4. Creating Customization (SystemDB)
This chapter details the process you must follow when you perform customization within the SystemDB (and sometime in the Data repository).
Prerequisite:
• You must be in DEV instance.
• You must have properly imported “has.custom” module in the SystemDb.
4.1. Work Item concepts
When performing customization, you may change a wide range of elements. You must group this changes into a unit of work that we call a “Work Item” or shortly named “WI”.
A Work Item represents a set of changes; the nature of the grouping is up to you and can include a mix of:
• similar functional scope
• similar technical scope
• similar delivery constraint: project or timeline.
4.1.1. Work Item States
A Work Item has, by default, a linear lifecycle composed of 4 steps:
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1. New
This is the default state when a Work Item is created.
2. Working
As soon as you dispatch a customization on a Work Item it goes into this state. This represents a work in progress. You can continue adding “dispatch” to this Work Item as long as it is in this state.
3. Completed
The Work Item is closed and cannot be edited anymore.
4. Extracted
The Work Item has been extracted to an MGR/XMG files.
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While in “Working” state the Work Item can be worked on for several days/weeks with several dispatches.
4.1.2. Creating/Using a Work Item
The Work Item can be created or used at the moment of the dispatch of your work.
If you do not see the “Work Item” it is because you do not meet the prerequisite.
To create a Work Item:
1. Enter a name in the Work Item field.
2. Click Dispatch (or press Enter).
4.1.3. Recommendation when working with WI
When working on your customization project you might be facing Scenario where you want to have several Work Items. This can be due to grouping topics or delivery timing.
Naming convention
We recommend that you give explicit name to your Work Item.
• Name contains the functional scope.
E.g.: “Metamodel customization”, “Static website customization”.
• Name contains a planned delivery version/time.
E.g.: “Project Customization for V2”, “Next release sprint July”.
• Name contains a functional domain or project name.
E.g.: “ITPM customization”, “Project 1 customization”.
E.g.: “ITPM customization”, “Project 1 customization”.
It can be a mix of these propositions.
What you should avoid in naming a Work Item:
• giving a random name.
E.g.: “Work Item 1”, “Work Item 2”, “WI A”, “WI B”.
E.g.: “Work Item 1”, “Work Item 2”, “WI A”, “WI B”.
• giving a non-explicit name.
E.g;: “Oliver WI”, “Today Work Item”.
E.g;: “Oliver WI”, “Today Work Item”.
Grouping Work Items
We recommend you limit the number of Work Items in “Working” stage, to limit confusion of where things can be contained and what needs to be grouped.
4.2. Dispatch customization
In a development platform, once you are done with a customization and you want to dispatch it into the repository, you must associate a Work Item to a dispatch.
You can associate several dispatches to the same Work Item.
You can repeat the dispatch on Work Item as you are working on your customization. A Work Item can contain multiple dispatch.
4.2.1. Publication process
From HOPEX (Windows Front-End)
1. From HOPEX toolbar select File > Dispatch.
2. In the Work Item dropdown list, select your Work Item.
If you do not have any Work Item or need to create a new one, enter a name in the Work Item field and press Enter.
3. Click Dispatch.
If prompted click Yes to create the new Work Item.
From HOPEX Studio desktop (Web Front-End)
1. From HOPEX main menu, select Dispatch.
2. In the Work Item dropdown list, select your Work Item.
If you do not have any Work Item or need to create a new one, enter a name in the Work Item field.
3. (Optional) In Dispatch comment (Report) enter a description of your Work Item.
4. Click Dispatch.
4.3. Done with your customization?
You have worked on several customizations and are now ready to push them to STAGE platform. It is important to do this only when you want to push your work to STAGE/PRODUCTION.
Before you can extract the customization into files, you must first set your Work Item as completed. If you have several Work Items that you want to extract, they all must be in the state “Completed”.
To complete a Work Item at Dispatch:
1. In the Work Item field select the Work Item concerned.
2. Select Complete Work Item:
• HOPEX (Windows Front-End)
• HOPEX Studio desktop (Web Front-End)
3. Click Dispatch.
You are now ready to extract the Work Item to files.
See Extracting Customization.