Resolved Add all fields / select all

Hello Ralf,

I have set up my first templates and it's been working ok so far. Just one question/request: I find it rather tedious to add fields one by one, i.e. having to check all of the checkboxes manually. There is a button "Unselect all". Is there a way to "Select all", or could you add such a button, please?

You are not the first to ask for this feature . The Select all button is not added on purpose. It is easy to select all the fields even the fields which are not needed for import or export and add them to template. I guess you don't all of the fields in template fields for your import or export?

And a remark: I found it is possible to add the same field several times. Maybe you could do something to stop that from happening.

Not sure if you are using export or import, but for export it is possible that users need to export a value multiple times may be with different column headers and so fields can be added multiple times. For import you can use RO CSVI Field mapper to map the fields so you can avoid duplicates.

Hello Tharuna,

Thanks for your reply.

> It is easy to select all the fields even the fields which are not needed for import or export and add them to template.

Can you please tell me about an easy way to do it? I use Quick Add, and find it neither quick nor easy. Am I overlooking something? Well, it's not difficult, but I can easily overlook a field which can then cause trouble later.

> I guess you don't all of the fields in template fields for your import or export?

Yes, I usually import or export all fields, more than100 in one case (Virtuemart). But even if it's only 10, a select all button would save time, and make sure I don't miss a field. Why would you not add one? What harm could it do?

Kind regards,
Ralf

Hello Ralf,


For the import you can use the fieldmapper to add all fields and match them to the fields in your import file. You can change the template to the export type and have all the fields there as well.

For the export, you need to add them either one by one using the new button or multiple at once with the quick add.

The reason I don't want to add an "Add all" button is mainly due to the huge increase in support tickets saying "It doesn't work". Users will add all fields, export the lot and import it back as such. That is simply not how things work. You need to be aware of what you import. You can't close your eyes and press the big red button and hope it all works out.

If you need multiple templates with many fields, you only need to create one and from the templates list you can duplicate the template. This will also copy all fields linked to the template.

An alternative option is to backup a template, this will give you an XML text file. Just copy paste the fields you want in there and then restore the template.

There is another option, that is that you create an import of the type RO CSVI -> Custom table and import into the table csvi_templatefields. This way you can even manage your fields in a spreadsheet for example. The 2 minimal fields you need for this are csvi_template_id and field_name. Insert or update is done based on the csvi_templatefield_id field. So if you are looking to update entries either use that field or use the field_name and in the template set the Import based on to field_name.

Hello Roland,

Thanks for your reply and explanations.I see, there are various options.

The first one, creating an import template then switch to export, I don't understand. I tried it, but selecting fields works exactly the same way as for export, Quick Add. Or I would need a file that contains all of the fields. Where would I get that from, without exporting first?

Duplicating won't help, because the templates are for different components. Virtuemart, RSForms, K2, atm.

The other two option seem like with the import template - I need a list of fields first.


About the support tickets: I'm not sure why you would get more because of this button. The only difference is that I (and others) currently must click each checkbox one by one. Then export, then import -> fail, support ticket. The only difference I see is that with the Add All button, I'd send the ticket 10 minutes sooner ...

But in fact, what I want to do, is export the data, edit it, then import the edited data. You say it doesn't work like that. How does it work? Do you have anything about it in your docs?
What I've done so far, was to export, edit, import directly from/to the database with phpMyAdmin. Always worked. I just hoped, with CSVI it would be a bit simpler.

Kind regards,
Ralf

Hello Ralf,

Or I would need a file that contains all of the fields. Where would I get that from, without exporting first?

Yes, you would need a template with all fields first. You don't get it without exporting first. An initial template must be setup first.

The only difference is that I (and others) currently must click each checkbox one by one. Then export, then import -> fail, support ticket.

I would assume that you added the fields with some consideration as to what you need it for.

But in fact, what I want to do, is export the data, edit it, then import the edited data. You say it doesn't work like that. How does it work?

I think my point got missed here. Users will add all 200+ fields (VirtueMart products), this is including all the ID fields. Really, you don't need all those fields. For example you get the category_path, category_name, category_id. While you really only need the category_path. A user changes the category_name only imports it and wonders why the category isn't updated. That is only 1 example out of all these fields. There are fields in the export template that cannot be used for import as they are specifically made for the export.

Of course you can export the data, edit it and import the data back in. That is provided you have setup your import template correctly. Are you really editing 200+ fields? You would really be the first one so far

You have not mentioned the field mapper in your reply, have you looked at that?

As a workaround you can do the following. Click on the Quick Add, now you can open the developer console of your browser (press F12), go to the Console tab and enter this line:

jQuery('input:checkbox').attr('checked', true);

That will check all the boxes for you.

Thanks, Roland, I appreciate your support with this and the additional explanations, and the solution.

I would assume that you added the fields with some consideration as to what you need it for.

No, really no consideration. For that, I have to look at each of the VM fields, understand them, then consider if I need them. I need to see the contents first, only then I know if a field is one that I want to work with. Once I've seen the fields after the export, I can tell if I need them, and then I improve the CSVI template.

About your example field category_path, I didn't know that. Needs good understanding of how VM works, to know how the fields are handled.

There are fields in the export template that cannot be used for import as they are specifically made for the export.

Is there a way to find out which of the fields are specifically made?

Are you really editing 200+ fields?

No, certainly not. Just, as I said, of many fields I don't know what they are for before I see the content. I could go into the database, check the fields there. I just thought it's simpler to export, then look at them in a spreadsheet.

Field mapper: I read about it, but only checked it out just now. It is certainly nice to have, but I don't see how it's related to the export problem.

Your JS solves it for me. Only takes a couple of extra seconds compared to button.

Kind regards,
Ralf

Hello Ralf,

About your example field category_path, I didn't know that. Needs good understanding of how VM works, to know how the fields are handled.

That is why the general advice is to start with a few basic fields and extend from there. Of course if you need help, we are here to help.

Field mapper: I read about it, but only checked it out just now. It is certainly nice to have, but I don't see how it's related to the export problem.

This was more in the sense of creating an import template with all fields and then being able to copy it to an export template and have most fields set. Now with the JS selector, this is not really relevant anymore.