Applying packages to existing schema
Before you can set up an ALM project or ALM work process to an existing schema you must apply the ALMProject and the ALMWork packages to it.
About this task
Use the Package Wizard to apply the ALMProject and ALMWork packages. For detailed instructions on applying packages to a HCL Compass schema, see "How to Apply a Package" in HCL Compass Designer Help.
When choosing what package to install, you can select ALMWork and get both packages installed, or you can select ALMProject, if you do not want the ALMWork package. You can also apply the packages separately by selecting and applying the ALMProject package, and then selecting and applying the ALMWork.
When you modify or
customize an ALM schema, follow these rules so you can apply future HCL Compass version and ALM package
upgrades:
- Do not delete or change any existing package fields and always name any new fields with names not likely to conflict with any field name added later by package upgrades.
- Do not modify or delete form tabs and always place any new fields on a new tab. Name new tabs with names not likely to conflict with tabs added by later package upgrades.
- If you add hooks to an ALM schema (for example, in order to record additional auditing information), use base action hooks rather than the placing the hooks directly into state transition actions. By using base action hooks, you do not need to add hooks to each individual state-transition action, since base action hooks are called for every action on the record type. However, your hooks may need to check the action type to see if the current action is a state-transition action (for example, before deciding whether or not the hook is necessary to record the audit information).
- When you perform a package upgrade, go to the schema version before the upgrade and open the schema and locate any ALM records that you have customized. Locate the new tab and select all form controls and copy them. Open the upgraded version of the schema, add the tab to the record form and paste the form controls you copied earlier.
- If you modify any current package attributes, keep a literal record of what you change and be prepared to reapply them or modify new functionality provided by a package upgrade with any modified functionality. The cqload exportintegration command can be helpful for keeping track of the changes you make.