Plugin update: Even more flexible data imports in Pimcore

Stefano Viani

Management

21 Sep 2018 Pimcore Import, Export

When it comes to importing large amounts of data into Pimcore quickly and easily, our plugin BB Import is the proven tool. In order to adapt the Pimcore plugin to the current requirements of our customers and other online traders, we are constantly developing it further. In addition to performance and user interface improvements, many new features have been added in recent months, allowing even more flexible data imports.

Plugin-Update: Noch flexiblere Datenimporte in Pimcore

New features of the import plugin include:

  • Support for additional data types: It is now possible to import object modules, field collections, objects/multihref with metadata (including filling of metadata columns) and quantity values.
  • Dynamic definition of the parent element/object path: It is possible to import object hierarchies (i.e. objects hanging below each other) and to map them accordingly in the Pimcore backend (e.g. category tree analogous to the representation in the online store).
  • Dynamic definition of the object key: The object key can now be named as desired.
  • Skipping of individual data records: In the case of incomplete import files or if certain data should not be imported, you can simply specify the data records to be skipped during import. Thus, the import source does not need to be customized and can be used for different imports.

Pimcore import plugin supports additional data sources

Previously, the Pimcore plugin BB Import allowed easy and automated import ofXML, BMEcat or CSV data. The new version now also supports Excel files and URLs as import sources.

In addition, data from folders with multiple files can now be imported. To do this, specify a folder path at "Path to XML file". The files contained in the specified folder and in subfolders are processed one after the other - one file per import. Already processed files will be moved to an archive folder in the specified folder.

No data loss when changing data types afterwards

It often happens that the originally designed data model no longer perfectly fits the company and the services offered after a few months. So that you can change data types of existing object fields at any time without data loss, the new import plugin now also allows Pimcore objects as data source for the import.

An example: You create a class "Customer" with an input field "Email". Later, you realize that it would be handy to be able to store any number of email addresses per customer. So instead of a simple input field, you need a collection of fields. But if you use Pimcore on-board tools to change the type of the Email field from input field to field collection, all previous data will be lost. To prevent this data loss and save yourself time-consuming manual data re-maintenance, you can set up an import with Pimcore as the data source. Then read all the user IDs and email addresses as raw data, then make the change to the data model and re-import the data later.

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About the Author

As Executive Director of Blackbit digital Commerce GmbH, Stefano Viani manages all areas of the agency in the offices in Göttingen, Hamburg, Berlin and Kiev. His passion is the development of marketing strategies and their implementation in concrete measures.

In his free time, Stefano is passionate about riding his motorbike or working out in the gym.