FME Flow: 2024.1

Exporting and Importing Projects

You can export the contents of FME Flow Projects, and import the projects to the same instance, or another instance, of FME Flow 2017 or later.

When exporting and importing projects, keep in mind the following:

  • If a project contains users:
    • You must belong to the fmesuperuser group to export and import, with the exception that a user can export a project if the project contains that user's account, and only that account.
    • The same permissions the user has on the current system apply on the system to which the project is imported, but only on items in the project. Any other permissions the user has on the current system do not carry over.
  • If a project contains API tokens, one of the following must be true to import:
    • You belong to the fmesuperuser group.
    • The owner of the project conducting the import has the same user account on the target system.
  • If a project contains flow apps without their associated API tokens, those apps are disabled on the target system until explicitly enabled.
  • By default, the user who performs the import becomes the owner of any items in the project if the project does not include the user accounts of the original owners, or those user accounts do not exist on the target server. If the project contains any items of the same name on the system to which the project is imported, and the user performing the import does not own those items, the import fails. To change the default owner of items, specify the Preview Import option.
  • If a project changes after it is exported, but before it is imported, you may want to revert it to its original state, so that it matches the export. For more information, see Removing Projects.
  • You may want to update the project version before you export it. The specified version is appended to the .fsproject file that is exported.
  • Importing a project triggers only the Project Import system event, if enabled. For example, if a new repository is created on the FME Flow as a result of importing a project, the Repository Create event is not triggered.

To Export a Project

Note  Any Resources that belong to a project are not included in an export unless the resource is migratable. By default, the DATA, ENGINE, and DASHBOARD Resources are configured for migration. To determine if your resource folders are migratable, open the fmeFlowConfig.txt configuration file. Locate your resources under FME SERVER SETTINGS START > Shared Resource Management. Resources with a SHAREDRESOURCE_ISMIGRATABLE_* value of true are migrated.
  1. On the Projects page, select a project and click Export. The Export Project page opens.
  2. File name: If desired, edit the .fsproject project configuration filename.
  3. Export location:
    • Download: Downloads the project configuration as a .fsproject file to your local system.
    • Resources: Saves the project configuration as a .fsproject file to the specified Resources location.
      • Resource Location: The Resources location in which to save the project.
      • Post to Topic on Success: the Notification Service topics to notify upon success of the export (a default topic is already specified). For more information, see Monitoring FME Flow Events from Topics.
      • Post to Topic on Failure: the Notification Service topics to notify upon failure of the export (a default topic is already specified). For more information, see Monitoring FME Flow Events from Topics.
  4. Standard Security Mode: If System Encryption is Standard, this setting is Enabled, and a custom encryption key will be required to import the project if Include all sensitive information (below) is checked.

    5. Ensure this key is available before proceeding. If available, check Yes, I have the required encryption key and proceed.

  5. Include all sensitive information: If checked, the following are included in the export:
  6. Advanced Options: Expand and uncheck any items listed in this section that you do not want to include in the project for export.
  7. To complete the export, click Export.

To Import a Project

Tip  If you navigate away from configuring an import before actually initiating the import, you can return to the import configuration from the Pending Imports tab.

On the Projects page, click Import. The Import Project page opens.

File location:

  • Upload: Imports a project configuration (.fsproject file) that was downloaded to the system.
  • Resources: Imports a project configuration (.fsproject file) that was saved to the specified Resources Location.
    • Post to Topic on Success/Failure (optional): Specify the notification service topics to notify upon success or failure of the import (default topics are already specified). For more information, see Monitoring FME Flow with Notifications.

    • To proceed, select one of the following:

    • Quick Import: Imports the project without allowing you to review the items in the project, including those items that will overwrite items of the same name on the current FME Flow, or items that will change ownership.
      1. Allow items to be overwritten if they already exist: If a project configuration of the same .fsproject filename already exists on the current instance, this setting controls the overwrite behavior of the import. If checked, items in the existing project are overwritten by items of the same name in the imported project. If unchecked, only items from the imported configuration that do not exist in the existing project are imported; nothing is overwritten.

