CSV Import Window: Fields Mapping

 Section 2

 
The relationships that exists between all the CSV file fields and the Prestashop database is called Mapping.

 

When a CSV file is selected in section 1, Store Commander analyzes this file and displays the list of its columns (if the CSV file option "Content of the first line is used, this is this line that will be used).

 

For each column, it is then necessary to find the corresponding field within the database.

 

If you use the CSV file provided, Store Commander will make your task even easier by detecting these relationships automatically.

 

Toolbar:

 

  • Load
  • Record
  • Delete a mapping

 

 

Note : Technically, the mapping is recorded within an XML file beside the CSV file in the adminXXX/import directory.



Columns in the grid, relationships between the CSV file and the database:


Used: this field may or may not be taken into consideration during the importation

Fields in the CSV file: the name of the column within the CSV file

Database field: name of the field to be associate to the database


Options : when a field requires an option to be activated, the grid cell is highlighted in dark blue. Options may for instance language for the name fields, meta_title...



Specific fields:


  • Name: this field is mandatory to create your products
  • Default categorie: if found, the product is placed within the default category. If not, a new category bearing the name of the working file yourFile.TODO.csv will be created and you will need to spread your products by dragging & dropping them in Store Commander.
  • Categories: you can specify several categories within which the product will appear by using the value separator (defined in Section 1)
  • Excl. VAT prices: if you use this field, you also need to use the VAt field so that Store Commander can calculate the Excl. VAt price. The VAT is indicated as "19.6" for instance.
  • On Sale: indicates whether the product is on sale or not, values: 0 or 1
  • Availability if out of stock: 0 => Reject orders ; 1 => Accept orders ; 2 => Use the store's preferences
  • Discount from/until: Store Commander autyomatically converts all dates formats ("aaaa/mm/jj","jj-mm-aaaa",...)
  • link_rewrite: if this field is not specified, il will be automatically created with the name of the product
  • Tags: you may indicate several tags providing they are separated by the value separator (defind in Section 1)
  • ImageURL: two possibilities: you either specify a full url pointing towards an images "http://www.storecommander.com/monImage.jpg", or you place image onto your serverin the directory "/adminXXX/import/images/" and you specify the path from this directory. For  instance, if the field equals "house/house01.jpg", Store Commander will go & fetch the file here:  /adminXXX/import/images/house/house01.jpg". Each imageis resized several time ; this is the reason why impoting with images takes a lot of time. It is advised to proceed in two steps: first importing products without their images and then reue the CSV file to import images by lowering the number of lines to be imported in batches so that the server does not get overloaded.  The automatic import tool (please refer to help related to the import process) can relaunch the import every X second so as to ease processing. Images size: the larger an image is in terms of number of pixels, the more powerful the server mus be. Usually a 1280 x 1280 size pixels is sufficient. You can resize images prior to importing them to ease the server's job. In order to avoid re-importing images several times, you can modify the following two options in the preferences: import section: "record the name of the image file in the database" and "import images already imported".
  • Descriptions: descriptions must not contain carriage return. If your descriptions are on several lines under Excel, you need to convert them on a single linei (you sometimes need to use a text editor to make sure of it). Use the formula =SUBSTITUE(A1;CAR(10);"") on a cell to convert cell A1 for instance. Descriptions can be entered as raw text or HTML.







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