v3 Data Import Not Updating Fields With Existing Value

Data Service
1

I need to change the value in one field for hundreds of records in a database.

My solution was to:

    export the database delete the records that are not changing change one word in a string column save import
After importing, no records were changed.
2

Hi Barry,

could you please clarify where do you change a word in a string column: in table in Console Admin app or in an exported CSV file? And which values were not changed after that?

Regards,
Stanislaw

3

I change the text in one of the fields in the CVS file. After importing that back in, the value in the admin console (backend database) stay the same. Note, if the field was originally empty when exported and content added to csv file in that field, fields is updated with content in admin console.

4

If fact it should not even add content even if the field was originally empty. Import/export is not intended to use in the same app and moreover shouldn’t be used for editing values (consider all the exported files as read-only, only our system should operate them). Could you please tell us the reason why you do such strange operation - what the purpose of editing exporting data and importing it after? If you want to edit some values, can’t you just do it in Backendless Admin Console?

Stanislaw

5

Sometimes you need to make a change to the content of all or many of the records in the table. If you have hundreds or thousands of records, then using the Admin Console is time-consuming and error prone. Exporting and importing data, allows changing the content consistently (script or find and replace). The import process is very fast and does not impact the API quota.

This is a feature that you should be highlighting. Being able to do your standard update operation would be great.

6

You can use Bulk Update API for this purpose.
I can not give any guarantees if you change the data manually or using a script locally. As I said, the import / export operation is not intended for this and any misuse of these operations can not be supported by us.

Stanislaw

7

Thank you for suggesting the bulk update API. I am not sure if that provides the flexibility I need. Based on my reading, this changes every record in the where clause to one specified value. What I am doing is change one or several words in a string. Each record is a different string but contains one common word that needs to be changed or text appended to the end of the string.

I just figured it out. I will import the set of data with the field in question as empty or null. I will then import again with the correct string value in the field. Thanks for helping me think of a solution.

I still think your users and customer would prefer the import to work as an update.

8

Thank you, we will definitely consider this possibility in the future. Stay tuned for updates.

Regards,
Stanislaw