String to Reference import flow doesn't seem to be working in RC1. I've got a SQL MA with all the users listed. Their employeeID is the anchor. Users have a Manager field which lists the employeeID of their manager, who also exists in the CS. In ILM2007 all I have to do is direct flow Manager (CS-string) to manager (metaverse-reference). In RC1 I am unable to create a direct flow using either codeless or old-fashioned flow rule. I am told that string to reference flows are not allowed. I tried the old RC0 trick of concatenating a blank string but I am told that "an inbound attribute flow containing a function expression to a metaverse reference attribute is not allowed". How am I supposed to do this? Thanks, Carolhttp://www.wapshere.com/missmiis

Carol, I’m a bit surprised because I highly doubt that you can configure a “String to Reference” flow in ILM 2007. That should actually not work…On the inbound side, direct attribute flows can only be configured for “Reference to Reference”. What you do is to modify your database schema – the manager attribute in your table has to be the same type as the anchor. That way, you can define in your SQL MA definition manager as reference and everything is good… Cheers,Markus Markus Vilcinskas, Technical Content Developer, Microsoft Corporation

If memory serves, the reference field must also be "nullable".. I've had to do this a few different ways... In one recent ILM 2007 impelementation, we created our own SQL tables to build the references since we had a many of them. For the FIM version of this project, I already have some workflows to build the references but you have to handle the add/chanages/deletes of the reference on the conusming object side as well and potential changes on the on the reference object (in some scenarios).EricEric

You know it's been quite a long time since I've actually set up ILM from scratch, apart from a bit of maintenance here and there. Now, with the RC1 release, I have two meetings about it this week! :-) So yes of course you're right, now that I go back and look at the ILM 2007 server the column type was changed to Reference in the MA configuration. On my RC1 server, when I try to change the column type to Reference I get "You can not set a non-nullable attribute as a reference type". I do have "Convert empty string to NULL on import" selected. Any other rookie errors you guys can pick up? Oh and thanks for answering questions on a Sunday Markus and Eric! Carolhttp://www.wapshere.com/missmiis

The filed must be able to contain nulls in the database definition... EricEric

Cool - that's sorted. I swear if I don't write stuff down I forget it 5 minutes later. The main reason I have a blog! Thanks for your help again guys. Carol http://www.wapshere.com/missmiis