Last week, we discussed how to create a snapshot of tagged items within Configuration Console. This action is similar to a CD import or import configurations utility. Once it comes up, you specify the file name and the system will pull it into a list of imported snapshots. This allows you to see a partial list of all the snapshots that are currently imported, but have not been applied yet. Each time you apply a snapshot to a configuration, they disappear from this list, which helps manage upcoming changes that may need to happen. The system also alerts you whenever a snapshot has not been validated, which prevents you from applying a snapshot to a configuration that would make it invalid.
Why is it important to validate a snapshot? Maybe a configuration was moved that is dependent on a field or a user defined list that didn't exist in your target environment. If it wasn't included as part of your snapshot, a message will pop up to let you know. The validate action runs a process in the background that basically goes through and checks the configurations that are part of that snapshot. Once the snapshot has been validated, then you can actually go through and apply it. The apply action is located in the imported snapshots list and will push those changes into your target environment configuration. Once it is complete, you will have a history of all the applied snapshots that have been pushed out to the system.
This tool is incredibly useful, not just from a development standpoint, but especially from a post go-live standpoint. There have been various projects over the years where the client completed the implementations up to go-live, but still wanted to work through a continued list of development items that didn't make the final cut for go-live. That is a perfect example of a situation where this tool would've been useful in the past. Previously, the only option was to do spreadsheet queries pulling out from the user list, user form, or the user field business classes to piece together everything necessary for those development items. Now with the Web UI Configuration Console, you can easily validate and keep track of snapshots throughout the development process.
Next week, we will explain how to the Web UI Configuration Console saves you time & energy.