        2. When using Allow items to be overwritten if they already exist , keep in mind the following, depending on the component that is being imported:

        • Automations and Notifications: If checked, Automations workflows, topics, subscribers, and publishers missing on the target project are added; existing ones are updated. A union is performed between topic registrations already present on the target project and topic registrations received from the source.
        • Resources: If unchecked, files or folders that are missing are added; existing ones are not updated. If checked, files or folders that are missing are added; existing ones are updated. In either case, if a root resource of the same name is not defined on the target server, the resource package is not imported.
      2. Pause all notifications during import: This option appears only to users who belong to the fmesuperuser security role. When checked (default), all Automations workflows and Notification Service publishers and subscribers are disabled during the import. When the import is complete, the service automatically re-enables. This option is useful to prevent automations workflows from triggering unexpectedly during an import. For example, you may have a Dropbox Directory trigger configured on a directory that is affected by the import, but do not wish to trigger notifications related to the import.

        3. This option is not available to users who do not belong to the fmesuperuser role. If an import is conducted by a non-fmesuperuser user, the notification service remains active during the import.

      3. Disable all listed item types after import: If checked, the following types of items in the project that are new or overwritten on the FME Flow after import are disabled:

        4. To use these items, you must explicitly enable them.

      4. To complete the import, click Import Project.
    • Preview Import: Allows you to review the items in the project prior to importing, including those items that will overwrite items of the same name on the current FME Flow. Also allows the option of removing certain types of items (resource connections, database connections, web connections, users, security tokens, deployment parameters) and changing the default ownership of items.
      1. Preview Content: This page lists the items in the project that are being imported. Above the list, you can filter by: Item Name; Type; Source (whether the item originates directly from the Project or is a Dependency of an item in the project); or Action (whether the item is new (New Item) or if an item of the same name already exists, which will be overwritten if Allow items to be overwritten if they already exist is checked (Overwrite))

        This page also provides messages about the project or its contents that may cause the import to fail or produce unexpected results. These issues can usually be resolved in the remaining settings and dialogs.

        • Allow items to be overwritten if they already exist: If a project configuration of the same .fsproject filename already exists on the current instance, this setting controls the overwrite behavior of the import. If checked, items in the existing project are overwritten by items of the same name in the imported project. If unchecked, only items from the imported configuration that do not exist in the existing project are imported; nothing is overwritten.

          • When using Allow items to be overwritten if they already exist , keep in mind the following, depending on the component that is being imported:

        • Automations and Notifications: If checked, Automations workflows, topics, subscribers, and publishers missing on the target project are added; existing ones are updated. A union is performed between topic registrations already present on the target project and topic registrations received from the source.
        • Resources: If unchecked, files or folders that are missing are added; existing ones are not updated. If checked, files or folders that are missing are added; existing ones are updated. In either case, if a root resource of the same name is not defined on the target server, the resource package is not imported.

        2. To proceed, click Continue.

      2. Choose Items: If the project contains any Resource Connections, Database Connections, Web Connections, Users, Security Tokens, or Deployment Parameters, you can include or exclude them from the import. To ensure an item is included, check the box beside the item.

        3. Note  By default, listed items are not checked, which indicates they are not designated for inclusion in the project. This behavior differs from the Quick Import option, which includes all items in the import.

        To proceed, click Continue.

      3. Resolve Owners: This page lists any items that are missing owners (also indicated as TBD under the Owner column of the Preview Content pane). Either the original owners of the items on the source FME Flow are missing on the target FME Flow, or the owners are not included in the project itself. If no action is taken, the items will be owned by the user performing the import. To change the default owner of all items listed, click Change Owner. You can select a user from the target FME Flow, or one that is included in the project.

        4. Note  If the FME Flow already contains the same-named items, and they are not already owned by the specified user, the import fails.

        To proceed, click Continue.

      4. Additional Options:
        • Pause all notifications during import: This option appears only to users who belong to the fmesuperuser security role. When checked (default), all Automations workflows and Notification Service publishers and subscribers are disabled during the import. When the import is complete, the service automatically re-enables. This option is useful to prevent automations workflows from triggering unexpectedly during an import. For example, you may have a Dropbox Directory trigger configured on a directory that is affected by the import, but do not wish to trigger notifications related to the import.

          • This option is not available to users who do not belong to the fmesuperuser role. If an import is conducted by a non-fmesuperuser user, the notification service remains active during the import.

        • Disable all listed item types after import: If checked, the following types of items in the project that are new or overwritten on the FME Flow after import are disabled:
          • Note  Flow Apps do not run if their associated security tokens are disabled.

          To use these items, you must explicitly enable them.

          To complete the import, click Import Project.

    To View History of Project Import and Export Activity

    On the Projects page, select the History tab. For a log of a particular import or export, click an entry in the table.