Import from csv and SUBSTITUTE data in fields

[Mario Biondi]

I am transferring my DBs from an old version of Filemaker to Tap Forms 5. In my FM DBs I have several repeating fields, which in export/import to/from csv make a mess. So I modified those fields in FM and exported them again in csv. Or modified them directly in the csv files with BBEdit. But now, how can I import THOSE modified FIELDS in Tap Forms so that the EXISTING records are modified, and NO NEW RECORDS added? Is it possible? MTIA

[Jose Monteiro]

Hi,

I’m not an expert in TapForms, but perhaps I can help, who knows.

I think what you want is not possible, but perhaps we can find a turnaround.

Just a few questions:
– What do you mean by repeating fields?
– How many records do you have in your Form?
– You have been changing values in those records in your Form and want to keep those changes.
– And you also have been doing changes on the same records on your FM DB and want to update your existing records in TapForms (TF) without creating new records, right?

[Brendan]

If you export from Tap Forms with the Export Record IDs option enabled, when you re-import those records, Tap Forms will update the existing values instead of adding new records. So you could try that. You can also experiment with a different document than the one you’re working with just so you can perfect it before you edit your real document.

[Mario Biondi]

Many, many thanks, Brendan. Worked perfectly: and it was 654 records! But now I have one more DB with 6520 records…
And now… only now I found the Export ID issue in your manual.
Many thanks again!

[Jose Monteiro]

Hi Brendan and Mario,

Sorry to intrude on this thread.
Obviously I did not realize what was the issue.

Just to make things clear to me,

1.
I understood:
1.1. That Mario already had a set of records on a form on TF and exactly the same set of records on a CSV file where he did some changes.
1.2. He wanted to update the records on the form with the changes he did on the CSV file without adding new records to the form.

2.
Then you told him he could export the records with the Export Record IDs option enabled, so that when importing again, an update would take place instead of adding.
(It’s good to know that because I was not aware of that possibilty and it might be usefull to me in a near future with the lot of imports I have to do)

And then Mario said it worked just fine for him.

3.
What I don’t understand is:
1. If Mario is exporting the records to a CSV file then he would have to update the records and then re-import them again.
2. Instead of doing that why didn’t Mario did the changes directly on the form in TF?
3. Is it because it would be easier to edit the two CSV files cutting and pasting and then re-importing?

4.
This is another question, but has to do with exporting records as CSV files:
Which line ending should we use when exporting?
I understand we should use:
Mac (CR) – when the the file is for Macs
UNIX (LF) – when the file is for UNIX, LINUX systems
WINDOWS (CRLF) – when the file is for Windows
and when should we use the following:
UNICODE – ?

Thanks.

[Mario Biondi]

Sorry, Jose, but I really do not understand what you are asking. So I simply answer to this:

2. Instead of doing that why didn’t Mario did the changes directly on the form in TF?

Changing datas directly in 2 fields of the 654 records of that TF DB of mine (which makes 1308 changes)? Manually? Copying and modifying and pasting and so on? 1308 times?
I am too old, do not know if I have enough time…
Fortunately Brendan helped me. Good luck

[Brendan]

Hi Mario,

If it’s bulk changes you’re wanting to make outside of Tap Forms, without knowing how you’re doing that, there is the option in Tap Forms of using the Advanced Find & Replace function under the Records menu. It would let you do a find for a value and replace it with another value for specific fields.

[Jose Monteiro]

Hi Mario,

There must be some misunderstanding here.
And it must be my fault.
If so, I’m sorry for that.

I was just trying to understand what your problem was and how it could be solved.
I thought that it was not possible to update records on an import because in my mind an import was just an import, not an update.
Then the questions I asked you on my first post; I was thinking in a little program, with just a few lines, to merge your two CSV files in the way you need, and then you could import the merged file into TF.
But fortunately Brendan solved your problem.

Nevertheless, I was not understanding how you solved your problem with Brendan suggestion.
So those questions on my last post crossed my mind when trying to understand what you did.
I would never suggest to update manually that number of fields.
That would be an insane job.
And I would like to know how you solved your problem because if I ever have some issue like this one I will already know how to solve it.

But then, after reading your last post, something crossed my mind and I think now that I know what you did.
So please tell me if I’m right or wrong on the following:

1. Your Problem
Your problem is as I described on point 1 of my second post.

2. What You Did
2.1. You exported the records from your form with the Export Record IDs option enabled.
2.2. You copied the first column of the exported file, the Record IDs, and inserted it on your CSV file as the first column.
2.3. Then you imported this file to TF getting the update you needed.

Hope you can make this clear to me.

Thanks.

[Author]

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