Exporting and importing connection definitions

You can export your system connection definitions and share them with other users. The exported connection definitions can be imported into another CICS Explorer.

Before you begin

When CICS Explorer exports connection definitions it does not include the connection credentials for security reasons. If you are importing connection definitions you must have at least one credential defined. The import function associates all imported connection definitions with a single credential. If you have more than one credential defined, by default the first one in your list is associated with all the imported connection definitions. If you have more than one credential defined, you can select the credential to associate with the imported connection definitions.

If you attempt to import a connection definition that already exists in your CICS Explorer, one of two actions will happen:
  • If the existing connection definition already has a credential defined, the import function updates only the existing connection definition details. It does not change the credential.
  • If the existing connection definition does not have a credential defined, the import function updates the existing connection definition details, and associates the default credential with the connection.

Procedure

  1. Click Window > Preferences, expand CICS Explorer and Connections and click Connection Export/Import. The Connection Export/Import pane is displayed in the Preferences view. The example below shows a screen capture of the pane. The credential section shows that the credential that is used for the import is Nick.
    A screen capture of the Network Connections pane containing sample proxy server connection definitions.
  2. Select one of the following choices:
    • To export connection definitions:
      1. Click Export.
      2. In the Save As dialog enter a file name and select the location where you want to save the file. The file type must be .pref.
      3. Click Save. The connections details are exported and saved at the location you specified.
      To import connection definitions
      1. If you have more than one credential defined select the credential, from the combination box, that you want to be associated with the imported connection definitions.
      2. Click Import.
      3. In the Open dialog locate and select the connection definitions file you want to import, and click Open. The file type must be .pref. The connection definitions are imported.

What to do next

The connection definitions are exported as an XML file. You can edit the file but you must ensure you maintain the structure otherwise the import might fail.

In the following example file the lines that start with <type are the connection types. For example:
  • <type type="com.ibm.cics.sm.comm.cpsm.connection"> is a CICSPlex SM Data Interface connection.
  • <type type="com.ibm.cics.zos.comm.connection.ftp"> is a System z - FTP connection
  • <type type="com.ibm.cics.sm.comm.sm.connection"> is a CICS Management Interface connection
You can remove these lines and any connections under them, however you must remember to remove the </TYPE> end tag as well. You might have more types in your file if you have any CICS Explorer plug-ins installed. Each plug-in adds its own connection type.

The lines that start with <name are the connection definitions for each of the connection types. You can remove these lines, add new ones, or change the details, but you must not change any other line.