1 Reply by atheta01

  • atheta01
  • Veteran
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  • From: YNU Coleoptera recorder
  • Registered: 30-10-2009
  • Posts: 325

Re: Import Wizard - supported columns

I have a spreadsheet that I want to import via the Import Wizard. One of the columns is Sample Location Description and I want to import this (i.e I want to add text to the Description field for the Location when this is created during import). Anyone any ideas? I don't think this column is supported. Is there a procedure for getting additional columns supported?

Bob Marsh
Doncaster LRC
Coleoptera recorder for YNU

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2 Reply by johnvanbreda

  • johnvanbreda
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  • From: UK
  • Registered: 27-04-2006
  • Posts: 1,237

Re: Import Wizard - supported columns

Although it is possible to support additional columns by configuration through the database tables, it is not a trivial task. But the real problem here is that the Import Wizard is really only designed as an occurrences import tool so the columns you configure could only relate to the main import of occurrences at the end. The facility to auto-create locations and people during import is really only a convenience tool to help with the workflow and not part of the main import. So we could not support the location description through this method.
We could of course change the Import Wizard to support creation of locations with an additionally specified description field in the import, but I think that would need to be thought through as to whether this is the best approach. Maybe making the Import Wizard support other types of data properly should be considered (so you would first import a locations spreadsheet, then the occurrences).

Regards

John van Breda
Biodiverse IT

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