6  Import elements

Specific elements can be imported from an archive.

When importing elements, source locales must match exactly to the site's or be able to be unambiguously have their regions renamed to match only one, otherwise no import can take place. The locales with conflicts will be indicated. Renaming those locales at the source site to exactly match those in the receiving site, and then generating a new archive file to upload, will allow importation. If there are unmatched non-master locales in the source, the imported elements will not have text for those locales.

If source elements have the same IDs or internal codes as the site, they will be renamed with a suffix. To maintain referential integrity, any references to renamed elements will also be updated. The scope of the renaming is only to elements being imported. However, references to elements not being imported will be broken, which may produce a few ʘ?ʘ on pages, or elements that do not appear because the file they are referencing does not exist, or a different picture or element heading or headline is displayed because the reference now points to something valid on the site.

Such reference issues means that all references in the imported elements need to be checked, including files and Links to for subsites and articles.

Between the possible locale and reference issues, importation of elements needs to be carefully planned. Selecting elements and which of their descendants to exclude is very flexible, but it may be better to include descendants even though they may not be needed in the end, just because it can avoid reference errors where it may be difficult to remember what was being referenced. Having working references, when drilled down to, makes it easier to see what from the site they can be replaced by.

Steps△

☰ Indicates the step has learning notes. Click its checkbox to show them.

The role to perform this procedure is: Master manager.

To import elements from an archive:1Open the Import page⛛︎

by clicking on the Import button in the last item of the Access section of the Work list page.

2Optionally, upload an archive file⛛︎☰︎

by performing:

2-1Show the upload buttons⛛︎

by clicking on the Upload checkbox in the Action column for the Currently row.

2-2Open the Open dialog box⛛︎☰︎

by clicking on the Select file button.

The name of the dialog box will vary between operating systems.

The dialog box is opened.

2-3Find the file⛛︎

by navigating to the containing folder and clicking on the file name.

2-4Confirm the selection⛛︎☰︎

by clicking the Open button.

The label of the button will vary between operating systems.

The File selected text is displayed after the Select file button.

2-5Upload the file⛛︎

by clicking on the Upload button.

The response is:

1. a.The archive file is uploaded to the site.
2. b.The page is redisplayed with the new archive included in the list at a position based upon its creation date-time.

3Optionally, compare the current and source element counts⛛︎☰︎

by clicking on the Files checkbox for the site and the intended archive to import.

The archive shown has a different English master locale region to the site, so any elements would have their en-gg text renamed to en-001. If they had not both had a language of en, the Import button would not have been shown because a locale language (and script) cannot be renamed. That is because something like Japanese makes no sense being called English. See Importing for what happens in some scenarios.

4View an archive's elements⛛︎

by clicking on the Import button in the Actions column for the archive.

There will always be some conflicts (△) in the main subsite because of the subsite name.

5Select the required element⛛︎☰︎by:

1. a.Clicking checkboxes until the element is exposed.
2. b.Clicking the element identifier button.

If a subsite, file or user, a Confirm checkbox is shown on its line.

along with:

1. a.The element's type and identifier, and a Deselect button are added to the navigation bar.
2. b.A Import element list section listing all the elements that would be included in the import, followed by an Import checkbox if a subsite, otherwise it is a button.

When an element is selected, that is not a file or user, the selection's details are kept for 10 minutes, allowing other related tasks to be done. During that time a ☰ is displayed after the Import button in the archive list row for the archive, indicating that changes can still be made. After timeout, the selection details are deleted.

6If a file or user, import it⛛︎

at step 13.

7Optionally at any time, deselect the element⛛︎

by clicking on the Deselect button in the article navigation bar.

8Optionally, modify the selection⛛︎by, for each element to be excluded:

1. a.Clicking checkboxes until the element is exposed.
2. b.Clicking the element identifier button.

However, for a file:

1. a.Click its identifier link, which will jump to the files identifier button under the Files checkbox if JavaScript is enabled.
2. b.If JavaScript is not enabled, drill down the Files checkboxes to expose its button.
3. c.Click the identifier button for the element to be excluded.

All the element's descendants are also excluded, and all are deleted from the Import element list.

9Optionally, undo an exclusion⛛︎☰︎

by clicking on the element's identifier button.

The element and its descendants are reinstated, and reincluded on the import list.

Descendants of an excluded element cannot be reinstated as they would be disconnected from their parent. Instead, import them separately as a standalone element to an existing owner.

10If a subsite, import it⛛︎

at step 13.

11Proceed⛛︎

by clicking on the Import button at the foot of the import list.

12Navigate to the new owner⛛︎

by clicking checkboxes until required owner is exposed.

Note that:

1. a.A category can only be imported to a subsite.
2. b.An article can be imported to a category or Templates.

13Import the element⛛︎by:

1. a.Clicking the Import checkbox.
2. b.Clicking the newly shown Import checkbox.
3. c.Clicking the newly shown Confirm button.

The response is:

1. a.The page is redisplayed as per the response at step 4.
2. b.A message with Added: and the element's identifier as a jump to its details is shown under the page introduction.
3. c.The element and all its non-excluded descendants are imported under the new owner.

14Optionally, import more elements⛛︎

by repeating from step 5 for each additional element.