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The objective of the DB Import modules is to insert and/or update records into the database from an external file. The objective of the DB Export modules is to extract data from the database to an external file so data can be manipulated as desired. The extracted data remains in the database.
The purpose of the DB Import/Export Settings Management is to create new Import/Exports or modify existing Data Type Settings. Within each Data Type, one can create multiple import & export settings.
Note: DB Import/Export Settings must be defined before the System DB Export/DB Imports can be executed.
General guidelines for maintaining DB Import/Export settings:
Below is an explanation of all prompts that are common to all DB Import/Export setting maintenance windows. Following that is a detailed explanation of the meaning of all fields available in each data type.
•Data Type – Upon entering the DB Import/Export section of Settings, the system will first prompt for the data type for which the user wishes to create a setting, followed by a list of all import and export settings currently in existence. Upon selecting a data type from the drop-down list, the display of current settings is reduced to only those for that data type:
•Create New Setting – The existing settings may be modified or deleted using the actions in the drop-down lists to the right, or a new setting for the data type may be created by clicking on Create New Setting. When creating a new setting, the following will always appear regardless of data type:
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•Setting name – assign a name for the new setting. The name should be descriptive enough that when processing an import or export a user will immediately know which setting is the appropriate one to select.
•Setting Style – Select Delimiter if the import file is a delimited file, or if the export file is to be generated in delimited format. When Delimiter is selected, a list of delimiters will be displayed on the following line. Select the appropriate delimiter. If the delimiter is not a comma, colon or tab, select Other and then type the necessary delimiter in the box to the right of Other.
•Select Fixed Width if the import file is a fixed width (not delimited) file. In this case, the list of delimiters is not displayed, as it is not applicable to fixed width files. (See more notes on fixed width files at the end of this section.)
•Setting to have import capability – A check in this check box specifies that this setting will be available for data import. Import settings have certain mandatory fields that must be included in order to be able to save the setting. These mandatory fields are always displayed, highlighted in blue although of course they vary from data type to data type. All settings have export capability (where export capability exists).
•Header Included – check this check box if the import file has a header (title) line. While the header included box is checked, imports will ignore the first line, assuming that it is titles only. Exports run with header included will produce a title line at the top of the export file, containing the name of each column.
•Footer Included – check this check box if the import file has a footer (total) line. While the footer included box is checked, imports will ignore the last line, assuming that it is totals only. The footer included check box has no effect for exports.
•Excluded Fields – By default, all fields are excluded when creating a new setting. Therefore, clicking on the box to the right of Excluded Fields will display all applicable fields. Click on the fields that you wish to have included in your setting.
•Include – Once you have selected all appropriate fields in the above step, click outside of the box and click Include to process your selection.
•Included Fields – The selected fields from the above step will immediately appear in the Included Fields section – while displayed here they will not appear in the Included Fields section.
•Exclude – To remove one or more fields from the Included Fields list, click the check mark to the left of any field to be removed. Once finished selecting in this way, click Exclude to remove the fields from the Included fields list. They will again appear in the Excluded Fields list.
•Include All – Click Include All to automatically move all fields from the Excluded List to the Included List.
•Exclude All – Click Exclude All to automatically move all fields from the Included List to the Excluded List.
•Move Up/Move Down – Click on a single field, then click on either Move Up or Move Down to change the order in which the fields appear in the Included Fields list.
•More notes on fixed width files – The table that displays the included fields will contain extra columns when the setting style is fixed width. These extra columns are: Field Size, Start Position and Alignment.
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•Field Size – specify the length of the field as it will appear in the import file or as it should appear in the export file. The maximum length for each field appears in brackets to the right of the field name for reference purposes.
•Start Position – the system will precalculate the start positions of the fields based on the default field sizes. It assumes no spaces between fields. To specify a different start position, use the up and down arrow that will appear on whichever screen your cursor currently appears. The system will not allow a start position less than the sum of the previous start position and the previous field size.
•Alignment – specify whether the exported data should be generated left aligned (space padded to the right) or right aligned (space padded to the left).
The DB Import/Export settings includes the following:
Note: Click on any one of the above links to learn more about that section.