Replicate configuration

Feedback & Ideas
1

Hello KNIME friends. The parallel local installation of a new version 5.5 requires the installation of all extensions installed in 5.4 so that workflows continue to work in the new workspace with the new version. I know that through the Help it is possible to have a copy of the installed extensions, but it is a bit time consuming. Is there an automated way to replicate in a new version all the extension installation requirements of the previous version?

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2

I feel your pain @hmfa, every time I install a new version, as I always install side-by-side using the zip files.

I was saying to a colleague just the other day that it would be great if KNIME actually allowed you to create a script of the extensions that are used, so they could just be installed.

Even having a list of installed extensions documented, as I do, so that both I and other team members know which ones to (manually) install only goes so far, as the extension names keep subtly changing between releases!

Oh… and to complete the experience, that dialog for searching for extension names goes down in my “dungeon of infamy” as one of the worst ever created :rofl:

… You start typing an extension name, and then spot that you have a typo so momentarily pause typing to correct it. But in one of the worst UX design ideas I’ve ever come across, it takes the pause as “oh you must have been too lazy to press the search button, so I’ll search for that now…” and then you wait for “half an eternity” while it tries to search for the name that you know it will never find. It’s truly awful, but I always look forward to the challenge, lol. (That’s my Monday rant out of the way :wink: )

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Hi @takbb.
You are absolutely right and the image is exactly that (a help that does not help). Anything that allows you to drag all the previously existing settings would be a great help.
Best regards
Hugo

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4

I don’t think there is a current solution to this, although I’d very much like to be shown I’m wrong :slight_smile:

So, I’ve moved this to “feedback and ideas”, and with enough votes it might be discussed / considered for a future enhancement.

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5

@hmfa @takbb I had to work with AP installation layout and update sites a lot over the last few weeks, so I took your request as a challenge and built a local data app that can generate a command for installing extensions that are missing in a new installation when compared to an old one:

KNIME AP Migrator.knwf (289.2 KB)

Extensions/features are available if they are

  • present in the “old” installation,
  • absent in the “new” one and
  • available (and categorized) from one of the update sites configured in the “new” AP.

Usage:

  1. Add any additional update sites you want to use to the new installation
  2. Open the attached workflow in some AP >= 5.4.0
  3. Open the component’s view
  4. Enter the locations of the old and the new AP installation and press “Analyze Installable Features”
  5. Wait for the update site scan to finish
  6. Select the features you want to transfer and press “Generate Installation Command”
  7. Copy and inspect the generated command
  8. Ensure that the “new” AP is closed
  9. Execute the command in a terminal

This should install all selected extensions. If the app works for you I can also publish it on Community Hub. If you encounter bugs, please report them to me.

– Leo

7 Likes
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thanks @leo_woerteler! , that sounds really interesting. I’ll take a look in the coming week.

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7

Actually I couldn’t resist giving it a quick try. That is really cool!

In my 5.5 installation I uninstalled three extensions and then ran your migrator. It spotted the three that were no longer installed compare with my 5.4 installation and gave me the script to put them back.

I ran that script it sure enough after it completed I loaded AP 5.5 and the extensions were all back again.

As I said, I’ll have time for more in the coming week hopefully, but that is seriously impressive and could be a huge timesaver where we want to do a fresh install on multiple machines, or even when downloading and testing a dot release.

Fantastic job @leo_woerteler !

4 Likes
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Hi @leo_woerteler.

Thank you very much for your effort.
It looks quite promising.
I’ll try to test it this weekend.

Best regards
Hugo

1 Like
9

Hi @leo_woerteler, @takbb .
It worked like a charm.
Send you the testing file
Replicate Configuration.docx (1006.3 KB)
]
Thanks a lot and Best regards
Hugo

2 Likes