Product rules – Completing the Contents tab

Complete this tab to identify the applications, rulesets, data instances, and other objects that make up the product or application.

> Applications to include

Optional. Select an application rule, which identifies the rulesets and versions that comprise it. The rule instances in those rulesets and versions are included in the ZIP archive file. Using this option eliminates the need to specify the individual rulesets and versions in the RuleSets to include section. The order of the applications in the array is not important.

If you do not select the Delta mode check box in this section, all versions up to and including the version in the application are included. For example, if your application references OrderEntry:02-03-05, the ZIP archive file produced from the product rule includes all rules from OrderEntry:02-01-01 through OrderEntry:02-03-05.

During the import process, rulesets specified in this section are loaded first. Specifying a maximum version of OrderEntry:02-03-05 in the RuleSets to include section has no effect, because that version has already been loaded by way of the application rule import.

  • This product rule is only exported if the ruleset and version to which the product rule belongs is in the RuleSets to include array, is included with a listed application in the Applications to include array, or is explicitly included as a ruleset or as a class instance (assuming the it passes the ListView filter configuration).
  • Instances of data classes that may be part of your application are not automatically included. Use the Class instances to include section to specify the data instances required in your application.

If an application is built on another application, make sure its rulesets are in the destination system. Otherwise, import the parent application first.

Field Description
Name Identify an application name, the first key part of an application rule.
Version Identify the application version, the second key part of an application rule.
Include associated data Optional: Select if you want to include data instances which are marked in the Associated ruleset field as associated with this application.
Custom/Production rulesets Optional: Select if you want to include the Custom/Production rulesets listed in this application rule in the product archive.
Shared/Component rulesets Optional: Select if you want to include the Shared/Component rulesets listed in this application rule in the product archive.
Delta mode Optional: Select if you want to include only the patch version of the rulesets that comprise the application rule, in the ZIP archive. For example, if you select this field when your application references OrderEntry:02-03-05, the ZIP archive file produced from the product rule only includes the rules in OrderEntry:02-03-05.
Note: If you select this check box, the system might exclude some of the ruleset versions (instances of the Rule-Ruleset-Version rule type) from the archive. During the application import process, if these rules are missing both from the system and the archive, the system adds a warning to the Pega log. In the above example, the system excludes all ruleset versions from OrderEntry:02-03-01 through OrderEntry:02-03-04.
Include rule history Optional: Select to include in the product archive the history instances that are listed in this application rule. The history instances include the comment memos that are added during developer check-in.
Include data types Optional: Select if you want to include the instances of the custom data types (classes) that are associated with this application. The data types are exported whether they are associated with a ruleset in the application or not.

> Rulesets to include

Optional. Specify rulesets and versions that are used in an application or product.

Enter rulesets in any order. During import processing of the ZIP file, the system determines a valid order in which to load the rules.

Use the Minimum version and Maximum version fields to define a range (within a major version) that contains the rule instances you want to include in your product. Leave both fields blank to include all versions.

To create a product patch, which is a .zip file containing a single version, enter the same patch version (NN-NN-NN) in both fields.

Note: The use of the value ALL is deprecated. If you created a product rule in a version prior to PRPC 5.5 and had entered ALL in the ruleset version field, the value displays in the Maximum RuleSet Version field. All versions are still included.
Field Description
RuleSets to include  
Name Identify a ruleset.
Minimum version Optional: Enter a version number at any level — major(NN), minor (NN-NN), or patch (NN-NN-NN).

If you do not enter a value in the Maximum version field, the ranges include from and including the minimum up to and including the highest version. For example, entering a minimum of 01-01-01 includes all instances from this version through the highest version 01-02-10.

Maximum version Optional: Enter a version number at any level — major(NN), minor (NN-NN), or patch (NN-NN-NN).

If you do not enter a value in the Minimum version field, the ranges include from and including the maximum down to and including the lowest version. For example, entering a maximum of 01-02-10 includes all rules from this version through the lowest version 01-01-01.

