[Robert]

I just successfully imported over a 100 records and everything seemed to work correctly except one.  There is a date field in the CSV file with the format mm/dd/yyyy but all of the dates were set to 2013 for the year even though the years ranged from 1970-2012.  For example: 7/25/2012 (July 5th 2012) that was imported as 7/25/2013.

Is there any easy way (as in sql query)  to make bulk edits directly via the database?

I hope I’m wrong but I took a quick look and it appears that the many of the values are group together in arrays and then stored in a single field.  If this is the case and you ever consider a major re-write I would highly suggest putting each piece of data in it’s own database field.

[Robert]

I forgot to add that the dates were mapped to the Anniversary field.

[Steven Zahm]

@ Robert

The CSV correctly imports using the old anniversary/birthday method which did not store years, only month and day. The CSV is undergoing a complete rewrite and should be released in March.

The values are actually stored twice in the database. Once as arrays in the main entry table and the other as actual data stored in separate tables based on the type of data being stored. Those tables are easily identified as they have “connections” in the name.

Why is this stored twice? For performance. The stored arrays can sort of be considered as cached objects. When displaying entry data, the cached objects are used instead of creating multiple queries to the database for each entry being displayed. The actual data is not used unless sorting by those values, doing geo location type queries [a feature not yet exposed] and adding/editing an entry.

I hope that makes sense.

[Robert]

Well that matches what I experienced and what I found.

If I were to make edits directly to those data tables, would the “cache” be updated automatically or could it be forced via some API call?  For instance I would like to switch all the current “anniversary” dates to “membership” dates.  I would also like to re-populate all the dates I have in the system with the correct dates.

 

[Steven Zahm]

@ Robert

No, that will not work. Can you attach a copy copy of your CSV as a private reply? I can give you a pre-alpha of the next CSV import which will handle the dates as you need it too. The purpose of the copy of the CSV is to make show all the fields you using are accounted for. Oh, also, attach a screen shot of the field mapping. I given others advanced copies of this pre-alpha so it has been battle tested.

[Ariel Parrish]

Steven,

I have a similar problem — I want to import and display an employee’s Employment date including the year (eg June 1st 2007), not just the Anniversary (which seems to calculate the employee’s *next* Anniversary date, e.g. June 1st 2013 or January 1st 2014). But the Employment field, which does appear to perform the behavior I want, does not appear to be an importable field in the CSV Import version I have. Do you have a version that will allow me to import the full Employment date? Or is my only option to go through 400+ entries and edit their dates? (yikes!)

[Steven Zahm]

@ Ariel

I just replied to you in the other post. Let keep the conversation going over there, thanks!

[Author]

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