EDir - import/export feature?

[ricard]

Hi,

My first post here, so first of all thank you guys for developing Elxis. I am coming from Joomla, and I must say I like all the valuable functionality you've added to the Mambo core. Excellent work!

Regarding EDir, I would like to know if this impressive component has any built-in import/export functionality. For instance, if I need to make a catalog and populate the DB with 1000 products at once, is there any automated way of doing this?

Unfortunately, I am not a savvy DB user, so I cannot deal with phpMyAdmin for these kind of tasks (yet). In case there is not such a built-in feature in the current version of EDir, are you planning to implement a CSV import/export capability in the future?

Thanks!

[eliasan]

Hi,

Thank you for your kind words.

We too, would like to see import and export capabilties build on EDir. In fact it was a feature we have been discussing from the early days of development.

But EDir, turned to be a so flexible solution, that it was too difficult to implement a generic import/export functionality.

EDir, is like a LEGO system. You start with basic building blocks and you end up with something amazingly complex.

So where is the limit that import/export, should focus on, on  an unlimited system.

We choose not to implement such a system, waiting for the users to give the answer and guide us towards the right decision.

[datahell]

eliasan is right. EDir is too complex to export listings in a CSV and use this CSV later for import. It is also bind to custom files, extensions, images, galleries etc that their location is not standard as it is a fully flexible and customizable system. BUT you can any time backup all your database or only the EDir's tables from the component database that is included in Elxis. Just one click any time and EDir's database is backed up. You can restore this backup from your phpMyadmin. We do not added restore feature in Elxis because it might lead some non-experienced users to mess up their sites. So for restore use phpmyadmin.

To take perfect backups you need to make a small modification to component database otherwise you wont be able to restore the backup file without modifying it a little.

Read here how to do this (it is very simple):
https://forum.elxis.org/index.php?topic=941.msg5294#msg5294


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[ricard]

Thanks eliasan and datahell for your replies.

Just to clarify, I wasn't thinking of backing up the whole Elxis DB, but rather populating the eDir component with any required listings before delivering a site to a client.

I see your point. Some people may need subscriptions for articles/recipes, others may need reservations for hotels, etc. There are so many possibilities... It certainly must be very hard to implement an import/export feature that meets everyone's needs (not to mention that I am not a coder and I don't have the slightest idea of how the underlying building blocks that makes EDir work are organized!).

From a user's perspective, if you own a portal and the registered/subscribed users are the ones who take care of their own listings, then maybe the import/export capability is not so important. However, when making any kind of catalogs, property listings, etc., for a client, in most cases you will need an automated way to implement/renew all those items at once.

In these cases, how about implementing a basic, generic import/export feature, containing "most common" fields? Would it be possible at all? Something like:

id | category | subcategory | item title | intro text | main text | additional field 1 | additional field 2 | ... | picture 1 | picture 2 | ...

(This is just a quick and simplistic approach, but you get the idea.)

I really think the combination of Elxis + EDir has a huge potential for many professional uses. And a generic import/export feature, even if it does not cover all the amazing possibilities of EDir, would be very useful and a good selling point for this fabulous component.

Thanks!

P.S.: I can't wait to see Elxis 2007!

[canton]

I think your right, it is essential to have an import/export feature. I deal with clients that have hundreds to thousands of products, and i for one with my team would find this ineffective in time and cost.

So at the moment even though this has the potential to be in the position to deal with pretty much any project. I couldn't use it for large ones due to the lack of import/export features.