Updating large database objects

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

These are the main steps to update LOBs:

  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 contains the LOB fields with no values. You populate this CSV file with references to file locations relative to the FTP directory. Any path delimiters must be forward slashes /. If a file reference is not provided, no database change is made for that field. To delete an LOB, you can specify a reference to a zero-length file.

    When you use the Creating Input File action, you 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 are not updated and use only to identify the records. You can add more non-LOBs fields to aid in identifying the records to update. Only LOB fields are 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 are implicitly updated if they exist just as they would if you were to import the LOB through the application. Any errors are written to an error zip file that contains CSV files with the problem records.
Note: 
  • The input files are required to be in CSV 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 obtains the item.

  • Any path delimiters must be forward slashes /.
  1. In the Administration Console, select Database > Update Large Objects.
  2. On the Update Large Objects form, specify this information to define the template file:
    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 to override the default value of dbupdatelobs.txt.
    Output Filename
    Specify a file name for the CSV template file.
  3. Click Submit. The template file is placed in the FTP directory.
  4. After editing the CSV template file with references to the LOB files to update, return to the Update Large Objects form and validate the update.
  5. 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 to skip creating an error file.
    Command Output Filename
    Specify a name for the command output file to override the default value of dbupdatelobs.txt.
    Update Errors Filename
    Specify a name for the file containing error information to override 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: When importing from a CSV file, specify a different delimiter here if you prefer one other than a double quote character.
    • Field Separator: When importing from a CSV file, specify a different field separator here if you prefer one other than a comma.
    • Decimal Separator: When importing from a CSV file, specify a different decimal separator here if you prefer one other than a period.
    • 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.
  6. Click Submit. The validation report is placed in the FTP directory.
  7. 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:
  8. Specify this information:
    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: When importing from a CSV file, specify a different delimiter here if you prefer one other than a double quote character.
    • Field Separator: When importing from a CSV file, specify a different field separator here if you prefer one other than a comma.
    • Decimal Separator: When importing from a CSV file, specify a different decimal separator here if you prefer one other than a period.
    • 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.
  9. Click Submit to process the LOBs update immediately or Schedule to schedule the LOBs update.

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