Initialize or update the meta-model of the Alfabet database

Initialize a new database

An Alfabet database that provides the initial state of Alfabet is delivered with the software as an ADBZ database archive file. This database archive file is required to initially populate the Alfabet database.

To read the ADBZ file to the Alfabet database:

Start the Alfabet Administrator from the Windows® Start Menu.
Expand the Alfabet Aliases node in the explorer.
Right-click the server alias that connects to the Alfabet database and select Restore Database Archive.
In the dialog box that opens, select the file name and location of the archive file that you want to restore.
The following options can be selected when restoring the Alfabet database:
- Include Audit: If the checkbox is selected, audit tables which are part of the ADBZ are restored in the target database.
- Squeeze Audit Tables: If the checkbox is selected, the audit tables are scanned for obsolete entries. Any entries that were generated ,for example, during the batch update of data via batch utilities without documenting any audit relevant changes are deleted from the audit tables restored from the ADBZ file.
Click Restore to start the restore process. It may take a few minutes before the restore process is completed.
In the Info window that opens, click OK.

Update the meta-model of an existing Alfabet 10.15.x database

Between Alfabet 10 and Alfabet 11, the configuration of the user interface has changed considerably. When you update the meta-model of an existing Alfabet 10 database, your customized configuration must be adapted to the changes. This is an individual process which requires customized restructuring efforts. During update of the meta-model, some configurations can be adapted to the new structure . But due to the significant changes to usability and the user interface in Alfabet 11, a one-to-one migration will not be possible. Please contact the Alfabet team in Software GmbH to help you plan your transition to Alfabet 11.

There are three methods to do the update:

Update of the meta-model with running scripts for adapting existing configuration automatically to the Alfabet 11.8 configuration structure. Click for an overview of automatic migration steps.
Update of the meta-model migration without changing the current configuration. All adaptations to the new way of configuring Alfabet must be done manually.
Skip the Alfabet 10.15.x custom configuration and start with the standard Alfabet 11 Accellerator configuration. This option is recommended for customers who used an Alfabet Accellerator configuration without or with only minor customizations in Alfabet 10.15. The new Alfabet Accellerator 11 configuration is then fully available with your data.

The required changes to upgrade the meta-model to the new release are stored in an .amm file delivered with the new release. In addition, another .amm file is included in the delivery for optional implementation of the Accellerator configuration.

Update of the meta-model in your database must for this release be performed in the Alfabet Administrator tool.

Start the Alfabet Administrator from the Windows® Start Menu.
Expand the Alfabet Aliases node in the explorer.
Right-click the server alias that connects to the Alfabet database and select Update Meta-Model.
In the dialog box that opens, select the file name and location of the .amm file for upgrade to Alfabet 11.8.
Decide on the migration method setting the Execute configuration migration scripts option:
- Execute configuration migration scripts is selected: Parts of your existing configuration will be automatically adapted to the Alfabet 11.8 configuration structure.
- Execute configuration migration scripts is not selected: Migration is done without changing the current configuration. All adaptations to the new way of configuring Alfabet must be done manually. Deselect the checkbox if you want to use the standard Alfabet 11.8 Accelerator configuration or do all adaptations of your configuration manually.
Click Update to start the meta-model update.
If you decided to use the standard Alfabet Accellerator 11 configuration, update the meta-model again with the Alfabet Accellerator configuration delivered in a separate AMM file.

If issues occur during update of the meta-model via the AMM file, a log file is created during update of the meta-model. The log file is written to the directory that contains the AMM file and has the name <Name of the AMM file>_<Time Stamp>.log. Consult the log file to view any issues that occurred during update.

If configurations not matching the meta-model after update are detected in the database, the update meta-model process will write the problems into a Microsoft® Excel® file. The file is written to the directory that contains the AMM file and has the name <Name of the AMM file>_<Time Stamp>.xlsx. Open the Excel file and check for issues that require correction. The file consists of the following sheets:

Translation Errors: Lists issues detected during vocabulary update such as original strings that exceed the maximum allowed character number of 600 characters.
Queries: Lists all queries defined in Alfabet configuration that are no longer valid because of meta-model changes.
Class Settings Editor: Lists all class settings with an incorrect editor configuration.
User Profile Errors: Lists all user profiles with a missing or incorrect view scheme configuration. User profiles are listed here if the View Scheme attribute is either empty or set to a view scheme that does not exist. The view scheme configuration is required to apply the correct class settings to the user profile, thus ensuring that the correct settings are applied for the object class property and button configuration, for example.

Update the meta-model of an existing Alfabet 11.x database

Between Alfabet 11.7.0 and Alfabet 11.7.1 as well as between 11.7.2, new features have been added to the scripts for automatic migration of Alfabet 10.15.x configuration to Alfabet 11. Customers having migrated from Alfabet 10.15.x to Alfabet 11.7.0 or earlier Alfabet 11 versions and used the option to automatically change the existing configuration are advised to first update to Alfabet 11.7.1, then to Alfabet 11.7.2, and then to Alfabet 11.8 to make sure all new migration features are implemented.

The required changes to upgrade the meta-model to the new release are stored in an .amm file delivered with the new release.

Update of the meta-model in your database must be performed in the Alfabet Administrator tool.

Start the Alfabet Administrator from the Windows® Start Menu.
Expand the Alfabet Aliases node in the explorer.
Right-click the server alias that connects to the Alfabet database and select Update Meta-Model.
In the dialog box that opens, select the file name and location of the .amm file for upgrade to Alfabet 11.8.
When upgrading from Alfabet 11.7.1 to Alfabet 11.7.2 or upgrading from Alfabet 11.7.2 to Alfabet 11.8, you will see a Execute configuration migration scripts checkbox.
- Select the checkbox if you have migrated the current database with execution of migration scripts from an Alfabet 10.15.x database.
- Do not select the checkbox if you have decided to use the standard Alfabet 11 Accellerator, migrated an Alfabet 10.15.x database without running migration scripts, or started using Alfabet with Alfabet 11.x.
Click Update to start the meta-model update.

If issues occur during update of the meta-model via the AMM file, a log file is created during update of the meta-model. The log file is written to the directory that contains the AMM file and has the name <Name of the AMM file>_<Time Stamp>.log. Consult the log file to view any issues that occurred during update.

If configurations not matching the meta-model after update are detected in the database, the update meta-model process will write the problems into a Microsoft® Excel® file. The file is written to the directory that contains the AMM file and has the name <Name of the AMM file>_<Time Stamp>.xlsx. Open the Excel file and check for issues that require correction. The file consists of the following sheets:

Translation Errors: Lists issues detected during vocabulary update such as original strings that exceed the maximum allowed character number of 600 characters.
Queries: Lists all queries defined in Alfabet configuration that are no longer valid because of meta-model changes.
Class Settings Editor: Lists all class settings with an incorrect editor configuration.
User Profile Errors: Lists all user profiles with a missing or incorrect view scheme configuration. User profiles are listed here if the View Scheme attribute is either empty or set to a view scheme that does not exist. The view scheme configuration is required to apply the correct class settings to the user profile, thus ensuring that the correct settings are applied for the object class property and button configuration, for example.