Overview
Yellowfin's export and import modules let you migrate your content between multiple Yellowfin instances, saving you time and effort from creating the same data in each environment individually. Unlike the previous versions, Yellowfin 7.3+ tracks and compares each file you transfer through its universally unique identifiers (or UUID), to restrict multiple copies of the same reports and data from existing in an environment. Therefore, even if the same files have different names, Yellowfin will be able to detect that they a are match and warn you from copying them, saving you from an overload of redundant data from existing in your system.
An important concept to know about here is content dependencies, which we will learn about next.
Content Dependencies
Dependencies are any content that the main or primary content is dependent on to function properly in a Yellowfin environment. For example, a report is dependent on a view, and the view on a data source. Therefore, for the report to work in a Yellowfin instance, it relies on that view and data source to be present in that instance.
Yellowfin's content dependency structure is illustrated below.
Export Process
1. To export definitions from Yellowfin click on Administration > Export in the main navigation menu.
2. Select the elements you wish to export.
- From the drop down menu choose the item type (source system, categories, views etc). Based on your selection you will be presented with a list of items to choose from.
- Select those items you wish to export and click the add button to add selected items to the list. Click next to continue.
3. If you have chosen to export items which have dependencies (for example a dashboard tab) Yellowfin will present you with a list of all the dependent items which you may wish to export as well.
Select those items you wish to include in the export process and click add to add them to the list.
4. When ready to export click the export link.
5. You will be prompted to save the file to your local drive. Save the file onto your local file server – for later use.
Import Process
1. To import definitions into Yellowfin click on Administration > Import in the main navigation menu.
2. Select the exported XML file from your file server by clicking the browse button and using the file upload form to select the appropriate file. Click next to continue.
3. Yellowfin will now display each element in the import file on the right hand side of your screen and provide you import options in the central form on your screen.
You can choose to import or skip any item in the import file. If you skip dependent items such as a data source for a report then Yellowfin will prompt you to select the appropriate substitutes for those specific items.
Choose your import options for each item and click next to navigate through all the items in the file until you reach the summary.
4. On the summary - if all items have been processed correctly - you can click Import to complete the process.
If an error has been detected Yellowfin will display the error message for the problematic artefact. You can choose to continue to Import or fix the issue and begin the process again.
Yellowfin’s export and import modules let you to migrate your content between multiple Yellowfin instances, saving you time and effort from creating the same data in each environment individually.
Unlike the previous versions, Yellowfin 7.3+ tracks and compares each file you transfer through its universally unique identifiers (or UUID), to restrict multiple copies of the same reports and data from existing in an environment. Therefore, even if the same files have different names, Yellowfin will be able to detect that they’re a match and warn you from copying them, saving you from an overload of redundant data from existing in your system.
Next, let’s learn about content dependencies, as this is an important concept for these modules.