Exclude non-versioned rules Some rule types are associated with a ruleset but not with a version. By default, these rule instances are included in the ZIP archive file when any version of that ruleset appears on the RuleSets to include array. Select this check box to exclude these rule types. These include:
  • Access Deny rules ( Rule-Access-Deny-Obj rule type)
  • Access of Role to Object rules ( Rule-Access-Role-Obj rule type)
  • Application rules ( Rule-Application rule type)
  • Connect rules (for example, Rule-Connect-SOAP rule type)
  • Class rules ( Rule-Obj-Class rule type)
  • Ruleset name rules ( Rule-RuleSet-Name rule type)
  • Rulesetversion rules ( Rule-RuleSet-Version rule type)
  • Service rules (for example, Rule-Service-SOAP rule type)
Note: Rules not associated with a ruleset version are not included in the ZIP archive when you specify minimum and maximum ruleset versions to include, as explained above.

Selecting this check box overrides the Global exclusions section.

Include Associated Data Some rulesets are data instances, such as access groups, class groups, and integration resources, which might be marked as part of the application through the Associated RuleSet field.
Application Context Some rulesets use Application Validation (AV) mode, which can reference all rules in rulesets defined in the same application and rulesets belonging to any built-on application. This field displays the name of the application used by the Import wizard as the context for validating the contents of the specified ruleset.

> Global exclusions

Optional. Select one or more rules not associated with a ruleset version that you want to exclude from the ZIP archive. The system identifies global exclusions only for the Applications to include and RuleSets to include sections.

Note: During the application import process, if these rules are missing from both the system and the archive, the system adds a warning to the Pega log.

> Class instances to include

Optional. Identify class instances that you want to include in the archive. By default, all instances within a listed class are included. Optionally, you can filter the instances by using either a list view rule or a when rule.

You can include instances from any class. Many products depend on data classes (derived from the Data- base class) in order for the application to run correctly on the destination system. These class categories include:

  • Access
  • Organization
  • Services and connectors
  • Database mapping

Consider carefully any dependencies among data instances or between data instances and your rules. During upload, data instances already present are by default not overwritten. These data instances might require adjustment after they are uploaded into the destination Pega Platform system. For more information, see How to ensure that a product rule includes all parts of an application.

Do not include Agent Schedule data instances. The second key part of an Agent Schedule data instance identifies the node ID, which is a hash value that is based in part on the server name. Do not attempt to move an Agent Schedule data instance from one system to another by referencing it in a ZIP file; the node IDs of the other system will not match the node IDs on the source system.

You can include an Agent Schedule data instance in a ZIP archive that serves as a backup or snapshot, to be restored if necessary to the same system.

You can enter System-User-MyRules to include links to delegated rules. Use a list view rule filter to determine which access group or operator delegations are included in the product archive. Make sure that access groups or Operator IDs referenced in these delegated rules links are present on the destination system.

If one Product rule is used repeatedly to create multiple ZIP archives, the data instances selected by the ListView filter or When filter values (see below) might vary depending on how the rule is defined. In contrast, the data instances selected by internal key (listed in the Individual instances to include array) are always included.

Field Description
Name Identify a class that contains instances to be included as part of your application or product. In addition to concrete classes, you can enter an abstract class that has concrete subclasses. For an abstract class, include the final hyphen in the name.
ListView filter Optional: If the Class is concrete and your filter criteria depends only on Single Value properties that are exposed as database table columns, complete this field.

Create and reference here a list view rule defined in the class specified in the Class field. In the Content tab of the list view rule, specify the instances of that class that are to be included as part of the ZIP file archive. Select the Read Only check box on that tab. Also ensure that the Report Source Activity is defined as GetContent and that the pzInsKey property is specified in the GET THESE FIELDS list.

You cannot use both a list view rule and when condition rule in one row of this array.

Leave the ListView filter and When filter fields blank to include all instances of the class.

When filter Optional: If the Class is concrete and your filter criteria involves calculations or properties that are not exposed as database columns, complete this field and leave the ListView filter field blank.

Select a when condition rule defined in the class identified in the Class field. In that rule, define the criteria that select the instances you want to include in the ZIP archive.

Note: For performance reasons, it is preferable to use the ListView filter option when possible and leave this field blank.

You cannot use both a list rule and when condition rule in one row of this array.

