Gen HE checkout fails "Illegal overwrite of Encyclopedia association" type 570

Products

• Gen
• Gen - Host Encyclopedia

Issue/Introduction

Checkout from Gen 8.6 Host Encyclopedia (HE) to Workstation Toolset fails with:
Illegal overwrite of Encyclopedia association (o1 570:888, a 1235, 02 614:71648)

Environment

Gen Host Encyclopedia
Gen Workstation Toolset

Resolution

The object types in the error relate to custom object types created under Window Design when Business System Custom video properties are created for Java Web Generation and assigned as the Video Properties of Window objects: Using the Toolset > Default Video Properties

The underlying problem is that a CSTSFLD (Custom Single-line field) object type (type 570) has a duplicate association HASTYLEP (type 1235) to a CSTYLUSG (Custom Video Properties Usage) object type (type 614) for its field PROMPT. See reference file "%Gen86%\Gen\odrpta.chm" for metamodel types/names.
However the Host Encyclopedia Validate Report shows this occurs 114 times:
   PROBLEM: Custom Single-line field may be associated with at most ONE Custom
    Video Properties Usage
   OBJECT ID =                 nnnnnnnnn   OBJECT TYPE = CSTSFLD 
   ASSOCIATION TYPE =         HASTYLEP
Also a similar problem for CSTLBLD (Custom List Box Field) object type (type 565) which occurs 34 times.
   PROBLEM: Custom List Box Field may be associated with at most ONE Custom Video
    Properties Usage
   OBJECT ID =                 nnnnnnnnn   OBJECT TYPE = CSTLBLD 
   ASSOCIATION TYPE =         HASTYLEP
So it is not something that can be fixed easily.

To avoid leaving the model in another corrupt state, support sent SELECT/DELETE SQL for the CSTYLUSG objects (type 614) that are on the TO side of those associations and then clean up all related data for them in all HE tables.
After using the SQL the model/subset could be opened in the Toolset.
NOTE: Developers should then check the associated video properties for both fields and their prompts because of what has been deleted as rework may be needed.

If encountering such an error, please run and Encyclopedia Validate report on the model and create a support case to where that report should be uploaded.
If possible please also upload a zipped copy of the checkout.trn file.

Additional Information

Q1- What is the impact of deleting the objects?
This problem relates to custom video properties which are used by Gen Java Web Generation or ASP.Net applications, so it is assumed one of those application types is being used for the Gen clients.
After deleting the CSTYLUSG object ids, following a regeneration/rebuild at runtime potentially different video properties for some custom fields and prompts would be seen because those object ids/associations were deleted. To restore original settings will require editing the model and manually selecting the required video properties in the Toolset.

Q2- What caused the problem in the current model and how to avoid a reoccurrence?
It is possible there is some problem with the Toolset code for custom video properties which may not be used as much by Gen users, but that is just speculation on our side. Using the HE model history reports to see what model activities were taking place when the problems started to occur might help to determine root cause. Also check with the developers how they may have been using custom video properties. Otherwise it may not be possible to track down any relevant root cause.