Creating components

In general, component creation is the same for all components.

About this task

When you create a component, you:

  1. Define source type.

    You name the component and identify the source of the artifacts, such as a file system or a source code management system such as Subversion. A component can contain any number of artifacts but they must all share the same source.

  2. Assemble processes.

    A process defines what IBM® UrbanCode Deploy does with the component's artifacts. A process might consist of any number of steps, such as starting and starting servers, and moving files. In addition to deploying, other processes can import artifacts and run various utility tasks.

To reiterate, then, a component consists of artifacts all sharing the same source type, plus one or more processes. In addition to hand-crafting a component, you can use a template to create one (see Component templates), or you can import a component directly (see Importing components).

Procedure

  1. Display the Create New Components dialog (Home > Components > Create New Component). Several fields are the same for every source, while others depend on the source type selected with the Source Config Type field.
    Figure 1. Create New Component dialog
  2. Define standard parameters. The fields in the following table are available for every source type. If you select a value in the Source Config Type field, fields specific to the selected type are also displayed.
    Table 1. Fields available for all source types
    Field Description
    Name Identifies the component; appears in many UI features. Required.
    Description The optional description can be used to convey more information about the component. If the component is used by more than one application, for example, entering "Used in applications A and B" can help identify how the component is used.
    Template

    A component template lets you reuse component definitions; components that are based on templates inherit the template's source configuration, properties, and process. Any previously created templates are listed. A component can have a single template that is associated with it. The default value is None.

    If you select a template, the Template Version field is displayed which is used to select a template version. By controlling the version, you can roll out template changes as required. The default value is Latest Version, which means the component uses the newest version (by creation date). See Component templates.

    Note: If you select a template that has a source that is configured for it, the dialog box changes to reflect values that are defined for the template. Several fields, including the Source Config Type field, become populated and locked.
    Source Config Type Defines the source type for the component's artifacts; all artifacts must have the same source type. Selecting a value displays additional fields that are associated with the selection. Source-dependent fields are used to identify and configure the component's artifacts. If you selected a template, this field is locked and its value is inherited from the template.

    For information about creating components of specific types, see Creating components from the file system or Creating components from source-code management systems.

    Import Versions Automatically If checked, the source location is periodically polled for new versions; any found are automatically imported. The default polling period is 15 seconds, which can be changed with the System Settings pane. If left cleared, you can manually create versions by using the Versions pane. By default, the box is cleared.
    Copy to CodeStation This option, selected by default, creates a tamper-proof copy of the artifacts and stores them in the embedded artifact management system, CodeStation. If cleared, only metadata about the artifacts are imported. In most cases, select this check box.
    Default Version Type Defines how versions are imported into CodeStation. Full means the version is comprehensive and contains all artifacts; Incremental means the version contains a subset of the component's artifacts. Default value is: Full. Required.
    Inherit Cleanup Settings Determines how many component versions are kept in CodeStation, and how long they are kept. If checked, the component uses the values on the System Settings pane. If cleared, the Days to Keep Versions (initially set to -1, keep indefinitely) and Number of Versions to Keep (initially set to -1, keep all) fields are displayed, which let you define custom values. The default value is checked.
  3. If you select a source type, enter values into the source-specific field.

    For information about creating components of specific types, see Creating components from the file system or Creating components from source-code management systems.

  4. When finished, save your work. Saved components are listed in the Component pane.

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