Import Assemblies

You can only import assemblies using the Import Assemblies Wizard. Other content can be added to an assembly using different methods.

When importing an assembly file, the documents in the file are not automatically synchronized with the mapped DMS - they will appear as placeholders. This prevents import failures should the referenced DMS not exist in the current system. Run a DMS synchronization immediately after importing to assign placeholders automatically to the DMS documents.

You can import any of the following:

— An existing standalone or sequence assembly

— Part of a standalone or sequence assembly — An entire template or part of a template — An application view of the following types:

  • Submitted
  • Working
  • Sequence
  • Approved

Keep in mind the following:

— If you are importing an assembly that used versions 2.0 or earlier of the Study Tagging File specification, these are imported and the appropriate assembly is created, but any subsequent sequences must use the latest (v2.2) DTD.

— You can import an assembly root or folder into an assembly root or a folder only, as long as the target folder is not the child of a leaf.

— When you right-click a folder to import it, the whole assembly is imported, not just the selected folder. To import only part of an assembly, you must use the drag-and-drop function.

— Paper elements cannot be imported using a drag-and-drop operation from the import dialog.

— When exporting and then importing an assembly or template, TOC elements must be moved to the correct location in order to inherit any predefined values.

— You must re-target in-process links to leaf elements when using an imported assembly file that contains previously defined in-process links that target leaf elements.

— Leaf status assigned to each leaf element is automatically set to the default Leaf Status value configured in Data Administration.

When you import an entire assembly or part of an assembly, the following occur:

— If you import one assembly into a new assembly, the settings in the imported assembly are copied into the new assembly.

— The source assembly or assembly folder you import becomes a child of the target element in the target assembly.

— Element attributes of the imported assembly or folder are referenced.

— If you import the assembly root, a folder that represents the source assembly's root is created in the target assembly, which contains the children of the imported root.

— Locks are not maintained; elements that are locked in the imported assembly are not locked in the target assembly.

— All leaf elements contained in the imported assembly root or folder are added to the target assembly with the NEW operator and a blank modified file value.

— Volume breaks that are imported are not maintained.

— Documents in the imported assembly do not have a value for the Created From attribute.

— You cannot import individual leaf elements, documents or document placeholders.

— A document will not change to a placeholder when importing a source assembly where it is assigned.

— The Site attribute for the Study Information Leaf does not inherit a value from its parent folder, which also has a Site attribute.

Import Assembly Wizard

Use the Import Assembly Wizard to import an assembly into the assembly tree.

Publishing settings must be specified for the assembly into which you are importing an assembly.

To use the Import Assembly Wizard:

  1. On the assembly tree, right-click the root or folder where you want to import the assembly and choose Import Assembly Wizard.
  2. For the option How would you like to find the assembly?, use Browse to select the assembly location, or select Search to find the assembly based on the search criteria.
    Option Action
    If you choose to select the assembly by browsing: Click the Browse button. Select the assembly type tab, select the assembly and click OK.
    If you are using the Search option to find the assembly: Select the assembly type under Assembly Type to Search.
  3. Choose the following options. Selecting the option = Yes, clearing the check box for the option = No.
    Option Action
    Copy Paper Publishing Elements: Select this option to include paper publishing elements from the source assembly in the new assembly.
    Reset Lifecycle Information: Select this option to reset the lifecycle information for the new assembly. If this option is not selected, the lifecycle from the source assembly will be included in the new assembly.
    Retarget copied Reference Leafs: Select this option to retarget the reference links copied from the source assembly to link to their targets in the new assembly. If the Reference Leaf points to a leaf that is also part of the import, the Reference Leaf will be updated to the copied target instead of the source assembly. If the Reference Leaf points to a leaf that was not included in the import, but a leaf in the target assembly matches the source assembly and was created from the same template, then the leaf will be retargeted.

    Note: You must retarget in-process links to leaf elements when using an imported assembly file that contains previously defined in-process links that target leaf elements.

  4. Click Next.

    If you have selected the assembly by using the browse option, move to step 9.

  5. Enter the search criteria and click Next.
  6. Select the assembly from the matching assemblies and click Next.
  7. Expand the assembly, then click the root or part of the assembly to import, and click Next.

    The Import Completed window appears, listing the actions taken.

  8. Click Finish.

    The updated Assembly is displayed.

  9. Right-click the root or the folder and choose Expand Range to see the full assembly with the imported assembly.

Search for an Assembly

The wizard launches when you click whichever is available on the page that you are viewing: the Search tab or the Browse button.

To search for an assembly:

  1. Select the type of assembly you are searching for and click Next.
  2. Enter the assembly query parameters. Only the display columns are required, and they have default values.
  3. Click Next.
  4. On the Matching Assemblies page, select the assembly that you want to use.
  5. On the Selected Assembly page, select the assembly element that you want to use, and click OK.

Notes on Search for an Assembly

You can use the Search Assembly wizard to search for an assembly when you take specific actions. — Change a modified leaf

— Convert a leaf to a reference leaf

— Create an assembly template from an existing template, assembly, or view

— Create a standalone assembly from a template, assembly, or view

— Create an assembly after you create an initial application submission, an amendment submission, or a major update submission

— Retarget links while running the Link Inspector query

The wizard launches when you click either the Search tab or the Browse button.