FAQ: CoolSpools and Promotion from Test to Live

We run CoolSpools on separate UAT and Live servers, how can we promote CoolSpools commands to our Live server once they have been tested successfully?

It is common practice to host test and live environments on separate servers.  If CoolSpools is installed to both, how can you guarantee that the CoolSpools commands you have tested successfully on the test server will run the same once migrated to the live server?

Most CoolSpools instructions are self-contained commands executed from within a customer developed program, so all that is needed is to promote your program from the test to the production server.

There are optional configuration items within CoolSpools that may also be need to be copied to your production server for commands to run as they did in test.  CoolSpools provides a mechanism to assist with the promotion of this configuration from test to live.

If you do not have all CoolSpools product features licensed then some of these configuration items may not be relevant to your server.

Style Definitions

A Style Definition is an optional configuration item that can be used to control how data elements are presented in converted documents (e.g. Excel spreadsheets).  Use the command WRKSTLDFN to see the style definitions that have been configured in your environment.

The command SAVSTLDFN allows you to save a style definition to a user space or stream file that can be copied between your servers.  The corresponding command RSTSTLDFN restores the style definition from that user space or stream file.

Alternatively, running the command RTVSTLDFN populates a source member with the CL command(s) needed to recreate a style definition.  You can use the extracted source to create a CL program which will recreate the style definition on any server.

Parameter Sets

A Parameter Set is an optional configuration item that allows you to store commonly used combinations of command parameters for reuse.  Use the command WRKPRMSET to see the parameter sets that have been configured in your environment.

The command SAVPRMSET allows you to save a parameter set definition to a user space or stream file that can be copied between your servers.  The corresponding command RSTPRMSET restores the parameter set from that user space or stream file.

Alternatively, running the command RTVPRMSET populates a source member with the CL command(s) needed to recreate a parameter set.  You can use the extracted source to create a CL program which will recreate the parameter set on any server.

Report Definitions

A Report Definition allows you to define the layout of a spooled file report to CoolSpools, so that the conversion commands are aware of the different types of report line that exist, and the data elements that each report line contains.  Use the command WRKRPTDFN to see the report definitions that have been configured in your environment.

The command SAVRPTDFN allows you to save a report definition to a user space or stream file that can be copied between your servers.  The corresponding command RSTRPTDFN restores the report definition from that user space or stream file.

Alternatively, running the command RTVRPTDFN populates a source member with the CL command(s) needed to recreate a report definition.  You can use the extracted source to create a CL program which will recreate the report definition on any server.

Report to Excel Maps

An Excel Map allows you to define the layout of an Excel spreadsheet to CoolSpools, so that the conversion command is aware of the required output elements, and how they should be populated.  Use the command WRKRPTXL to see the Excel maps that have been configured in your environment.

The command SAVRPTXL allows you to save an Excel map to a user space or stream file that can be copied between your servers.  The corresponding command RSTRPTXL restores the Excel map from that user space or stream file.

Alternatively, running the command RTVRPTXL populates a source member with the CL command(s) needed to recreate an Excel map.  You can use the extracted source to create a CL program which will recreate the Excel map on any server.

Report to XML Maps

An XML Map allows you to define the layout of an XML document to CoolSpools, so that the conversion command is aware of the required output XML elements and attributes, and how they should be populated.  Use the command WRKRPTXML to see the XML maps that have been configured in your environment.

The command SAVRPTXML allows you to save an XML map to a user space or stream file that can be copied between your servers.  The corresponding command RSTRPTXML restores the XML map from that user space or stream file.

Alternatively, running the command RTVRPTXML populates a source member with the CL command(s) needed to recreate an XML map.  You can use the extracted source to create a CL program which will recreate the XML map on any server.

Database to Excel Maps

An Excel Map allows you to define the layout of an Excel spreadsheet to CoolSpools, so that the conversion command is aware of the required output elements, and how they should be populated.  Use the command WRKDBFXL to see the Excel maps that have been configured in your environment.

The command SAVDBFXL allows you to save an Excel map to a user space or stream file that can be copied between your servers.  The corresponding command RSTDBFXL restores the Excel map from that user space or stream file.

Alternatively, running the command RTVDBFXL populates a source member with the CL command(s) needed to recreate an Excel map.  You can use the extracted source to create a CL program which will recreate the Excel map on any server.

Database to XML Maps

An XML Map allows you to define the layout of an XML document to CoolSpools, so that the conversion command is aware of the required output XML elements and attributes, and how they should be populated.  Use the command WRKDBFXML to see the XML maps that have been configured in your environment.

The command SAVDBFXML allows you to save an XML map to a user space or stream file that can be copied between your servers.  The corresponding command RSTDBFXML restores the XML map from that user space or stream file.

Alternatively, running the command RTVDBFXML populates a source member with the CL command(s) needed to recreate an XML map.  You can use the extracted source to create a CL program which will recreate the XML map on any server.

Spooled File Monitors, Rules and Scripts

The Monitor, Rule and Script configuration items associated with Spooled File Admin are used to automate spoolfile conversion activities.  You can see what monitors, rules and scripts are configured on your system by using the commands WRKSPLMON, WRKSPLRUL and WRKSPLSCP, or from the menu GO SPOOLADMIN.

The command SAVADMDTA saves all of the spooled file monitor, rule and script data to a save file object that can be copied between your servers.  The corresponding command RSTADMDTA restores the spooled file monitor, rule and script data to your destination server.  You should review the restored details to ensure that any script steps you configured for the purposes of testing are updated or removed as needed. 

Environment Variables

CoolSpools uses environment variables as a means of configuring the default behaviour of various functions.  A full list of the environment variable settings used by CoolSpools can be found at the end of the CoolSpools Programmers Guide.  Use the IBM i system command WRKENVVAR LEVEL(*SYS) to see the environment variables configured on your system.

CoolSpools provides the commands SAVENVVAR and RSTENVVAR to assist with the migration of environment variables between servers.  Please take care when copying Environment Variables between servers as they exist at the system level and other Environment Variables may exist that are used by other applications.