The Import window contains three tabs:

All Imports: This tab displays each import process.
Imports Setup: This tab displays the record layout of the input file and its Oracle intermediate table structure.
Imports Batches: This tab is where users perform import of data into the system and which shows the history of all previous import attempts.

All Imports Tab

The All Imports tab of the Import window lists the imports that are currently available for use or are under development. Usually, a user of the import feature will only utilize this tab to select the import process that he or she wants to employ. One record exists for each type of import.

Note: Information in this tab should only be adjusted by the system administrator who is responsible for setting up new import processes.

Columns in the All Imports Tab

The following columns are shown in this tab:

DB Procedure: This column shows the name of the Oracle procedure that will be used in the import process. This procedure validates the information in the intermediate Oracle table and then moves the error-free records from the intermediate table into the main database.
Encoding: This column contains the AgileAssets-supplied text that identifies the coding system to use when data in the input file uses a non-standard coding system (for example, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese dialects, etc.). When the input file uses a standard coding system, this column is left blank.
Has Header Row?: When the check box in this column is selected, the first row in the input file is a header row.
Import Location Mapping: This column provides a drop-down list that includes the different methods used to translate a client's linear referencing system to AgileAssets' linear referencing system. The method selected in this column is the method used during the import process. The different methods are defined and maintained in the Import Location Mapping window.
Import Name: This column provides a description of the import process.
Source Data Type: This column specifies the overall format of the input file for the import process. This format may either be fixed length (which is an ASCII text file of fixed length format), comma separated (which is an ASCII text file that is comma delimited — that is, CSV formatted), database table, or Excel file.
Note: The database table must be in Oracle (or other system with ODBC connection) with SELECT connection to the application schema and that the column order must be irrelevant.
Table Name: This column shows the name of the intermediate Oracle table for this import process. It must be entered in upper case without blank spaces.

Imports Setup Tab

For the import process selected in the All Imports tab, the Imports Setup tab describes the input file's record layout as well as the structure of the intermediate Oracle table. In this tab you can define and modify the record layout and the Oracle column descriptions. One record exists for each column (field).

Note: This tab should only to be used by the system administrator responsible for setting up new import processes.

See Configure an Import Process for more information.

When you right-click this tab, the system displays a shortcut menu. This menu contains the common commands along with the following special command:

Rebuild Table: Provided no data exists in the Oracle intermediate table, this command causes the system to re-build the Oracle intermediate table. (This command is typically used after adding or removing columns in this tab.)

Columns in the Imports Setup Tab

This tab provides the following columns:

Column (Date) Format: This column shows the date format for all date data type columns in the input file. See Date-type Column Formats for more information.
Column Name: This column shows the Oracle intermediate table column name. It must be entered in upper case without blank spaces or hyphens. It also cannot start with a number nor contain Oracle-reserved words.
Data Precision: This column shows the length of the column in the Oracle intermediate table.
Data Scale: This column shows the number of decimal places for numeric data type columns in the Oracle intermediate table.
Data Source Length: If the Source Data Type is fixed-length (as identified in the All Imports tab), this column is displayed and shows the length of the data column in the input file.
Data Type: This column describes the data type (either string, number, or date) for the column for both the input data and the Oracle intermediate table.
Mapping Type: This column is for Java imports, which are generally no longer used. For a given field to be imported, this column identifies the column in the Setup window that contains the set of legal codes used in the import source file. The following are the available mapping types and what each means:
- By code (internal ID): This is the internal ID# in the Setup table for the given target column. Select this value only if directed to do so by AgileAssets.
- By comments: This is the Comments column in the Setup window for the given target column.
- By name: This is the Name column in the Setup window for the given target column.
Nullable: When the check box in this field shows a check mark, the field may be set to null.
Order: This column describes the position of the data column within the input file.
Target Column: This column provides a drop-down list from which you may select the existing column in the AgileAssets database that corresponds to the column in the input file. If the procedure given on the All Import's tab specifies the target column to which the input file's data will be mapped, then this column may be left blank.

Imports Batches Tab

For the import process selected in the All Imports tab, the Import's Batches tab is used to initiate the import data process and also contains a log of all import attempts (batches). (A batch is a set of data that is imported into the system.)

Use these steps for the import process:

Select the desired import process in the All Imports tab. In the Imports Batches tab, the batch starts as an input file.
Right-click the tab to display the shortcut menu and select Insert to copy the batch into the intermediate Oracle table.
Right-click the tab to display the shortcut menu and select Process Batch to move all valid data records into the system from the intermediate Oracle table, with invalid records remaining in the intermediate Oracle file for review.

Description of the Columns in the Imports Batches Tab

The Imports Batches tab contains the following columns:

Args: This column shows the Oracle statements, if any, that are used in processing the batch.
Import Batch ID: This column shows the identification number for the batch.
Rows in Batch: This column identifies how many records remain in the batch (that is, in the intermediate Oracle table). Before the Process Batch command is run, this number is the total number of records in the input file. After the Process Batch command is run, this number is the number of invalid records that remain (the valid records having been moved into the main database).
Source Name: This column shows the input file name for the batch including its subdirectories.

Description of the Right-click Shortcut Menu Commands

When you right-click a record in this tab, the system displays a shortcut menu. This menu shows the common commands along with the following special commands:

Insert: This command loads data from the user-selected input file into the batch (the intermediate Oracle table). If this load is successful, a batch record is added to the table. For further information, see Import Data with the Import Window.
Process Batch: This command moves all error-free records from the intermediate Oracle table to the application's target table. This command processes the batch by:

Validating all records in the batch and attaching error messages to the invalid records.
Moving all valid records into the application.
Removing the valid records from the batch (the intermediate Oracle table). For further information, see Import Data with the Import Window.

Reimport Batch: This command performs the same actions as the Insert command except that the result that goes into the intermediate Oracle table overwrites the currently selected batch.
View Batch: This command allows you to see the data in the batch as well as the associated error messages for invalid records.