PMC solutions check

Introduction

After a solution was released, it may happen that an error in this solution is discovered afterwards. Therefore, the PMC distributor must create a new solution that has a post-requisite dependency to the wrong solution. It may also happen that the PMC distributor has forgotten to add a post-requisite or pre-requisite dependency of the solution. If the solution has already been released, the distributor must add this dependency afterwards.

To provide this information to the customer, the distributor creates a PMCDepend file in the distributor part of PMC. This file is placed on the FTP support site.

The PMCDepend file contains this information for the PMC Base VRC:

  • All post-requisite dependencies.
  • All forgotten post-requisites and pre-requisites. This information is based on the dependencies that the distributor has specified in the Post-Release Dependencies (ttpmc1141m000) session.

The PMCDepend file has this format:

V/R/C/solution/V/R/C/requisite/enum constant for pre or post requisite/enum constant for active or obsolete

This code shows examples for Base VRC B61_a8, which is seen as B61_a8_stnd:

  • B61/a8//100/B61/a8//500/2/5- Add solution 500 for solution 100 as post requisite.
  • B61/a8//400/B61/a8//500/1/5- Add solution 500 for solution 400 as pre requisite.
  • B61/a8/stnd/300/B61/a8/stnd/100/1/10- Remove solution 100 for solution 300 as pre requisite.

At the recipient side, the PMCDepend file is downloaded and scanned. For each solution of the current Base VRC, the dependency information of the PMCDepend file is stored in the Dependencies After Publish (ttpmc141) table. The imported dependency records exist forever and cannot be deleted. To undo such a dependency, the recipient must change the Active field of the corresponding row from Active to Obsolete. At the recipient side of PMC, during the “Check To Install”, the relevant dependencies are copied to the regular dependencies table (ttpmc140). Missing dependencies can automatically be downloaded. If the download fails, an error message is displayed in the report.

Example

This diagram shows an example of a solution structure:

[...]

Solution 500 is added after solution 100 was published. Customers who install solution 100 are forced to also install solution 500. After the PMCDepend file was scanned, also a dependency exists from solution 400 to solution 100. Therefore, if solution 100 is removed, solution 400 is also removed.

Distributor actions

The distributor must create and publish a PMCDepend file in these situations:

  • A new solution, that has a post-requisite dependency to an already released solution, was added.
  • A dependency was added afterwards to an already released solution.

To create and publish the PMCDepend file:

  1. Start the Solutions (ttpmc1100m000) session.
  2. Select the solution for which you want to create a PMCDepend file. You can only create a PMCDepend file for "non-obsolete” solutions with the Released status.
  3. On the appropriate menu, select Post-Release Dependencies.
  4. Specify the post-release dependencies. See the session help of the Post-Release Dependencies (ttpmc1141m000) session.
  5. On the appropriate menu, select Publish.
Recipient actions

After the distributor has published a new PMCDepend file, the recipient must perform these actions:

  1. Complete one of these steps:
    • If the latest PMCDepend file is already downloaded, scan the file through the Scan Solution/Patch File (ttpmc2200s000) session.
    • If the latest PMCDepend file is not downloaded yet, download and scan the file by selecting Download Post Release Dependencies in one of these sessions:
      • Download, Scan and Connect Solution (Multi-Level) (ttpmc2210s000)
      • Check Solution/patch to Install (ttpmc2203s000)
      • Check and Install Solutions (ttpmc2204s000)
  2. Perform a dependency check to find out which solutions are missing:
    1. Start the PMC Dependencies Check (ttpmc2441m000) session.
    2. Specify the update VRC and click Check. A report is displayed. The report shows the solutions that are missing and indicates the required actions. See the session help.
  3. Use the regular PMC procedure to download, scan, and install the missing solutions.