Heirarchical File Import

[tonyfulford]

Not sure if I am doing something wrong, but I now seem to have numerous problems importing from a file.

I have an excel spreadsheet with nearly 1000 line, but when converted to a tab file it refuses to load many items. The only way I seem to be able to import correctly is reduce the feilds down, create specific end of line strings on each line abnd save as tab delimited file. Then open in word and do many find and replace runs to remove unwanted fields from many lines and finaly replace the EOL string with a end of paragragh character!
It then will (mostly) import.

This seems a rather complicated way to import the file!

Any suggestions (apart from upgrading, as I am in discussion with my Bank as to why they offer free upgrades but supply old software!)

[NormanRouxel]

I've been using Hierarchical import files top update the entire site daily since the dim distant release of V4 without problems. I usually use comma delimted format.

However, without seeing any of your error messages it would be difficult to comment as to what is going wrong.

Also what version of V4 are you using?

Norman

[tonyfulford]

error messages

Norman,

What I get is as follows

Line 8: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 24.

Line 9: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 24.

Line 10: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 24.

Line 11: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 24.
Line 13: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 24.
Line 14: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 24.
Line 15: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 24.
Line 16: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 24.
Line 17: Wrong number of fields. Expected 23 but got 22.
(repeated for every product line)

The fields filled in on excel are the right number

and nothing is imported!

I am using 4.1.1

Regards

Tony

[cdicken]

Open up the hierarchical file in Notepad and you will probably see that all the offending lines have an unnecessary comma at the end of the line.

You can get rid of these using Word and foing a find and replace:

Find all the

,^p

and replace with

^p

That will get rid of commas at the end of lines.

Then copy and paste the contents of the file back into Notepad and save.

[tonyfulford]

Charles,

this is the labourious task I have to perform each time, is that really the way actinic wants to make its users work to use its software!

[cdicken]

is that really the way actinic wants to make its users work to use its software!

Apologies for not reading your post properly. I had not seen you were already doing Finds and Replaces in Word.

Could you please clarify whether you are doing a flat file import or a hierarchical file import. Also, have you tried saving the file as comma delimited rather than tab delimited? Also, check for cells with spaces in at the end of your rows in Excel.

[tonyfulford]

I am using Heirarchical import.

I have tried both CSV and Tab delimited files, both have the same problem. I have removed all columns to the left of the cells required before exporting from excel, I have cleared all cells without required information upto and including the last column of an excel sheet!

Having spent many hours again yesterday I nearly gave up in frustration! It did finally work once I spent many minutes finding and replacing the exported file, each time it failed it ment revising the excel file, saving to a text file, find and replace etc. Not the most helpful way for a small business to spend its time!

I had hoped that the software, being so expensive would at least allow a smooth import feature, which this clearly is not.

[cdicken]

I'm sorry you have had difficulties with this. The problem you have identified is actually a limitation in Excel, in that Excel cannot really handle hierarchical files. It does not save hierarchical files without adding in the extra commas/tabs at the end of rows.

If there is any change in Actinic that you can suggest that might help you get around this. I would be happy to relate it to the development team for you.