A configuration is a named collection of schema objects typically grouped by schema release version. Configuration managed files (CMFs) allow the Schema Editor to manage multiple schema configurations at one time to support forward and backward compatibility of schema versions.
Integration supports the SmartPlant authoring tools' use of different versions of the SmartPlant schema from the version used in SmartPlant Foundation. Integrated SmartPlant tool versions 2007 Service Pack 4 and later can be integrated with SmartPlant Foundation 2008 and higher. Integration software automatically handles required transformations of data for tools. When the authoring tools release new versions, these will also be compatible with SmartPlant Foundation 2008 and higher.
CMF files make this possible by storing identical objects across configurations only once and storing the differences in different configuration blocks. User customizations to the schema and metaschema information are also stored in their own configuration blocks.
CMF files allow you to
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Make changes that apply to only the version 2007 schema (for a 2007 tool).
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Make changes that apply to only the 2019 schema (for the latest versions of tools).
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Make changes that apply to both 2007 and 2019 schemas (for data exchanged between the 2007 tool and the newer tool).
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And so on for multiple versions of the schema and authoring tools in the future.
However, if you publish new properties that are only available in a newer version of the SmartPlant schema to an older schema version supported by an older tool, the new properties that you add in the newer version of the schema will not be supported.
CMF files have the following features:
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Every configuration in the CMF file is available for viewing. For more information, see Viewable Configurations.
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Every configuration is available for editing. For more information, see Editable Configurations.
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Multiple configurations can be worked on simultaneously. For more information, see Multiple Editable Configurations.
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Single active configuration can be viewed but new objects that are created go into multiple configurations. For more information, see Single Active Configuration with New Objects in Multiple Configurations.
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Pseudo files allow logical separation of objects within configurations and support a variety of options (for example, controlling whether the objects are loaded into memory). For more information, see Pseudo Files.
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A variety of commands are available specifically for editing individual or multiple configurations. For more information, see Special Configuration Commands.
CMF files can be opened in the Schema Editor, but their most common use is managing the schema configuration for integration in the SmartPlant Foundation Desktop Client. When you manage your schema configurations this way, the following work process is required:
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Check out the SmartPlant schema CMF file from the SmartPlant Foundation Desktop Client.
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Make sure your scope is set to the plant, right-click the new revision of the CMF file in SmartPlant Foundation, and click Launch Schema Editor. This provides the Schema Editor with the appropriate plant and SmartPlant Foundation site for connection.
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Select the schema version or versions that you want to view in the Specify configurations to display window of the Active Configurations dialog box.
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Click the Advanced button on the Active Configurations dialog box to view the Set Configurations for new objects window, where you can specify what version or versions of the schema changes should be written to. For example, to modify the 2019 schema, select the 2019 configuration for new objects.
By default, all configurations are checked to allow forward and backward compatibility between schema versions when creating new objects or modifying existing objects.