Matrix Export Wizard

Matrix export wizard for tab separated lists

With this form you can export the descriptor and description data from the database to a tabulator separated text file. The output includes the database keys. Furthermore you have the option to create rsp. update import mapping data and generate an matrix import schema. Therefore you may correct the data, e.g. by using a spreadsheet program and re-import the changes by using the matrix import wizard. Choose Data → Export -> Matrix wizard … from the menu to open the window for the export.

In the Export project section all projects of the database are shown as a tree. Select here the project that shall be exported. In case of hierarchically organized projects the subordinated projects will be included for export, if the Include child projects option is checked. You may pass a description list to the form by starting a query in mode “Edit descriptions”. Now you have the option to select single descriptions for export. In this case the Export project section shows the button  to switch to the list view (see below).

In the Export descriptions section you find all description titles that have been passed to the export form (see below). You may select all entries by clicking the all button, deselect all entries by clicking the none button or toggle your selection by clicking the swap button. By clicking the button you will return to the Export project view.

The Withheld data section allows control over export of datasets that contain entries with data status “Data withheld”. Option Supress whole description (default) excludes all descriptions form export where at least on descriptor is marked with “Data withheld”. Option Hide withheld descriptor excludes only the corresponding descriptor data from the description. Option Export withheld data does not exclude any data from export.

The Options section allows the selection of the Descriptor tree: and descriptor sequence number bounds (From descriptor: and to descriptor:) for restriction of output table columns.

If you select option Use sequence, the descriptor state sequence numbers will be inserted into the output table instead of the state names. These sequence numbers will be inserted into the selected import session (see below) for a later re-import of the data. If you export the descriptive data to edit them with a spreadsheet tool, e.g. Microsoft Excel, you have to identify the active categorical states by their sequence number. 

To include all exported data in quotes, check option “quotes”. Select Trim end to remove white characters (e.g. blank or word wrap) at the end of texts. By specifying the State separator: (default , ) you determine how multiple categorical state values will be concatenated in the table cells. By changing the selected Lang. settings: you may adapt the output of floating point numbers or date and time fields to your needs.

Import session

The section Import session: is relevant if you want to edit the description data in a separate spreadsheet programme and re-import the edited data using the Matrix Import Wizard. To select an import session cick on button Select and a window as shown below will be opened. You may either select an existing import session, which will be updated with the exported data, or create a new one.  

During generation of the matrix data file the relevant data for re-import will be stored in the selected import session. Additionally an xml import schema file will be generated as  <resources directory>\Export\Matrix_<Database name>_<Project>_Schema.xml. If you do not require the data for re-import, simply do not select an import session or click on button to cancel an existing selection. 

Export

Before starting the export, the export file name should be checked. The file name is generated as <resources directory>\Export\Matrix_<Database name>_<Project>.txt. This default setting may be changed by editing the File name or by navigating at the target location by pressing the button besides the file name. To generate an output without BOM, release the button.  

To check the export, click on the Test export button. In the Output preview data grid the first few lines will be displayed (see picture above). To generate the table file press the Start export button. During test and export the icon of the button changes to  and you may abort processing by clicking the button.