Import data and mappings

[Tonyo]

Using Hierarchical file to import product details and mapping the products to their associated section names, the resulting import produces new sections with those products under them.
All I want is to import / update an existing section with new product lines.
The help file in actinic suggests I use ' *|*|section name' to drive the product to the correct section. I don't get this.
I tried this with a flat file without success.
Any help or sample file would be appreciated.

regards Tony

[Jan]

If you are using hierarchical import you need to nest the sections eg:

Section 1
Product a
Product b
Section 2
Product c
Product d
Section 3
Product e
End Section 3
End Section 2
End Section 1

if you are using flat file you would do something like this :

Section 1, Product a
Section 1, Product b
Section 1 | Section 2, Product c
Section 1 | Section 2, Product d
Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3, Product e

Regards,

[Tonyo]

Using your flat file example, I made a new file with a one line entry thus.
Main Section|Sub Section|Sub Sub Section, AO80, Short Description.

Using the import faciltity, I mapped these fields appropriately.

The result is, I now have a new section/s created based on the string above.
I don't want this, I need to import product data into existing sections and keep the existing file name - (sub-section-name.html).

Kind regards Tony

[Jan]

What is the exact line from your file and what are your sections called?

Regards,

[Tonyo]

As follows.
#############
Appliance Spare|Replacement Spare Parts|Replacement Paper Bags,Short Description,AO80
#############

AO80 is my product reference. I am assuming the order that fields appear is irrelevant as we are mapping these.

regards Tony

[Tonyo]

Jan, Hold that thought for a minute.

I think I've solved it.
I opted for the Hierarchical import file method.
What I discoverd was that the sample Hierarchical file that comes with actinic is probably not the best example to follow, as the field headings are not true to my actinic layout so here is what I did.
As my catalogue section are already built, I used the Export under File.
This gives me a copy of my complete catalogue in Hierarchical format.
Strip out the blocks we are not working with to leave just the section and product header and the product section we are working with.
Copy and paste your new product info into the the product section and save.
Then the import as Hierarchical file will do what you intend it to do.
Job done.
Still yet to work out the flat file method.
Thanks for the heads up.

Kind regards Tony

[Jan]

Glad it's working Tony, I can't see why the previous one wouldn't have worked.

Regards,