Edit Subscriber Importer

The Edit Importer wizard lets you define, name and save a subscriber importer. This importer contains settings for import modifications that will be performed on the list and/or list group subscribers in a reusable fashion, so that the same modification can easily be applied several times.

If you do not want to create and save an importer but only want to make a one-time modification via upload, use the Modify by Import wizard instead.

The wizard has eight pages: General, Type, Type Details, Source, Parse Details, Map Fields, Mapping Details, and Summary.

The top row of the wizard displays links to these eight pages. The page that is currently open is highlighted. Depending on the choices made on some of the wizard pages, other pages may become disabled or may be shown in different versions. If a wizard page is disabled, then it means that this page is not necessary with the current choices and can safely be ignored.

Source Page: Import From Uploaded File, Server File or Database

This screen defines the data that shall be imported.

Note: Where below a "list subscriber row" or "list profile field" is mentioned, list group subscriber rows or list group profile fields are also meant, depending on the context of the importer. So the actual meaning is "list or list group subscriber row" and "list or list group profile field".

Depending on the configuration made by the administrator, you may have the following choices to import data:

• Upload a file containing sample list subscriber rows

  This allows you to create an importer that will receive its import data in form of an uploaded file, either in comma separated (CSV) format or as anExcel or OpenOffice spreadsheet file. The file is uploaded from your local computer at the moment the importer is launched. The data to import is not uploaded here, in the importer wizard while the importer is being defined, but later, each time the importer is launched. However, to be able to complete the definition of the importer, the wizard must already know which format and structure the data has that will be uploaded at launch time, and how to map this data to the list profile fields. It is therefore necessary that you already provide a sample upload file here in the importer wizard,which defines the structure of the import data. But be aware that the data from this sample file will not be imported itself. It is only a "stand-in" for the actual data that will be uploaded at launch time. This also means that the data that is uploaded at launch time must have the same structure as the sample data that is provided here in the wizard, or otherwise the launch will fail.

  Click Upload a file with sample list subscriber rows to select a sample file for upload and import. Then on the next page, select the sample file from your local computer that you want to upload. If you select a text file (CSV file), you also need to select the file's character encoding from the drop-down menu. If however the selected file is a spreadsheet file that contains several non-empty datasheets, then after specifying the file, you also need to select the datasheet that contains the sample data. The data file that is later uploaded when the importer is launched must have the same format and structure as this sample file, and in case of a spreadsheet with several datasheets, must also have a datasheet with the selected name. Only the subscribers on this selected datasheet will then be imported as subscribers. Any other subscribers on other datasheets (in the same spreadsheet file) will be ignored.

  If a file has already been uploaded, then the file name is displayed as well as the date and time of the upload,plus, in case of a spreadsheet file with several sheets, the datasheet name. If you want to upload a different file, click Upload a different sample file.

• Import list subscriber rows from a server file

  This option is only available if your account has the necessary rights enabled to access server files at all.
  This allows you to create an importer that will get its data from a file that is located somewhere on the server that is running LISTSERV Maestro. The file must already exist at the time when the importer is defined here in the wizard because the importer needs to read this file to examine its structure (which is necessary to complete the definition of the importer). However, the data that is read from the file when the importer is being defined is not the data that will actually be imported. Instead,each time the importer is launched, the file will be freshly read "just-in-time" and the data that is found in the file at the moment of launch is the data that will be imported. This means that the file must still exist when the importer is launched, and that it must still have the same structure as it had when the importer was defined. However, the actual content of the file (the data rows), may change between importer definition and launch (and also between subsequent launches).

  To select a server file, click Select a file with sample list subscriber rows. Then on the next page, enter the full path name of the server file in the text box. Be aware that this path is interpreted by the Maestro server, and that your account must have the necessary rights enabled in order to access the file. (Check with the system administrator if you are unsure or receive an "Access denied" error.) If you specify a text file(CSV file), you also need to select the file's character encoding from the drop-down menu. If however the selected file is a spreadsheet file that contains several non-empty datasheets, then after specifying the file, you also need to select the datasheet that contains the sample data. The data file that is later uploaded when the importer is launched must have the same format and structure as this sample file, and in case of a spreadsheet with several datasheets, must also have a datasheet with the selected name. Only the subscribers on this selected datasheet will then be imported as subscribers. Any other subscribers on other datasheets (in the same spreadsheet file) will be ignored.

  If you already specified a server file, then the file name is displayed, plus, in case of a spreadsheet file with several sheets, the datasheet name. If you want to select a different file, clickSelect a different sample file.

• Import list subscribers from a database or LDAP directory

  This allows you to create an importer that will get its data from an external database or LDAP directory (that is accessible from the server that is running Maestro). Select the database connection and the SQL command (query) or LDAP search filter that Maestro will execute to read the import data.

  Click the drop-down menu and select the connection to the database you want to access. Only connections that have previously been defined are available. If the list of defined database connections does not contain a suitable entry for the database you want to access, click the "Add Connection" entry at the end of the drop-down menu. This opens a pop-up dialog allowing you to supply the necessary details for the connection. First select the database plugin from the drop-down menu. Only plugins that have previously been registered by the administrator are available. Once you have selected a plugin, the plugin-specific parameters are displayed and you need to fill them out with the values that allow Maestro to connect to the database that you want to access. If you are unsure as to what values to fill in, contact your administrator for assistance. When you are finished supplying the connection parameters and database credentials, click the [Ok] button to use the new connection. This connection is now listed and available for future use.

  A connection to the database or LDAP directory must already exist at the time when the importer is defined here in the wizard, and the specified database connection and SQL command (or LDAP search filter) must be usable to actually retrieve the import data because the importer needs to retrieve the data to examine its structure (which is necessary to complete the definition of the importer). However, the data that is read from the database when the importer is being defined is not the data that will actually be imported. Instead, each time the importer is launched, the data will be freshly retrieved from the database "just-in-time" and the data that is found in the database at the moment of launch is the data that will be imported.

  This means that the database connection and the SQL command (or LDAP search filter) must still be valid when the importer is launched, and the resulting data must still have the same structure as it had when the importer was defined. However, the actual content of the data (the result set rows), may change between importer definition and launch (and also between subsequent launches).