PAR Discovery & PAR Discovery with Synchronisation

PAR discovery covers both PAR Discovery and PAR Discovery with Synchronization in Metaflow. PAR Discovery with Synchronization is intended for use with projects which already exist in Metaflow when re-discovering changes to existing bundles.

PAR discovery is now the preferred method of discovery in Metaflow.

The Metaflow PAR model used by Metaflow is an extension of the JSR 124 J2EE Client Provisioning Model.

There are many channels in Metaflow which generate a PAR on submission preparation. This allows these submissions to then be discovered into a Metaflow client. The PAR will contain all of the bundles prepared in the submission plus the required marketing assets and meta-data concerning the submission. The Metaflow Marketplace channel is a good example of a PAR channel. By preparing a submission with this channel, the submission can then be discovered by any other Metaflow client application. Any new project created by discovering from this PAR will not only inherit the bundles with device and locael support but also inherit the Marketing information (descriptions, images, etc) and all meta-data concerning the contents.

In order to discover from a PAR file, the PAR file must conform to Metaflow's implementation of the JSR 124 specification.

For more information on the correct format of a PAR file for discovery in Metaflow, please contact Metaflow Operations.

PAR Discovery

  1. Choosing PAR Discovery

    Create a new Project in Metaflow and complete the project properties leading up to the Select a discovery agent page. Highlight PAR File and choose Next.


    Caption 1: Choose PAR Discovery


  2. Navigate to the target PAR file

    Browse to the target PAR file from which to discovery the Project's assets.


    Caption 2: Browse to PAR file


  3. Configure the Processors

    Customise the settings for the MIDlet, Android and Blackberry pre-processors, if required. If unsure of the required settings, accept the default values.


    Caption 3: Configure discovery pre-processors


  4. Discovery Results

    The results of the discovery are presented with both the successful and failed assets listed. More detailed information regarding the failed assets is available through the View Failed Reports button.


    Caption 4: Discovery Results


    5. The rest of the discovery process is consistent with the steps as explained here.

    PAR Discovery with Synchronisation

    PAR Discovery with Synchronisation is used in the case of Re-Discovery. In other words, when discovering new/updated assets into an already existing, mounted Metaflow project, use this option. Re-discovery can be used by right-clicking an already existing project in the Metaflow plan perspective.


    Caption 5: Choosing re-discovery

    Supply the appropriate Project Properties to reach the Select a discovery agent window.

    1. Choose the PAR Discovery with Synchronization discovery agent



      2. Caption 6: PAR Discovery with Synchronisation

    2. Select the appropriate PAR file


    3. Configure the discovery processors as required


    4. The Synchronization Details page allows the customisation of the discovery agent's behaviour


      Caption 7: Synchronization Details

      1. Global Scope Override policies

        1. Descriptions Policy

          • None: If descriptions have been updated/changed in the PAR provisioning.xml, the differences will not be applied to the Project's current descriptions.

          • Merge: The project's current descriptions will be updated to match those in the re-deiscovered PAR provisioning.xml.

        2. Image Policy

          • None: If new images are referenced in the re-discovered PAR provisioning.xml, the new images wil not be used in the re-discovered project.

          • Merge: The project's images will be replaced with those referenced in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml.

        3. Properties Policy

          • None: If new project properties are found in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml, the new images will not be used.

          • Merge: The images in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml will be used.

      2. Bundle Scope Override Policy

        1. Device Policy

          • None: The bundle device support in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml will not be used when creating the bundles' device compatibilities.

          • Overwrite: The bundle device support in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml will be used to OVERWRITE the original project's bundles' device support.

          • Merge: The bundle device support in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml will be merged with the existing bundles' device support in the original project.

        2. Locale Policy

          • None: The bundle locale support in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml will not be used when creating the bundles' locale compatibilities.

          • Overwrite: The bundle locale support in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml will be used to OVERWRITE the original project's bundles' locale support.

          • None: The bundle locale support in the re-discovered project's PAR provisioning.xml will be merged with the existing bundles' locale support in the original project.



    5. PAR Synchronization Discovery results

      6. The deiscovery results presented in the PAR Synchronization discovery agent differ slightly from that of the other discovery agents. An additional pane in the view presents the results of the chosen method of synchronization.


      Caption 8: PAR Synchronisation discovery results

    6. Remaining steps

      7. The remaining steps in PAR Synchronisation discovery are the same as those in the standard discovery process.