Create hierarchical file?

[ruthie2012]

I am new to Actinic. I am using Business v9 and trying to set up a store with around 4000 products. I am probably being dumb but I am really struggling to work out the best way of importing the data to Actinic. I would like to keep our current Access database if possible because it meets some of the business need that Actinic won't (e.g. it I can't add a memo field to keep track of historical changes to the products). I have read all the help about importing and can see that to import all the products with attributes and choices I need to import a hierarchical file.

My question is how on earth do you produce one of these from an Access database (assuming it contains all the required fields)? I must be missing something because obviously people are doing it. I'm quite familiar with Access and have limited knowledge of Visual Basic. Is it something I can do or should I just give up now? Can anyone point me in the right direction? Does anyone have a routine or a suggested data structure or anything that would give me a starting point?

Thank you SO much for any help.

[leehack]

Hierarchicals are hard to get your head round, if you won't be using them on a dialy basis, then personally I do not think it is worth messing with them, i much prefer flat file imports, especially as a noob. If you insist on using H. then the best way IMO is to create a new store add just a few completed products and then do an export to see how it is produced. The smaller the file is, the less daunting it looks usually.

But like i say by the time you have peed around, it is often quicker to just use the flat file import method IMO.

[Jarvis]

Two tips if you MUST use Hierachicals;

1. There is a nice little publicised tool in your Actinic root folder.
   Look in 'C:\Program Files\Actinic v9\ and there is a file called 'FlatFileConverter.exe'
   This will convert your Flat File to a Hierarchical file..
   It does extend what you can do with your Flat File by adding a 'Mapping' facility. Have a play with it, it can be useful.
2. Use a number of Input files split into one Section|Sub-section at a time. Alternatively, one supplier at a time, (Useful if you can get suppliers to use your spreadsheet).

Lee is right in saying that "Hierarchicals are hard to get your head round".
Nonetheless, sometimes you have little choice and you need to sit down in a quiet room and learn, (it's not too bad).
Then, use the advice in point 2 above in order to keep your upadates manageable.

[NormanRouxel]

Business can also get some (or all) data directly from an external database. See the Help for "Linking To An External File".

[GamesLore]

Hi Ruthie,

We have our core data stored in Excel, around 6,000 lines and I use an Excel vb macro to generate the hierarchical data in order to achieve what we want to. None of what you need to do in vb is particularly complicated if you are already familiar with programming concepts, however we had done flat file imports to Actinic for several years before the change and were very familiar with the Actinic database as well.

It probably took me the best part of a week to write and test the routine.

I used Lee's approach, created the database using a flat file, made the changes I wanted which the flat file import couldn't manage, exported the file and then dissected it field by field.

Good luck.

Paul.
www.gameslore.com

[ruthie2012]

Thank you very much. Some really helpful information here which I am looking at.

I have managed to import most of what we need (including some custom fields) using the flat file converter. However it's really attributes and choices that I'm stuck with. Could someone please just confirm for me that a hierarchical file import is the ONLY way to get these in (then I won't waste my time wondering if they can be appended directly into the ProductProperties table in the Actinic database for example).

Thank you

[leehack]

Yes it is.

[ruthie2012]

Thanks Lee.