Data in starter store archives takes the form of well-formed, XML files valid for the Loader package. The store archive XML files are intended to be portable and should not contain generated primary keys that are specific to a particular instance of the database. Instead they use internal-aliases, which are resolved by the ID Resolver at the time of publish. The use of these conventions allows the starter store archives to be copied and published multiple times.
It is not necessary to use these conventions when creating store data for your store in the form of XML files, unless you plan to create a starter store archive that will be used to generate several stores, or unless you want to create a store archive that is portable, that is a store archive that can be published to another WebSphere Commerce instance.
As a result, the starter store archives use the following conventions:
- @ as in ffmcenter_id="@ffmcenter_id_1". The use of the @ symbol is known as internal-alias resolution. The ID Resolver, which is a Loader package utility, generates identifiers for XML elements that require them. One of the techniques ID Resolver uses is internal-alias resolution. When using internal-alias resolution, an alias is substituted in place of the primary key (identifier) in the XML document. This alias is then used elsewhere in the XML file to refer to that element. This eliminates the need to know the unique indexes necessary to build the XML file. During publish using the Publish wizard, PublishStore utility, or using the Loader package, the ID Resolver replaces the @ symbol with a unique value. See the following examples from an XML file:
- Pre-ID Resolver
<catalog catalog_id="@catalog_id" identifier="&STORE_IDENTIFIER;" member_id="&MEMBER_ID;" />
- Post ID Resolver
<catalog catalog_id="10001" member_id="-2000" identifer="Consumer Direct" description="Consumer Direct Catalog" tpclevel="0"/>
- Pre-ID Resolver