You can transfer objects from xential|manager to another xential environment using the export and import functionality. This is useful, for example, when you want to move templates or settings from a test environment to a production environment, or share changes with another xential instance.


Which objects can you export?

The following categories in xential|manager can be exported and imported:

  • User groups and users.
  • Template groups and templates.
  • Header and footer groups and headers and footers.
  • Component groups and components.
  • Data sources, web service connections, XML connections and queries.
  • Fonts, corporate styles and their related groups.


Exporting an object

1
In xential|manager, select the desired object (for example a template or a main folder).
2
Click Export.

Export window in xential|manager with options for comments and linked objects

3
Optionally enter a comment that relates to the export.
4
Indicate whether any linked headers, footers and components should also be included.
5
Click OK. The export file is generated on the server and offered as a download. The file name matches the name of the first exported object.


Importing an object

1
In xential|manager, click Import.
2
Click Browseand select the export file.

Import window in xential|manager with the Browse option to select an export file

3
Click OK. The file is analysed and its contents are displayed, along with any comments entered during export.

Overview of the export file contents in xential|manager

4
Specify per object what should be done with it (see below for details) and select the target location via Browse if needed.
5
Click OKto start the import.

Confirmation screen after a successful import in xential|manager

6
When finished, click OK to refresh the page and display the updated content.


Import options

If an object already exists in xential, you can choose what should happen to it on a per-object basis:

  • Skip: the object from the export file is skipped. The existing object in xential|manager remains unchanged.
  • Overwrite existing object: the existing object in xential|manager is replaced by the object from the export file.
  • Create copy: the object from the export file is added as a new copy alongside the existing object.

If an object does not yet exist in xential, you can use Browse to select the target folder where the object should be placed.



Importing larger structures

It is possible to export multiple objects along with their groups and any subgroups at once. The export file then contains the full tree structure of these groups and their contents. To import this structure, repeat the import procedure multiple times: the first time, the groups are imported; from the second time onwards, the contents are added. Xential|manager automatically recognises the existing groups and suggests placing the object in the correct location.


Including parent groups in an export

When exporting an object (for example a template), you can specify that the parent groups should be included automatically. Not only the object's immediate group is exported, but also the full tree structure of groups above it.

Export screen with the option to include parent groups

When importing, the administrator can choose to import not only the exported object but also its associated groups. If the object is linked to a header/footer and/or components, the groups containing those items will also be included.

Tip

Do you want to export multiple main folders that are interrelated? Then perform a separate export per main folder and import them from the lowest level upwards in the following order:

  1. First Components.
  2. Then Headers and footers.
  3. Finally Templates.

This ensures that underlying objects are already present when higher-level objects refer to them.


Important

  • If a template contains a reference to a data source, the data source itself is not automatically included. Export and import the data source in a separate export file.
  • For security reasons, connection settings are not included when a database data source is exported. Reconfigure these manually in the target environment.
  • After importing a database data source, always perform a connection test to verify that the database is accessible from the xential environment.