Running App Metadata Transport from a CLI

You can run the App Metadata Transport utility from a command line interface (CLI), by calling AppMetadataTransport.exe.

General CLI command and swiches

The primary command in a CLI associated with the App Metadata Transport utility is the -action command. This is followed by any of these switches:

Note: When you execute any of these switches from the command line, the App Metadata Transport utility opens, set up for the designated action.
Switch Description
import Imports a single metadata object from an XML configuration file.
export Exports a single metadata object to an XML file.
massimport Imports all metadata objects within a set of XML files residing in a designated folder.

This option is available only from a command line.

massexport Exports all metadata objects to a set of XML files. 

All IDOs, property classes, and IDO extension class assemblies from the source configuration are exported to the designated folder, each in a separate file.

This option is available only from a command line.

massimportnoui Imports all metadata objects within a set of XML files residing in a designated folder, but does not launch the App Metadata Transport utility user interface. The operation completes entirely within the Command Prompt window.

This option is available only from a command line.

massexportnouiaccessas Exports all metadata objects to a set of XML files, but does not launch the App Metadata Transport utility user interface. The operation completes entirely within the Command Prompt window.

All IDOs, property classes, and IDO extension class assemblies from the source configuration are exported to the designated folder, each in a separate file.

This option is available only from a command line.

exportinitdata Exports the init data of the specified table to an XML file. See About exporting/importing init data from/to tables.

This option is available only from a CLI and can be used for only a single table at a time.

This option requires a tableName parameter to be specified.

importinitdata Imports the init data of the specified table from an XML file to which it has been exported. See About exporting/importing init data from/to tables.

This option is available only from a CLI and can be used for only a single table at one time. This option requires a tableName parameter to be specified.

massimportinitdata Imports the init data from all of the XML files in a specified directory. See About exporting/importing init data from/to tables.

This option is available only from a CLI. This option requires a tableName parameter to be specified.

Common parameters used with these switches

This table lists most of the common parameters used in association with this utility.

Parameter Description
-sourceConfig Specify the name of the application configuration to be used as the Source
-targetConfig Specify the name of the application configuration to be used as the Target
-accessAs Specify the Access As value of the metadata to be exported. The metadata can include IDO collections, custom assemblies, property classes, replication documents, and events.

This parameter is used only with the massexportnouiaccessas switch.

-sourceXML Specify the name of the XML file that contains the metadata to be imported (sourceFileName.xml); or, when using the mass import command, the name of the folder that contains the metadata to be imported.
-targetXML Specify the name of the XML file that is to contain the metadata being exported (targetFileName.xml); or, when using the mass export command, the name of the folder that is to contain the metadata being exported.
-targetDir Specify the name of the directory to which the XML file is to be written.
-tableName Specify the name of the table that has the init data that you want to export.
-insertOnly Specifies that only INSERT actions are to be performed, and not UPDATE actions.
-commandTimeout Use this parameter to set the timeout value, in seconds, for each individual command that runs on the database.
-logFileLocation Specify the path and filename to which the log file is to be written.
-errorsFolder Specify the path to the directory where error information is to be written.
-help Use this parameter to launch a dialog box that lists all the available parameters for this utility, with brief descriptions.
Examples
To perform a mass import, use this command:
AppMetadataTransport -action massimport -targetConfig 
 configName -sourceXml "C:\sourceFolder" 
 

To perform a mass export, use this command:

AppMetadataTransport -action massexport -sourceConfig 
 configName -targetXml "C:\destinationFolder"

For examples of actions involving init data, see About exporting/importing init data from/to tables.