Hi, I'm wondering if anyone has successfully imported data into property agent, as I am trying to figure out how to do it. I purchased an add-on module from alldnnmodules, in which I successfully exported sample data from PA into XML format, but I have no idea how to take my excel file with all my data and fit it into the XML schema (one of the issues I have run into is that I have several custom fields - all called "custom field" and I dont have the know-how in XML to represent the data. Once I have that figured out the AllDnn module should be able to import it back in. I'm not sure where to go for help, and I am willing to compensate someone to complete it for me. Anyone out there have the know how and the time to do it?

Thanks,

Brian

Easy Way:
1. Key in a property item and export it using the allskindnn module.

2. Due to MS Excel do not read multiple attribute with same name, you need to change each of the <_customfield> into different name. i.e. . <_customfield1>,<_customfield2>,<_customfield3>

3. Now save and open it using excel and let it auto generate the schema for you.

4. After adding new items, save it. Get a bulk rename software for free in download.com

5. Rename the back to <_customfield> and import it back.

Please note that some features like map, feature, etc...are not supported in the import module.
Also, the module will not overwrite the previous data to you have to becareful duing the import.

Fast Way:
There's a post in here teaching how to use SQL to import the data...try to search it in the forum...(I have gave up using the allskindnn module ledi...useless).


p/s: how many items do you need to import? how many customfield do you have?

Hey thanks for the response. I'll try the easy way as I don't know anything about SQL. :) I have about 400 records and about 25 custom fields.

Thanks for the help!

Brian

Original structure of import file:

- <Propertys> - <Property> - <PropertyTypeName> - <![CDATA[ Restaurants ]]> </PropertyTypeName> - <Status> - <![CDATA[ Published ]]> </Status> - <UserName> - <![CDATA[ host ]]> </UserName> - <CreatedDate> - <![CDATA[ 11/5/2008 6:13:00 PM ]]> </CreatedDate> - <ModifyDate> - <![CDATA[ 12/17/2008 2:35:38 PM ]]> </ModifyDate> - <PublishDate> - <![CDATA[ 11/5/2008 6:13:00 PM ]]> </PublishDate> - <CustomFields> - <CustomField> - <Name> - <![CDATA[ Name ]]> </Name> - <Value> - <![CDATA[ The Mogul Steakhouse ]]> </Value> </CustomField> - <CustomField> - <Name> - <![CDATA[ Area ]]> </Name> - <Value> - <![CDATA[ Town Area ]]> </Value> </CustomField> - <CustomField> - <Name> - <![CDATA[ Address ]]> </Name> - <Value> - <![CDATA[ 1528 Tavern Road ]]> </Value> </CustomField> - <CustomField> - <Name> - <![CDATA[ City ]]> </Name> - <Value> - <![CDATA[ Mammoth Lakes ]]> </Value> </CustomField>

Sorry, this is a sample of the original xml file I exported from PA. My question was whether I have to change the "name" and "value" entries to "name1" and "value1" and so on, or just the "customfield" to "customfield1", etc?

<CustomField1> <Name> <![CDATA[ Address ]]> </Name> <Value> <![CDATA[ 1528 Tavern Road ]]> </Value> </CustomField1> <CustomField2> <Name> <![CDATA[ City ]]> </Name> <Value> <![CDATA[ Mammoth Lakes ]]> </Value> </CustomField2>

Just the customfields will do and the excel will generate a new schema for you.
Remember that after you save the new xml from the excel, remember to open using notepad to change the file defination back to the default one also (those sentence on top of the file)

OK, I have the renamed the custom fields with the sample from PA. Opened in excel, and it has generated a scheme, and laid out the data in one row for one record.

How do I add my data to this file? I have all of the data in another excel, and I've tried pasting it into this file into the appropriate columns and saving as XML, but all it saves is the original sample data. Is there a command in excel to make it map the data I have pasted into it?

Thanks,

Brian

OK, I think I have a solid XML file.

I pasted the data into the schema, all the values are in blue highlighted in excel, and I have saved the file as an XML file from Excel.

I opened in notepad and duplicated the heading so that it matches my initial export from PA.

I then opened in XMLSpy and did a find and replace for all of the field names I changed (i.e. "CustomField1, CustomField2", back to "CustomField")

I am ready to save the file, but I have noticed that in my original file, every piece of data is enclosed by ![CDATA[data]], whereas the new data I am trying to import is just enclosed by the field name.

Do i have to do anything else to the data to successfully import?

Thanks,

Brian

Hi,

I just tried the import and got the following: A critical error has occurred. Index was outside the bounds of the array.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Brian

Is anyone having luck with this? I'm trying to convert an Excel file into the XML using the same Import Tool. How do you convert a normal spreadsheet that has about 20 columns and 100 rows of data into the appropriate XML format. I've been playing around with some of the Excel/XML converter files out there but it doesn't get you to the exact XML format needed.

If someone can develop a simple import tool for PropertyAgent that allows you to upload a standard Excel file which would automatically be converted to XML upon upload to make it work that would be awesome. The assumption would be that all row1 fields would correspond exactly with the field name and the following rows would be the data. I have a number of projects I'm working on that this would be very useful for as the average business keeps their data in this format and I'm sure others would benefit greatly. Any chance of that happening Scott?