Sharing meta-nodes on the KNIME server.

I work a lot with meta-nodes. When a workflow becomes too crowded, I semplify it by grouping together nodes that work for the same task into a meta-node.
In general, on my KNIME Desktop version, I reuse my meta-nodes, in the sense that I copy and paste the same meta-node in other workflows. There I also reconfigure the meta-node, if necessary.

This meta-node copy and paste procedure can be avoided if you are connected to a KNIME Server.

I usually develop my workflows on my local KNIME workspace. As I said, from time to time I clean up the workflow by inserting meta-nodes to collect specific nodes in the workflow. Some of these meta-nodes turn out to be useful in other contexts as well. Thus, I place these meta-nodes on the KNIME Server as meta-node templates to become available for other workflows as well.

In order to place a meta-node template on the KNIME Server, I right-click my local meta-node, select the option "Save as Meta-Node Template", and select a suitable location on the KNIME Server for my meta-node template (of course I must have writing permissions on this KNIME Server workflow group).

At this point:
- the meta-node template appears in the defined location on the KNIME Server
- my local meta-node has become just a link to the meta-node template on the KNIME Server
- to create a new instance of the meta-node, I just drag and drop the meta-node template from the list of workflows on the KNIME Server to the workflow editor
- the local option "Disconnect Meta-Node Link" copies the meta-node instance into a local meta-node.

In addition, if I want to make my meta-node template parametric, so that it can be configured differently in different contexts, I just insert a Quickform node in the meta-node template.