Setting up for exporting data

Before you can export from iBase, you must define the type of records and their fields to export, and the format of the file to be created. You define this information by setting up an export specification, each export specification defines how to export data for a single entity or link type.

About this task

The export wizard is a series of pages that leads you through the process of creating an external file that contains data from the database.

Procedure

  1. Select File > Data > Export.

  2. If you want to create a new export specification, select the type of data to export:

    • To export entities, click Entities and from the Record Type list, select the entity type.

    • To export links, click Links and from the Record Type list, select the main link type. In the Link Ends area, select the link end entity types from the End (1) and End (2) lists.

    Note: You must export entities before links.

  3. Click Next to continue. (In later steps you can click Back to return to previous steps if you want to change any settings.)

  4. In Export File Name, enter the path of the export specification that you are creating or navigate to the folder, enter the file name and click Save.

  5. Select First Record Contains Field Names to write field names into the first record in the export file.

    This is useful as a reminder of what the fields are when you browse the exported file. It also allows you to automatically assign source fields to iBase fields if you later import the file back into an iBase database.

  6. Enter the character to use to enclose the field values in the export file in the Text Qualifier. Each value is bounded at each end by this character. If you do not want a text qualifier, delete the displayed character.

    When reimporting data, this prevents field values that contain field delimiters from being split into two.

  7. In the Field Delimiter area, choose the character that is used to separate fields, or enter a different one in the Other box.

    Note: The record delimiter is an ASCII CR and LF character; this puts each new record on a new line.

  8. The Dates, Times & Numbers area shows you how any dates, times and numbers will be exported. To change these formats, click Format.

  9. Select the fields you want to export, and the order in which they appear in the export file.

    • Entity and link fields

      Entity and link fields are shown by their field name.

    • Fields for link end entities

      Fields for link end entities are indicated by <(1)> for the End 1 entity and <(2)> for the End 2 entity.

    • <Direction>

      If present, this stores the direction of the link, and is exported as codes:

      • 0 = no direction

      • 1 = End (1) to End (2)

      • 2 = End (2) to End (1)

      • 3 = Both

    • <Strength>

      If present, this stores the strength of the link, and is exported as codes:

      • 0 = unconfirmed

      • 1 = confirmed

      • 2 = tentative

  10. In the Records area, specify the source of the records to export, provided they are the appropriate type.

    Note: You must assign an output for queries that you want to export, or they are missed in the export specification. Entities and links that have an output assignment are flagged with a green square icon in the query structure. To assign an output, open your query and highlight an entity or link that does not have an output assignment. Right click the item and select Output from the available options. Repeat for every item that you want to export, and save the query. See steps 1 and 4 of the export wizard to check that your query is included in the export.

  11. Click Run. The number of records that are exported is displayed.

    Tip: You can then click Back to go back and export more data with the same export specification, for example from a different set or query.