Using the Box Connector (ALPHA)

Prior to uploading files see the latest implementation and usage notes at Box Connector.  

To set up the connector

On the Home page select a space or create a new one. This is the space to which the data will be uploaded.

1. Go to Admin - Define Sources - Application Connectors. Alternatively, click the Use Extractors link on the Admin Navigation page.
2. Click New in the Connections panel.
3. In Connection Details name the connection.
4. Select Box as the Connector Type.
5. Enter the Connection Details.
   
6. Save the connection.
7. Click Generate Token. The connector displays the Box Authorization page.
8. Click OK. The connector redirects to the Box application. If you are not already logged in to Box the login page prompts you to login. The Box application requests that you Allow Birst to connect to your Box account.
9. Click Allow. The Box application redirects back to Birst, which displays a message indicating that an authorization token was generated.
10. Enter the Connection Details.
    
    

11. Click Add Object.
12. Enter the Object Label to use for the source in Birst.
    Important: Do not use the same name as an existing saved object from this or any other connector. It must be unique within a Birst space. Important: This connector does not support the Source File Prefix, even though the field is shown in the UI.
    Tip: If you edit an object and change the object label, a new object will be created with this name.
    
13. Optionally, click the Advanced tab to set the following:
    1. Merge files: If you want to concatenate multiple source files into one extraction object, click this option. Then enter a file name for the merged file.
    2. Action on Failure: If you are extracting from multiple files, and if there is a problem with a file, you can set whether the connector will ignore the failure and move on to the next file, retry once and then stop if the retry does not succeed, or just stop.
       
       
    3. Extract modified files only: Extract only those files that have been modified on the source. If the connector is configured to "extract modified files only", it tracks file changes by revision number. Once a file is imported to Birst, for subsequent updates the connector compares the revision number on the source to determine whether to import the file again.
       Tip: Edit the extraction object to use this setting only AFTER extracting the file the first time.
    4. Max concurrent threads: Select how many files to extract at the same time. By default one file is extracted at a time.
       
       

14. In the Basic tab, Click Get Files.
    
15. Select the files or directories to use in Birst.
    
16. Click Validate.
17. Once it validates, click Save. Birst lists the extraction object (that specifies the files from Box) in the Data Sources table.
18. In the Data Sources list, optionally click its row under Extract Groups to give it an Extract Group Name. Click Save.
19. Click Extract to upload the selected objects to Birst. Optionally select an Extract Group.

Depending on the size of the files, the extraction may take a few minutes. When the extraction completes the Data Sources table lists the timestamp of the extracted objects.

Tips:

• You can safely log out of Birst while the extraction takes place and log back in later.
• To cancel the extraction, click the Cancel Extract link under the progress bar.
• Click the Last Extract Log link to view the logs from the data extraction and check for errors.
• To remove an object from the extraction list, click the icon in the Remove column on the right.