Copyright © 2001, William Weiland
Import categories into your Merchant store directly from a flat file.
Use the Merchant admin upload feature to upload the modules catsimpt.mv (catsimpt.mvc compiled) and catsexp.mv (catsexp.mvc compiled). As each are uploaded, click the Add button to add them to the mall/domain.
Import and Export modules automatically reside in each store within a domain so there is no need to update them to the store.
Export: Click on the image to the left of the word Utilities under the store. Then click on the image for Export Data. Then click on the link for Category Export. The prompt will ask for the flat file name. Only put the file name, no path. For example, catsimpt.dat
Import: Click on the image to the left of the word Utilities under the store. Then click on the image for Import Data. Then click on the link for Category Import. The prompt will ask for the flat file name. Only put the file name, no path.
Headstart
If your store already has categories, use the export module, catsexp.mv
(catsexp.mvc compiled), to create a flat file in the
proper format. This can also serve as a backup (archive) copy of your
categories. The default name of the export file is
catsimpt.dat. Keep a copy off-line along with your other backup copies
of data.
The data elements which comprise the categories are pulled from the flat file in a specific order. Since there is no artificial intelligence involved in this flat file import, it is imperative that the data be placed in a flat file in the same order that the program expects it to be. Any variance from that is likely to result in corrupt data in your database.
Creating the Flat File
If you are starting from scratch and have no categories in
your store yet, you can create the flat file in your text editor. Create
the flat file and put it in the data directory under your store. It
will be the same directory that your products.dbf and products.dbt are in.
The default name should be catsimpt.dat.
Format the Flat File
For Example:
Leave the last line of catsimpt.dat blank.
When there is no parent category, either use a 0 or leave it blank. The
last field will be a 1 (active) or 0 (inactive)
If you are having time-out problems with importing, you may need break up
your flat file into smaller flat files.
Only four elements are on each line for each category linkage. They are the
category code, name, parent category code (if any), and active status
separated by the | delimiter.
1AA|Software|0|1
1AAF|Shipping Modules|1AA|1