Importing Section and Extended info images

[doubleg]

Hope someone can help me with this. I import all of my data from spreadsheet outputs (as a .csv file).

At the moment I import product reference, description and the product thumbnail image which all works fine.

I would like to also import extended information data and also section images and text. Does anyone have the header tags or an example import file they wouldn't mind me seeing to be able to do this.

Currently after import I am manually adding the extended information pages and typing in the product section details, would be so much quicker and easier if I could pull in the extra information in at the same time as the product import.

[doubleg]

Just thought in case it is relevant. Currently I am importing as a flat file, the help guide for Hierarchical files lost me completely.

[leehack]

When you do an import currently, you can see the fields to map to, just note the names down and add them to yours. You could also do an export from within actinic, open it up and note the field names, and finally the inbuilt help and most likely the KB have articles on this with example files for you to look at.

[Duncan Rounding]

If you're using component and attributes etc then you really need to get your head around hierarchical importing. Although it may seem difficult at first once you grasp the concept you'll find it is just as easy as flat file importing.

[Mark H]

I think there is a program provided with V9 which automatically creates hierarchical import files. I'll look it up tomorrow when I'm in the office.

[Duncan Rounding]

It's called FlatFileConverter.exe found in C:\Program Files\Actinic v9.
It will create an hierarchical file from a flat file. It won't help if you want to import components etc mind.

Hierarchical files are just files that have separate header lines for different field types, each field type then has the first column defining which header to use for it.

[Krithika]

Chris

You can find a sample Flat import file in C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Actinic v9\<site folder>\Common. There are samples for both Flat and Hierarchical type of files.
The SampleFlatImportFile.csv includes columns for Section-related and Extended Info page-related fields as well. But as mentioned above, if you wish to import advanced product properties, you will need a hierarchical file.
Hope this helps.

[doubleg]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Been ultra busy so haven't had a chance to try what you have suggested. I'll have a go over the next few days and report back.

[doubleg]

Right, had a bit of an experiment since posting. I have it generating the page name for the extended info page and importing the image I want to use in the extended info page.

Had a bit of an issue identifying how to get "Generate Popup Page" and "Display by Image" but sussed it now.

Thanks for the help people.

Still can't get my head around Hierarchical imports.

However I think this is possibly down to the way I am generating the flat files, I'm using the price lists I generate for standard print outs etc. in Excel and using another sheet in the spreadsheet with CONCATENATE functions and such like to then save as a flat file.

My assumption at the moment (until I do a bit more experimenting) is that I can use probably use a hierarchical file created separately for importing my section images and info. then pull in the actual product data from the spreadsheets I had already been using.

[Mark H]

I think in V9 you can import section data in a flat file, as Krithika mentioned above, but not if you are using components and/or attributes as Duncan mentioned. It sounds to me as if you can do everything you want in a flat file. In V7 I think you had to use a hierarchical for sections, but no longer.

[doubleg]

Now I've got my head round it most of what I am trying to do seems to be covered by the flat file import. Struggled a little with the extended information pages not generating until I sussed which heading to use from the sample file.

At the moment I only have one line of products (4 individual products in total) so I can live with just doing those manually for now.

Now all I have to do is get all of my price lists up to date so I can upload