Manage Schema Extensions

The Schema Manager allows you to define individual properties of computers, users or packages which are available for all of these objects.
You can create and edit these properties and you can also export and import them, for example if you want to apply changes from a test environment to the productive environment.

How to create or edit properties:

  1. Select the root of the Organization Tree and choose the Manage Schema Extensions task.

    The Schema Management is opened.

  2. Make sure to create a property group prior to creating the property.
    Please specify how you want to "fill in" the appropriate values for a new group:
    • Define property values in the DSM Console:
      The administrator enters the values in the DSMC manually for every single object.
    • The DSM Client determines the property values:
      Packages are used to set the values on managed computers. We recommend that you install an individual package, that contains the ModifyObjectProperty command, for a specific property.
      For more information, please refer to the Online Help on the ModifyObjectProperty command in the Packaging Workbench.

    Groups do not influence the way properties work. They are only used for structuring purposes.

    Group names always begin with Custom.

    You can set a visibility filter on group level using the Visible if property. This affects all properties of the group.

  3. Add properties for computers, users or packages from the context menu.
    4. Type Description

    Boolean

    Switch (true/false)

    Date Time

    Date with time

    Integer

    Whole number

    IPv4 address

    String formatted as IPv4 address (e.g. 192.168.178.255.

    The type IPv4 address is available for installation parameters only.

    IPv6 address

    String formatted as IPv6 address (e.g. 2001:2:3:4:5:6:7:0). The notation can be abbreviated, for example 2000::1:2:0:3:4.

    The type IPv6 address is available for installation parameters only.

    Password field

    Encrypted string

    The type password field is available for variables and installation parameters only.

    Option list

    Fixed list of values.

    For the displayed and the "internal" (assigned) option value, different values can be defined.

    Text field

    String (max. length: 4000)

    Timeframe

    Defines a timeframe as used, for example, for maintenance timeframes.
    You can use such a variable to interactively specify times when the timeframe is active.

    Use the IsInTimeFrame condition to run specific actions in an eScript Package depending on a timeframe.

    Refer to Defining the Timeframe for more details on specifying timeframes.
    Version

    String formatted as version number (e.g. 2015.2.3, 7.3.0.2424, 7.2)

    A version consists of two to four sets of numbers, each separated by a dot. Numbers with leading zeros are stored without the zeros (2015.02.003 is stored as 2015.2.3). Comparative operators (e.g. <= 2015.2) can be used to evaluate respective values.

    The following settings can be changed:
    - You can change display names and default values (defaults are effective for new objects only)
    - You can increase maximum length of text boxes
    - You can add and delete option values

    You can set a visibility filter on property level using the Visible if property.

    Reserved names from the database system must nor be used as internal names of property definitions.

How to export schema extensions:

  1. Select the Property Groups container, a child container or an individual property group.
  2. Select Export schema extensions and enter the path and name of the XML file where you want to store the export.

    The selected schema extensions, including their full context, are stored in the specified XML file.

How to import schema extensions:

  1. Select the Property  Groups container.
  2. Select Import schema extensions and specify the XML file you want to import.

    Make sure the XML file is structured correctly. If you want to edit the XML file manually, follow the structure of the XML file that is created during export.

  3. Start the import.

    The import is performed. The system displays the result.
    Changed groups or properties appear blue as long as the Manage Schema Extensions dialog is open.

    If a property of another type already exists for the property you want to import (e.g. text field instead of integer), the system does not import this property.

  4. Check the imported values.
    If you do not want to apply individual imported values, select the Reset to original value task.
    If you want to reject the complete import, select Undo all import changes.
  5. Close the dialog Manage Schema Extensions.

    These properties are stored in the database.