5. Verifying the data model and uploading it

To upload a data model to Litmus Production Record Database or, if in offline mode, create a SQL file, the Configurator will always verify the configuration done by the user first to make sure that on a technical level all values are correctly formatted.

NOTE: The Configurator will not verify if the data model makes sense or configured correctly according to what the user wanted to define.

The configurator will always verify the configuration first before publishing.

Users can run the verification also as a stand alone operation without publishing the data model using the Verify Configuration button.

In Online Modus, the user can be prompted multiple times, throughout the verification, to provide the SQL Authenticated Login user name and password.

The verification process will verify in the sheets:

if any entry has invalid ASCII characters. To learn more about which ASCII characters are allowed, review the section Restrictions on ASCII characters allowed to be used.

In the case that invalid characters are found, a prompt is shown to the user to inform them about the fact and request from the user to select the next action.

Users can either stop the verification using the No option or replace all invalid characters with and underscore "_".

The configurator also will auto trim all strings which exceed the allowed maximum length.



The Configurator will verify that every Item has a value type set.

If an Item does have a missing value type, the user will be shown a prompt.

The user can define if they want to stop the verification using the Yes option or set the default Value type of isString using the No option.

The Configurator will verify that every Item has a value in the column labeled Is Identifier?.

If an Item has no Identifier setting, the user will be shown a prompt.

The user can define if they want to stop the verification using the Yes option or set the default value of No using the No option.

The Configurator will verify that only Items defined under the hierarchy level 0 are set as Identifier.

If an Item which is not defined under hierarchy level 0, the user will be shown a prompt.

The user can define if they want to stop the verification using the Yes option or clear the value for the column labeled Node/Level for this Item to make it a hierarchy level 0 item using the No option.

As Identifiers are essential for Litmus Production Record Database to be able to record production events, at least one Item has to be set as a Identifier. Why this is required can be reviewed in the chapter How are data recorded in Litmus Production Record Database.

If no Item is set as Identifier, the user will be prompted.

The user can define if they want to stop the verification using the Yes option or ignore the warning using the No option.

There can be reasons why a user has not set any Item as Identifier in the current configuration such as adding new items to an existing data model.

While the configurator does allow the upload of a configuration without an Identifier, users have to make sure that the data model has at least one identifier set up. This can for example be checked by reading back an existing data model as shown in the chapter 2. Defining the Data Model Name and number of Hierarchy Levels.

To upload the configuration as new data model or update an existing data model, the user will need to have a connection to the SQL Server as well as the databases LE_ProductionRecord in place.

To upload the configuration, the user does press the button Verify and Upload.

Throughout the process, the user can be prompted multiple times, throughout the verification, to provide the SQL Authenticated Login user name and password.

The Configurator will first run the verification process which was explained in the previous section.

Progress is shown by a progress bar.

Only if the Verification has found no errors or was stopped, will the configurator upload the configuration to Litmus Production Record Database.

Up on completing the upload, the user will be shown a summary of the SQL logs to be able to review if all items where correctly added to Litmus Production Record Database or if any errors occurred on the SQL side.

This log extract can be saved as a file using the Save Output to File button. The file will be stored in the same folder, where the file Litmus_Production_Record_Data_Model_Configurator_V1.0.0.xlsm is located. The name includes the name of the user as well as the date and time of the upload.

Close SQL Out Put window to finish the configuration.

In offline mode, the user can create a SQL file which can be later executed using applications like SQL Management studio to create a new data model or update an existing data model in Litmus Production Record Database.

To create the SQL file, the user does press the button Verify and Upload.

The Configurator will first run the verification process which was explained in the previous section.

Only if the Verification has found no errors or was stopped, will the configurator create the content of the file.

The user is then prompted to select the path where the file is stored as well as being able to modify the file name before saving it.

The result is a file with the ending ".sql".

Which can be executed using applications like SQL Server Management Studio.