment, and then create the same folder and file name paths in each Dropbox account, similarly, with FTP, etc.
For REST or URL-based connectors, use the various Global options found on the Organisation Setup page to set up a unique global URL per client account. Then, in relevant connectors – e.g., Forms REST connector or Data Source Hosted GET – use our {{GLOBAL}} syntax option to substitute some or all of the connector’s target URL.
e.g. {{GLOBAL}}/api/endpoint