cataloging what customizations / queryviews are in use / dependent

Arlette Slachmuylder
Arlette Slachmuylder
Third Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1
in Blackbaud CRM Developer Discussions

Hi there. I have recently taken over a BBCRM environment, and I am wondering if anyone has advice on how to inventory what is in use where.

There does not seem to be a best practices use of package definitions - and some queryview specs are integrated into existing pages, such as the constituent page, so it does not seem like I can go off of page definitions either without checking all the built in pages. Am I missing a way to see how the customizations are put to use?

I know in the catalog I can see what is loaded vs. not loaded, but I don't think that indicates if a queryview was loaded, but is no longer attached to a page, does it?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Arlette

Comments

  • Will Mercer
    Will Mercer
    Fifth Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1

    I don't think there is an easy solution for this. I have previously written some SQL which can identify when a selection has been used in another CRM object e.g. a global change, data list or smart query. But this only works for user defined data lists and smart queries.

    I'm sure something could be developed to check things like CLR data lists as well, but this is beyond my area of expertise. On top of these you also need to consider that views and selections can be referenced in the SQL within specs rather than the xml elements which makes them more cumbersome to search for.

    Are you just looking to see where query views are being used, or are you looking to identify if / where all catalog items are in use? If you or anyone else does work out a way to get this done then I would be interested to hear about it.

  • Arlette Slachmuylder
    Arlette Slachmuylder
    Third Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1

    Yes, the later - if/where all catalog items are in use. And yes, just came upon one where something was only used as a reference by other SQL - so I see that complexity as well.

    And also came up with items that are only showing on built in pages… so it really can turn into quite a spiderweb.

    So, no way to see any dependencies between catalog items, or what a “parent” might be, in your experience?

  • Will Mercer
    Will Mercer
    Fifth Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1

    Not in my experience, although I'm certain you won't have been the first person who has been interested in this. Hopefully someone in the community has some experience I don't and can help you out.

  • Steven Finnell
    Steven Finnell
    Sixth Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1

    Arlette,

    The only thing I can think of is that you navigate to each of the different catalog tables (i.e. BATCHTYPECATALOG), pull the spec xml, and then parse out the xml to find the specs that are being called.

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