Leave the ListView filter and When filter fields blank to include all instances of the class.

Include descendants? Optional: Select if you want to include instances in classes that descend from (are subclasses of) from the parent class entered in the class field. For example, if you enter Data-Address, instances of children classes Data-Address-Phone, Data-Address-Fax, and so on are included in the product.
Note: If you select this option, the ListView filter and When filter are ignored.
CAUTION:
Select this box if you have entered an abstract class.
Exclude Classes Optional: By default, all descendent classes are included when you select the Include descendants? check box. Use this field to enter the names of descendant classes you do not want to include. For instance, enter Data-Address-Email to exclude it as a descendant of Data-Address. You can enter more than one class using a comma (,) to delimit the names.

> Individual instances to include

Complete this optional array by selecting from a list the specific class instances which you want to include in the product ZIP file. As a best practice when selecting large numbers of instances, use a filter in the Class instances to include section.

The order in which you list the view instances controls the order in which they are processed. This is important if your application includes views that reference each other. Listing the view instances in the wrong order can create dependency tree errors. Drag and drop the instances to change the order.

Field Description
Select a class and press 'Query' Optional: Identify a class that contains instances to be included as part of your application or product.

Click Query to see, in a new window, a list of up to 500 instances of the selected class. Select the instances that you want to include and click OK.

Label Contains the short description of the instance selected from the query. This information is for others who review this rule and is not copied into the ZIP file.
Key Contains the internal key of an instance selected from the query. Do not alter these internal keys.

> Jar files to include

Complete this optional array to include a JAR file within the product archive.

Field Description
Search jar fieles Enter text and click Query Jars to search for JAR files with names that match the text.
Codeset Identify a Codeset for the JAR file.
Version Identify a Codeset version.
Jar file Enter the JAR file name.

> File Details

Two optional fields can help developers who upload a product ZIP file confirm that a ZIP file is the one they want.

Field Description
Creation date Optional: Enter a date in the format YYYYMMDD to include in the ZIP file and display on the destination system before the ZIP file is imported. The date value that you enter persists even when the file is copied or renamed, which in some cases changes the Windows or UNIX file date. The value you enter is not edited.
Short description Optional: Enter a text description of the contents of this file to display on the destination Pega Platform system before the ZIP archive is uploaded.
Exclude schema changes for 5.4 compatibility? Select to create an archive of rules that can be imported into PRPC 5.4 or earlier. This archive does not include schema changes, or code archives.

Clear to use a format that is not supported for import into systems earlier than PRPC 5.5.

CAUTION:
This setting changes only the format of the output file, and does not assure backward compatibility of the file contents. Although the Pega Platform supports importing archives that are created in earlier releases, it does not support importing from a later version into an earlier version. Rules or other objects created in later versions generally do not operate correctly on PRPC 5.4 or earlier, even if they can be imported.
Allow unlocked ruleset versions? Select to allow the archive to include ruleset versions that are not locked.
Preview product file Click to review the contents of the product definition before exporting or migrating it.

The content displays in a separate window in the following sections:

  • Rules Displays each ruleset in the import. Within each ruleset, you can drill down to expand each ruleset version and then each class. For each class, you can click the number in the Instances column to display a list of the individual instances in the import.

Similarly, in each of the following sections, you can expand the hierarchy of components and see the number of instances of each type. At the lowest level you can click the Instances number to see a list of the individual instances.

  • Application/Framework Data – Custom Data classes associated with the application, for example, PegaAES-Data-.
  • System DataData- or Link- classes included in the archive.
  • Schema Database Schema Changes

    Tables and columns that are added by a DDL packaged in the archive.

  • Code Items – JAR files packaged with the archive.

    The files are listed by CodeSet, CodeSet Version and filename.

Create product file After you save this rule form, click to create a ZIP archive in the ServiceExport directory on the current application server node.

Use a file name that is valid for both the destination server and the current server; they may be hosted on different Windows or UNIX platforms. The .ZIP suffix is optional. Many special characters are allowed, but you cannot include spaces or an equals sign character (=) in the file name.

You can also create the ZIP file later from this product rule using the Export gadget. Click Designer Studio > Application > Distribution > Export.