Improve exporting of collections by including parameters configurations and body schemas

[devdeer-andrii]

Is there an existing request for this feature?

• I have searched the existing issues for this feature request and I know that duplicates will be closed

Is your feature request related to a problem?

While exporting, moving or duplicating any collection important details like:

• request parameter configs,
• request body schemas,
• response body schemas

are not included in Postman's export JSON-file.

Steps to recreate the problem:

1. Import collection using OpenAPI JSON-file
2. Export it from Postman
3. Exported JSON doesn't have information about properties configuration and any body schemas
4. Import collection using this JSON
5. Imported collection doesn't have above written configurations, that means that there are no request body JSON verification and parameters properties.

Full description of this issue is posted on Postman community website: https://community.postman.com/t/postman-collection-export-limitations-loss-of-parameters-additional-properties-and-body-schemas/83533

Describe the solution you'd like

Exported JSON-file includes all information, which is visible in the app. Like types of parameters and body schemas and later can be correctly imported, so no difference between collections is caused.

Describe alternatives you've considered

• Manual fixing of removed elements (schemas, parameter properties)
• Using only OpenAPI JSON-files to share collection (which is also requires manual adjustments each time, because default name of host URL variable {{baseUrl}} doesn't meet my needs)

Additional context

Same behavior of losing schemas and parameters' properties on "Move Collection" and "Duplicate Collection" functions might indicate about using that generated export JSON internally. So it might be caused by limitations described above.

[devdeer-andrii]

Just found out that even moving a single request to another collection brings the same problem with losing all schemas and parameter configuration (target collection has "Types" feature turned on)

[shashankawasthi-postman]

Hi @devdeer-andrii, thanks for raising the request. What is the import and export use case? What are we trying to achieve here?

We are working on supporting the move, duplicate, and other similar workflows for Types.

[devdeer-andrii]

Greetings, @shashankawasthi-postman , In my team we use one collection for multiple projects(one collection per customer), that means that for adding a new project I'm importing OpenAPI specification file as separate collection. And after that I choose needed folders from newly imported collection and move them to the already existing one. Secondly, we share postman.json with customers, so they can import it in their team and test endpoint with pre-request scripts.

Also there is another use case. I use "export" function to get postman.json file out of collection which is generated from OpenAPI specification. I'm doing this to replace path variable{{baseUrl}} with {{myCustomVarName}} in a text editing software. It has to do something with the way we use environment variables in team. That's why there is demand to call host URL variables differently from {{baseUrl}}.

[shashankawasthi-postman]

Got it. Thanks for explaining the usecases. @devdeer-andrii based on the workflow that you explained, we believe partner worspaces will suit your need better. The export and import workflow breaks the collaboration loop, making it difficult for you to collaborate with your consumers/ partners.
I recommend giving it a try, you can read more about it here.

On the renaming of baseUrl variable, would like to know more details about why the need for renaming. Is it possible to get onto a short call to discuss the same? We are making some improvements in the collection generation from the specs workflow, and want to see if we can solve your issues with the improvements that are planned.

You can schedule a call with me using this link.