Overview of Copying Product Lines
Copying a product line is a means to creating a new product line. When you copy a product line, you copy mainly the product line source files and the metadata source, as well as some configuration files, files for loading delivered application data, and help files. You will compile the source files in the new product line in order to create the executables, so you do not need to copy the executables from the original product line. You also do not copy the GEN metadata runtime repository since that will be loaded from the metadata source that you copy.
You can also create a product line by going through the application installation process, but copying a product line can sometimes be a better choice. Listed below are some scenarios for using the copy product line process, situations where copying product lines is supported, and various restrictions and requirements when copying a product line.
Scenarios
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If you want a copy of a product line that you have customized, copying the product line enables you to avoid a new installation of a product line followed by applying your customizations to that product line.
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If you want a copy of a product line that you have applied various MSPs or CTPs to, copying the product line enables you to avoid a new installation of a product line followed by applying the MSPs and CTPs to that product line.
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You want to make a new product line for testing or development that is a duplicate of your production product line
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You have an existing product line (such as for testing) and you want to replace this product line by copying over it with another product line (such as your production one).
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You want to clone a product line in order to test an upgrade.
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You want to move a product line to a different server.
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You are upgrading the Environment by creating a new, separate Environment, and want to copy the product line from the old Environment to the new Environment. For more information Environment upgrades, see the Lawson S3 Technology 10.0.x Upgrade Guide.
Supported Copying Routes
You have several choices regarding where the "from" and "to" product lines are located.
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You can copy a product line within an Environment in order to create a new product line within the same Environment (not recommended if it is the production Environment).
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You can copy a product line from one Environment to another Environment on the same machine.
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You can copy a product line from an Environment on one machine to an Environment on another machine.
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You can copy a product line from one Environment to another Environment (either on the same or a different machine) where the copy is done over an existing product line.
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You can copy a product line from an Environment on a UNIX machine to an Environment on a Windows machine in order to create a new product line.
Restrictions and Requirements
The following restrictions and requirements apply when copying product lines:
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With the exception of copying from UNIX to Windows, the copying must be done between Environments on the same platform.
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The Environments that the product line is being copied to and from must be on the same release. (An exception to this is if you are copying the product line as part of the process of upgrading your Environment. For more information, see the Lawson S3 Technology 10.0.x Upgrade Guide.)
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The product line must be in a stable, fully functional state as confirmed by standard verification tests. Also, all database reorganizations of the GEN and the application product line to be copied must be complete.
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Neither the product line being copied from nor the product line being copied to can be in a staged mode. (Staged mode means that objects have been compiled but not yet moved into the runtime environment. For more information on staged compilation, see the Lawson Enterprise Applications Installation Guide.)
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Before copying the application product line, you must ensure that the metadata source matches the GEN metadata runtime repository. Once it matches, you copy the product line source files and metadata source to the new product line.
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You must have available backups of the "From" product line and the GEN database for the "To" Environment.
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If you are creating a new product line through the copy product line process, a new database must exist. (An exception to this is if you are copying the product line as part of the process of upgrading your Environment and you plan to point the new Environment's product lines to the same database that the old product lines pointed to. For more information, see the upgrade guide for your Environment release.)
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If you are copying over an existing product line, you must have available backups of the "To" product line file system and database.
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The release level of the applications must be 10.0.x.