Updating large database objects

Use this procedure to update large database objects (LOBs) for Landmark business objects. This procedure applies to persistent fields of type Text, BinaryObject, and BinaryDocument, such as resume or image files. It thus provides a means to load the LOBs into the database more quickly than using a Landmark application to load them one by one.

To update LOBs, you must perform three main steps:

  1. Use the Creating Input File action in order to create a template of a CSV file for a single business class. This CSV file will contain the LOB fields with no values. You then populate this CSV file with references to file locations relative to the FTP directory. Any path delimiters must be forward slashes /. See guidelines below. If a file reference is not provided, no database change is made for that field. If you want to delete a LOB, you can specify a reference to a zero-length file.

    When you use the Creating Input File action, you also need to specify the fields needed to locate the specific row to be updated with file references. The CSV input file must include all fields of at least one index set that does not allow duplicates. These fields will not be updated. They are only to identify the records. You can also add more non-LOBs fields to aid in identifying the records to update. Only LOB fields will be updated.

  2. Use the Updating LOBS action and the Validate Only import option in order to check if it can both locate the record in which to load the LOBs and locate the binary files based on the file references.
  3. Use the Updating LOBS action in order to load the LOBs into the database. A LOB's associated MimeType and DocumentTitle type fields will be implicitly updated if they exist just as they would if you were to import the LOB through the application. Any errors will be written to an error zip file that contains CSV files with the problem records.

Guidelines:

  • The input files must be in CSV (comma-separated-value) format.
  • The input files must have headers.
  • Input files must include the file references for the LOBs and all the fields of a unique index that does allow duplicates.

    The path of each file reference must start with the expression, %ROOTPATH%/. This expression refers to the root path on your FTP server where the Landmark Administration Console will obtain the item.

  • Any path delimiters must be forward slashes /.
  1. Select Administration Console > Database > Update Large Objects.
  2. On the Update Large Objects form, define the template file. Specify this information:
    Action Choice
    Select Creating Input File.
    Business Class
    Select the business class that contains the LOBS that you want to update.
    Field String
    Specify the fields from the business object to be included in the CSV template file. Separate multiple fields with commas.
    Filter String
    Limit the output based on the specified filter value for the index keys of the file. The filter can be a conditional expression, such as

    fileName.fieldName=1 or relationshipName.fieldName=1.

    Subdirectory Name
    If you are updating the large objects from a file in a sub-directory of the FTP site directory, specify that directory.
    Command Output Filename
    Specify a name for the command output file if you do not want to use the default value of dbupdatelobs.txt.
    Output Filename
    Specify a file name for the CSV template file.
  3. Click Submit. The template file will be placed in the FTP directory.
  4. After you have edited the CSV template file with references to the LOB files you want to update, return to the Update Large Objects form and validate the update. Specify this information:
    Action Choice
    Select Updating LOBS.
    Business Class
    Select the business class for the LOBs update.
    Subdirectory Name
    If you are updating the LOBs from a file in a sub-directory of the FTP site directory, specify that directory.
    Do Not Save Errors to File
    Select this check box if you do not want to create an error file.
    Command Output Filename
    Specify a name for the command output file if you do not want to use the default value of dbupdatelobs.txt.
    Update Errors Filename
    Specify a name for the file containing error information if you do not want to use the default value of dbupdatelobs.zip.
    Input Filename
    Specify the file name of the CSV file.
    Import Options
    Select the Validate Only check box.
    Delimiters and Patterns
    • Field Delimiter: If you are importing from a CSV file with a different delimiter than a double quote character, specify that here.
    • Field Separator: If you are importing from a CSV file with a different field separator than a comma, specify that here.
    • Decimal Separator: If you are importing from a CSV file with a different decimal separator than a period, specify that here.
    • Line Separator: Specify Windows or Unix as the line separator type.
    • Date/Time Format: If you are importing from a CSV file with a different date/time format that the default (YYYYMMDD), select ISO Date/Time Pattern, or specify a date format string.
    • Encoding Type: Specify the encoding type of the import file.
    • Locale: If you are importing from a CSV file with a locale different than the default, select the appropriate one.
  5. Click Submit. The validation report will be placed in the FTP directory.
  6. After the validation runs with no errors, return to the Update Large Objects form and update the LOBs by entering values for the following fields:
    Action Choice
    Select Updating LOBS.
    Business Class
    Select the business class for the LOBs update.
    Optional Directory on the FTP Site
    If you are importing a CSV file from a sub-directory of the FTP site directory, specify that directory.
    Input Filename
    Specify the name of the CSV file.
    Import Options
    Do not select the Validate Only check box.
    Delimiters and Patterns
    • Field Delimiter: If you are importing from a CSV file with a different delimiter than a double quote character, specify that here.
    • Field Separator: If you are importing from a CSV file with a different field separator than a comma, specify that here.
    • Decimal Separator: If you are importing from a CSV file with a different decimal separator than a period, specify that here.
    • Line Separator: Specify Windows or Unix as the line separator type.
    • Date/Time Format: If you are importing from a CSV file with a different date/time format that the default (YYYYMMDD), select ISO Date/Time Pattern, or specify a date format string.
    • Encoding Type: Specify the encoding type of the import file.
    • Locale: If you are importing from a CSV file with a locale different than the default, select the appropriate one.
  7. Click Submit to process the LOBs update now, or Schedule if you want to schedule the LOBs update.

    If there are errors, a report will be placed in the FTP directory.