BOM import through ECN fails when CAD attachments are missing in XML payload

PLM Oracle Agile PLM
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1

We’re experiencing BOM import failures through ECN when CAD file attachments are missing from the XML payload. The Import Tool validates the XML structure successfully but then fails during the actual import process. Our XML references CAD files that should be attached to the parts, but when those files aren’t physically present in the attachment repository, the entire ECN import rolls back.

The error occurs at the attachment reference mapping stage:

<Attachment>
  <fileId>CAD_PART_001.prt</fileId>
  <refType>PRIMARY_CAD</refType>
</Attachment>

We’ve verified the XML payload validation passes all schema checks, but the Import Tool configuration seems to require physical file presence. Is there a way to configure the tool to skip missing attachments or create placeholder references? This is blocking our migration from legacy PLM where not all CAD files were maintained. Running Agile 9.3.4 with Import Tool version 9.3.4.2.

2

We handled this exact scenario during a large-scale migration last year. The problem is that Agile Import Tool’s attachment reference mapping enforces referential integrity by default. You need to understand that the XML payload validation only checks schema compliance, not data availability. For missing CAD files, we created a two-phase import strategy: first pass imported all ECN and BOM data without attachment references, then a second pass added attachments for parts where CAD files were actually available. This required splitting your XML payloads, but it’s cleaner than trying to override the tool’s validation logic. Document which parts are missing CAD data for future reference.

3

I’ll provide you with a comprehensive solution that addresses all three critical aspects of this issue.

XML Payload Validation Configuration: First, modify your Import Tool configuration file (typically ImportTool.properties) to handle missing attachments gracefully. Add or update these properties:


attachment.validation.level=WARN
attachment.missing.action=SKIP
ecn.import.rollback.on.attachment.error=false

This configuration tells the Import Tool to log warnings for missing attachments but continue processing rather than rolling back the entire ECN import.

Attachment Reference Mapping Strategy: The core issue is how your XML maps attachment references. You need to implement conditional attachment blocks in your XML generation process. Here’s the approach:

  1. Pre-process your source data to identify which parts actually have CAD files available
  2. Generate XML with attachment blocks only for parts with physical files present
  3. For parts without CAD files, include a custom attribute flag indicating missing CAD data

If you must include attachment references for all parts, modify your XML structure to use optional attachment syntax:

<Attachment optional="true">
  <fileId>CAD_PART_001.prt</fileId>
  <refType>PRIMARY_CAD</refType>
  <missingFileAction>SKIP</missingFileAction>
</Attachment>

Agile Import Tool Configuration Best Practices: For your migration scenario with incomplete CAD data, implement this phased approach:

  1. Phase 1 - Core Data Import:

    • Import ECN and BOM structure without attachment references
    • Use a stripped-down XML template that excludes all attachment blocks
    • This ensures your engineering change structure and BOM hierarchy are established

  2. Phase 2 - Attachment Addition:

    • Create a separate import job for parts with available CAD files
    • Use the Agile API or a secondary import process to add attachments to existing parts
    • This allows you to handle missing files without blocking the primary migration

  3. Validation and Cleanup:

    • Run a post-import validation script to identify parts missing CAD attachments
    • Create a report of parts requiring CAD file retrieval from legacy systems
    • Update part attributes to flag incomplete CAD data for user awareness

Implementation Steps:

  1. Back up your current Import Tool configuration
  2. Modify the attachment validation settings as shown above
  3. Test with a small batch of ECNs (mix of complete and incomplete CAD data)
  4. Monitor the import logs for attachment warnings
  5. Verify that ECNs import successfully even when CAD files are missing
  6. Implement the phased approach if you need cleaner data integrity

Important Considerations:

  • Parts with missing CAD attachments will have incomplete metadata in Agile
  • Users may see “file not found” errors when trying to access missing attachments
  • Consider adding a custom flag attribute (e.g., “CAD_Data_Status”) to parts to indicate missing files
  • Document which parts are affected for future CAD file recovery efforts

This solution addresses your immediate import blocking issue while maintaining data integrity and providing a clear path forward for handling incomplete CAD data in your migration from the legacy PLM system.

4

I’ve seen this before during migrations. The Import Tool’s default behavior is strict validation on attachment references. Check your import configuration file for the validateAttachments parameter - it should be under the ECN import section. Setting this to WARN instead of ERROR might allow the import to proceed with missing files logged as warnings rather than failures.

5

Check the Import Tool log files in detail. The attachment validation happens in multiple phases - XML schema validation passes because your structure is correct, but the physical file check happens later during object creation. Look for messages about FileServerService or attachment store paths in the import logs.