Importing
data
The import process is typically used to perform the following tasks:
- Install EDI
Standards into a Data Interchange Services client database.
- Import information
into another database
- Save data as a
backup
- Share data with
another Data Interchange Services client user
The following steps
describe how to import data from a file.
- Select the Open
Import File function from the File menu. The Select Import File dialog
appears.
- In
the Select Import File dialog, specify the name of an existing import
file. Typically Data Interchange Services client export files have a
file extension of "eif". The import file can be in any
directory. Click the Open button when the name of the import file has
been selected. The Import File window appears. This window displays the
contents of the selected import file. If you decide this is not the file
you want to import, you may click the Open button on the toolbar or
select Open from the File menu to select an alternate file to open in
the window.
- Select
one or more items to import from the Import File window, then click the
Import button on the toolbar. Alternatively, you can select Import from
the Actions menu once you have selected the files to import.
- If
you have more than one database defined in Data Interchange Services
client, the Select a Database dialog appears. Select the database to
which the items are to be imported, and then click the OK
button.
- The
selected items begin importing. The Execution Status window appears
showing the progress of the import. The Execution Status window can be
closed at any time. You do not have to wait until the import is
completed.
- Close
the Import File window when you are done with the import
file.
The file read by the
import process and created by the export process is interchangeably
called an import file or an export file. Though the two terms are
commonly used, they refer to the same file.
During the import
process, you may receive a message indicating that an item you are
importing already exists in the database. The message asks if you want
to replace the existing item with item being imported. Indicating you do
not want to replace the existing item will cancel the import process.
Indicating that you do want replace the existing item will result in the
existing item being replaced in the database. If there are associated or
referenced items being imported also, they will also be replaced.
When Data Interchange
Services client is finished importing the selected items, a message
appears in the Execution Status window indicating the import has
completed. A check mark is placed next to the imported items in the tree
view to indicate that these items have been imported. Parent nodes are
marked as imported when all child nodes have been imported. Thus a check
mark placed next to the root node indicates that all importable items in
the file have been imported.
Importing
XML schemas
The format of an XML document can be defined by an XML schema. Schemas can be obtained from various organizations or can be created by the user using an editor of some sort. Import any XML schema that you want to use in a data transformation map.
Schemas are stored in Data Interchange Services client within schema document definitions. Import an XML schema to create a new schema document definition when you plan to process an XML document defined by an XML schema.
Note:
Schema
document definitions are assigned to an XML dictionary. The XML
Dictionary must be created before importing the schema into Data
Interchange Services client.
The following steps describe how to import an XML schema.
- Select Open Import
File from the File menu. This opens the Select Import File dialog. This
is similar to most common Windows dialogs used specify the name of the
file.
- Select XML Schema File in the Files of Type drop-down list. The window
changes so only files with a type of "xsd" will be
displayed.
- Enter
the name of the file or use the dialog to select a directory and file
name of the schema to be imported. Click the Open button when you have
selected your schema file. The Select a Database dialog appears if you
have more than one database defined to Data Interchange Services client.
If you only have one database defined, the Import XML Schema dialog
appears.
- If
the Select a Database dialog appears, select the Data Interchange
Services client database you wish to import the schema into, then press
the OK button. The Import XML Schema dialog appears.
- On
the Import XML Schema dialog, enter the appropriate information and
click the Import button.
At this point the schema is imported into a schema document definition which is created as part of the import.
Note:
The
name of the schema document definition must be unique amongst schema
document definitions and DTD document definitions within the same
dictionary. An imported schema will replace any existing schema document
definition or DTD document definition that has the same
name.
Use the Schema
Document Definition editor to view and update a schema document
definition.
Data Interchange
Services client scans the schema when it is imported looking for a
targetNamespace attribute. If one is found, the Target Namespace field
is filled with the corresponding value. The target namespace associated
with the schema can be changed, but typically it should not be changed
unless the import was not able to find it correctly. Setting the target
namespace to a value that does not match the targetNamespace attribute
can prevent Data Interchange Services client from parsing the schema
correctly, which results in errors when trying to use the schema
document definition in a map, and it can also prevent the map from
opening.
If the schema contains
an "xmlns" attribute to identify a namespace, and the namespace
is not already represented as a Namespace object within Data Interchange
Services client, a new Namespace object is added to represent the
namespace at the time the schema is imported. The prefix and other
information associated with Namespace objects may be changed
later.
Importing
XML DTDs
The format of an XML document can be defined by a document type definition (DTD). DTDs can be obtained from various organizations or can be created by a user. Import any XML DTD into Data Interchange Services client that you want to use in a data transformation map.
DTDs are stored in Data Interchange Services client within DTD document definitions. Import an XML DTD to create a new DTD document definition when you plan to process an XML document defined by an XML DTD.
Note:
DTD
document definitions are assigned to an XML dictionary. The XML
dictionary must be created before importing the DTD into Data
Interchange Services client.
The following steps describe how to import an XML DTD.
- Select Open Import
File from the File menu. This opens the Select Import File dialog. This
is similar to most common Windows dialogs used specify the name of the
file.
- Select
XML DTD File in the Files of Type drop-down list. The window changes so
only files with a type of "dtd" will be displayed.
- Enter
the name of the file or use the dialog to select a directory and file
name of the DTD to be imported. Click the Open button when you have
selected your DTD file. The Select a Database dialog appears if you have
more than one database defined to Data Interchange Services client. If
you only have one database defined, the Import XML DTD dialog
appears.
- If
the Select a Database dialog appears, select the Data Interchange
Services client database you want to import the DTD into and then click
the OK button. The Import XML DTD dialog appears.
- On
the Import XML DTD dialog, enter the appropriate information and click
the Import button.
At this point the DTD is imported into a DTD document definition which is created as part of the import.
Note:
The
name of the DTD document definition must be unique amongst DTD document
definitions and Schema document definitions within the same dictionary.
An imported DTD will replace any existing DTD document definition or
schema document definition that has the same name.
Use the DTD Document
Definition editor to view and update a DTD document
definition.
