How to extract an unmanaged solution from managed solutions

[Drax]

Hello,

I know the subject is well known and I know the limitations on the subject, however I would still like to ask you for your opinions on the best practices of my use case:

I have a Prod environment on which a mixture of managed and unmanaged solutions coexist. Obviously, I don't have a DEV environment with all the unmanaged solutions and I don't have the unmanaged solutions in ZIP somewhere either.

My need would be to be able to export an Unmanaged solution from my Prod environment (therefore from the Managed solutions) in order to be able to recreate an unmanaged Dev environment, aligned with the prod.

I know that by definition it is no longer possible to achieve this, but how impossible is it? Is there a procedure to do this? Maybe by manipulating the XML, or via a script / tools?

Do you have an idea ? experiences there? which could unblock us ... Otherwise I do not see how to continue the developments on this Managed environment ...

Thanks a lot ! 

Best,
Hik. 

[rampprakash · Accepted solution]

Hello @Drax,

Initally there is a way available by changing XML but I don't think so it's available now too. Let's wait for other comments too.

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[dpoggemann]

Hi @Drax ,

I would open a case with Microsoft to see if they can help you in this situation.  

Hope this helps.  Please accept if answers your question or Like if helps in any way.

Thanks,

Drew

[Drax]

Hi @rampprakash 

Thanks a lot for your reply. 

In fact, I already tried to manipulate XML by : 

• Create a new solution 
• Add an Entity (Managed Status) 
• Export the solution as Unmanaged 
• Then go to Solution.xml and remove the Dependencies nodes
• Import the solution. 
• I have an error : full formXml is expected to create a form : GUID
• After some search, it's because Managed object such as Form only include the Diff on the form and not the full form definition. According MS doc the only way is to export it from an Unmanaged status... KO for me... 

Not sure it's possible by manipulating XML... Maybe someone else know if it's possible ? 

Thx 

[EricRegnier · Accepted solution]

Hi @Drax,

Good question, and unfortunately the answer is no it's not possible and it was never possible from a supported way even by modifying the XML (@rampprakash FYI).  Imagine if it was, than ISV would expose some of their IPs which would be a problem... You can recover some of the components manually by copying the JavaScript content, and recreating the entities/tables and their components, business rules, workflows etc manually in a new dev environment. I would suggest to create a new empty solution in prod and use the same publisher as the managed one, and import that unmanaged solution into the new dev environment to have the same publisher settings and IDs. This would "trick" the system to think it's come from the same publisher and will allow you configure more things (e.g. https://docs.microsoft.com/power-platform-release-plan/2021wave2/data-platform/publishers-update-non...). 

If you're really stuck as @dpoggemann suggested, you can submit a Microsoft ticket, but I wouldn't get my hopes up...

Again, it's a very good topic that you raised and that's why it's so important to save your configuration/customizations/metadata in source control. More info: https://docs.microsoft.com/power-platform/alm/basics-alm 
Hope this helps!

[EricRegnier]

Oh and I assume you're using Dataverse online, not Dynamics 365 on-premise...

[Drax]

Hi @EricRegnier , 

I'm so alligned with what you say here. My post was more to be sure of my initial analysis, to dont miss a thing. So it's clear no. No other way than just align the env "manually" 

I will try to open a ticket to MS but I'm not so confident on it too. 

Let's see. 

Best 

[urklnme]

Michael Roth says it is possible and how to do it:

https://www.michaelroth42.com/post/2022-09-16-convert-managed-to-unmanaged/ 

I will be trying this soon to find out.

[EricRegnier]

@urklnme is most cases that won't work and is not supported. Managed solutions only contain the delta from the lower solution layer and not everything like an unmanaged solution has.

[urklnme]

@EricRegnier  Thank you for your wise advice.  I can see you are knowing your stuff!

This is what kills me about microsoft:  In Dynamics 365/Powerapps,  we MUST rely on the Microssoft magic that creates an app from basically XML.   However, when something in the design is missing or not well done then you are just SOL.  Thanks for playing, so long now, bye bye! 

However, a managed solution has EVERYTHING to make an app work? yes?  Then layers, smayers.  Somebody, somewhere should have access to a complete set of artifacts that comprise an app and be able to create an unmanaged default solution from said artifacts. Even if it costs more money! simplistic? sure. useful to me?  you bet!  LOL   

Oh and version control.  I will read your link RE: that.  My initial question is WHAT do I version control? XML files?  

Many thanks to you and all responders.  

DJ