Symantec Access Management

I'd like to schedule and script XPSExplorer / XPSExport tasks.  Is it possible/feasible to write a perl or shell script to run XPSExplorer to create xcart files or is it only possible to do that manually?

Thanks!

Eric

Could someone assist Eric here?

Eric ehansen4

Just my view, however this is a forum so someone else may have a better thought.

I am going to try and answer this differently first, by taking into Consideration what are the important inputs XPSExplorer would need to create a xcart file.

[A] Traversal Path or Sequence number of the Object.

or

[B] Object Name or XID.

• If we need to script XPSExplorer, one would need to know the Object XID or Sequencing in XPSExplorer menu beforehand, by some form. This in effect means one would need to check this manually beforehand. Hence you would need something manual before executing XPSExplorer script. I would recommend doing the XPSExport feed from XPSExplorer by script and leaving XPSExplorer in manual mode to generate the XCart file input for XPSExport.

• Another reason I wouldn't bother scripting XPSExplorer is by the design of the tool itself. The Menu's on the tool keeps changing with every release. Hence there is no definitive that if 98-AgentGroup would remain 98-AgentGroup in next release. You could check this for yourself by running XPSExplorer between different releases of SM (R12.0 / R12.5 / R12.51 / R12.52).

Lastly I think given the complexities, it may not be possible to fully script it and would incur manual intervention. I'd be better off generating the xcart files manually.

Regards

Hubert

I agree to what Hubert said in the earlier post. It doesn't make much business sense to me scripting/automating XPSExplorer.

However, if you would like to schedule a regular export of a particular domain(s)/policy(s) etc or if you would like to perform a full back of your policy store at a regular interval then it makes perfect sense to script/automate XPSExport and I see no reason why that it would not be possible.

Cheers,

Ujwol

or even CRON/AT it....

thanks for the advice...CA Support informed me that xpsexplorer cannot be scripted.

"XPSExplorer is an interactive tool and you can't be automate or use the replay file. You need to go to XPSExplorer manually each time you want to add something into XCart files."

I tend to agree with that for XPSExplorer..but you should be able to script XPSExport.

Did you try ?

Actually, I didn't because using the same xcart file doesn't really address our needs, mainly to backup the policy store and track changes.  The most tedious part of that process is creating a new xcart file using xpsexplorer, so after that is complete running xpsexport is very easy.  I'd rather be able to script xpsexplorer.

Thanks!

Eric

I would suggest to create xcart using XPSExplorer manually and later by using xcart XID of objects like agent, ACO, Domain can be obtained using Java file reader now by using Java for shell execution XPSExport can be called to get final XML file.

I have developed the utility using a combination of Java and shell script on top of siteminder.

If you guys need I can attach code and documentation.

Thanks! Alok

Can you attach the code and documentation?

Thanks,

Jose

Sure, give me 2 days. Content would be shared.