After loading a .SOP file into a retrieved pack record or after merging several local packs, some VCS records can thrown some errors. For example, the translation records on the target instance are different from the ones in retrieved pack causing data inconsistency, or any other reason.
Generally, collisions may appear during the configuration pack import process. Their leading cause is that the dependent table or record does not exist in the database.
Consider a common use case:
- We have exported the Incident table, child for the Task table.
- We import it to the instance without the Task table.
- In this case, the Incident table cannot be created on the target instance, because there is no parent table from which to inherit.
After that, you can find the erroneous record at the VCS preview log related list (in the VCS Retrieved Pack section). This record has the Collision state and the appropriate Error Text containing the error cause. Erroneous records cannot be included in the saved records pack (VCS Records) bound to the retrieved pack that is used for data recovery.
To resolve a collision, follow these steps:
- In the configuration pack you need, scroll down to the Related Lists area and open the VCS Preview Log tab.
- Filter out records in the Good state using the Condition Builder.
- Open one of records.
- Read the text in the Error Text field to find the error cause.
- Make necessary changes to the record in the JSON Copy field.
- Click Save or Save and Exit to apply changes.
- Return to the configuration pack record and click Prepare changes.
- Make sure that the VCS Preview Log record state has changed to Good.
- Repeat these steps for every record in the Collision state if there are more than one.
- When all records in the VCS Preview Log are in the Good state, click Import pack.
Please keep in mind that if any collisions occurred during the local pack preview, the process will be canceled on the first occasion, the others will not be shown.
Collisions disposal methods
The idea in the collision fixing process is to try to dispose of collisions in the highest level tables. This method allows removing collisions in the lower-level tables automatically. It can be done about like this:
- Filter the records in the VCS Preview Log by the state (state = collision).
- Analyze errors for the records at the top of the list.
- Alternative way: you can filter the list by the Table field. The highest-level tables to analyze are, for example, sys_db_table, sys_number, sys_db_column, and some others.
- After the error cause was found, it must be fixed on the source instance. The configuration pack is to be exported and previewed again by clicking Preview Again Local Pack.
- If collisions are gone, then this configuration pack can now be imported. Herewith, all the records from the last configuration pack attached are imported. The retrieved pack status changes to Loaded. The records are added to the VCS Record (sys_vcs_record) table. The last preview log is available in the Related Lists area.
- After importing, the retrieved pack applying possibility appears. For this, click Apply Local Pack. The system restores records from this configuration pack (in other words, from the VCS Record (sys_vcs_record) table records attached to this retrieved pack). The retrieved pack changes its state to Committed.
- If the collisions are not gone, then return to the previous steps.
Collision case 1
When installing a configuration pack in the system, some record X is added. At the same time, it references to another record Y in this system and in this configuration pack. The Y record that the record X is referenced to does not exist. When the export admin previews the pack by clicking Preview Local Pack, the collision is thrown on this record.
Collision solving:
The solution is to add the Y record to this configuration pack on the source instance.
Collision case 2
The record X is deleted from the system. At the same time, there is a reference to this record in the configuration pack. When the export admin previews the pack by clicking Preview Local Pack, the collision is thrown on this record.
Collision solving:
The solution is to remove the X record from the configuration pack.
Collision case 3
Mismatch in the set of fields.
User case description:
- A table on the source instance has N set of fields.
- The same table with the same name on the target instance has N-1 set of fields.
- When the export admin previews the pack containing the table with the N field set, the collision is thrown, and a message that this object is not valid, any actions on it cannot be taken.
Collision solving:
To solve this collision, create or update the object, excluding attributes missing on the target instance. In the above example, the N-fielded table will be successfully imported to the target instance, where the N-1-fielded table is created. But, the fields that exist in the source instance and are not in the target instance will not be created in the target instance. See the schema below.
Collision case 4
The records on the target instance are newer than in a configuration pack to install. It can be determined by the date and time of record creation.
Collision solving:
Export admin needs to initiate a local pack preview. In the process:
- Collision-causing records will be marked with the Skipped state.
- When applying the local pack, the records with this state will be skipped. The records that were present on the target instance initially will stay.
- In the case record in the configuration pack is newer than on the instance, then it will be marked with the Good state, and it will replace the record on the instance.
Collision case 5
In the configuration pack, a table is to be deleted but contains records (is not empty). If the table being deleted is empty, then there is no collision.
Collision solving:
- Collision-causing records will be marked with the Skipped state.
- When applying the local pack, the records with this state will be skipped.
- If the record was marked with the Good state, then the table will be deleted.
Collision case 6
A configuration pack contains objects related to the application X. At some moment, export admin tries to apply this configuration pack to the instance that does not have this application installed.
Collision solving:
The solution is to rebuild the configuration pack on the source instance in order to add records related to the missing application.
Collision case 7
Partial attributes mismatch between instances, that is, equal tables have difference in columns.
User case description:
- A table on the source instance has the N set of fields.
- The same table with the same name on the target instance has the N-1 set of fields.
- The field names on source and target instances are slightly different. See the schema below.
and then...?
Collision case 8
The collision cause is a unique key violation.
User case description:
- It was discovered that the target instance contains incorrect translation record for some element X or does not contain any translation record. This record should be located in the Translations (sys_translation) table.
- This translation record for the element X has been created in an appropriate table on the target instance.
- On the source instance, a .SOP file has been assembled containing translation for the element similar to element X. The column_id, record_id and language_id fields necessary for UNIQUE CONSTRAINT forming matched up on both instances.
- This .SOP file has been uploaded on the source instance. VCS preview logs were generated.
- After loading a pack on the target instance, a collision VCS record appeared containing an Error Text more or less like this:
- "This record has a duplication of a unique key. DETAIL: Key (column_id, record_id, language_id)=(156941403909472422, 159170696512371798, 156628684306200767)."
Collision solving
The collision solving method is to decide which translation record is more relevant (correct or up-to-date):
- If the initial record located on the target instance is more relevant, then the collision record can be dropped from the configuration pack and not imported.
- If the new record is more relevant, then this record should be imported, what will cause initial record overwrite.
