Export/Modify/Import Backend

  • Hello xnau,

    Great work with the plugin!

    We have a use case where we wish to export an existing database to CSV, modify that CSV (left_join some new columns to it) and then import the updated CSV back into the database, replacing the original.

    Is this feasible in general? In specific, we are curious to know if we need to initialize the new column in the UI before doing the initial export, if the export is a sufficient backup of the configuration and database, and how to format the additional field if it is intended to be a hyperlink (I assume a simple href will work, but wanted to check).

    Thanks in advance!

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Plugin Author xnau webdesign

    (@xnau)

    This is possible for the record data. The CSV export dos not include other plugin configuration data.

    The way this is generally done, you define all the fields you want to use and set them to be included in the export. This is explained in the documentation. The exported CSV would then be imported to a spreadsheet application where the data can be edited.

    That spreadsheet is then exported as a csv and re-imported to the plugin database. On import, the records will be matched by the record ID and the records in the database will be updated with the incoming values.

    You do need to observe the correct data format for the fields, there are several different kinds of fields possible, and some will have a slightly different data format. What I suggest you do is set up a test record with all the data fields you will want to maintain, export it, and on import to the spreadsheet, you’ll see the expected data formats. It’s nothing complicated, you just need to know what’s expected.

    Thread Starter ttsai

    (@ttsai)

    Thanks so much! We will give this a try. I should mention this is for 3000+ records. I think I saw a warning about “large” import/export operations.

    Plugin Author xnau webdesign

    (@xnau)

    Yes, the plugin imports the CSV all in one go, and so the file size of the import will be limited to what the server will allow in terms of the upload size and execution time. Several thousand records is probably going to be OK, but it really depends on the overall data size.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • The topic ‘Export/Modify/Import Backend’ is closed to new replies.