Automating a Data Management export

[ids]

I will be doing a custom export for a client. Before now I haven't needed to automate an export from Data Management. Is there a method to include the export as part of a scheduled task? Can I have the features in one module? I haven't studied the question all that long but nothing is popping right now.

Scott
IDS

[ILoveHostasaurus]

Is it data that cannot be retrieved via API instead? That would always be the preferred method to push/pull data in an automated fashion.

[ids]

The API answer is partly true, but the request is using a Data Management export.

Scott

[Kent Multer]

I haven't written an "official" export module -- one that uses the export feature in the module API -- in some years. When a client needs a custom export, I usually write a utility module, mostly because it's more similar to all the other types of modules. I'm more familiar with the territory, and I can copy-and-paste lots of code from other modules to speed up the job.

That being said, I assume that if you write a module that does use the export API feature, it will show up in the Data Management section of the admin, along with all the other export and import modules.

The store has a built-in scheduled task for running import modules, but apparently not for exports. So you may need to add the scheduledtask API feature to your module. I've written a few of those; they're a bit hard to debug, since they can't always write to your screen to tell you what they're doing. But if you start with an example from the LSK, it shouldn't be too hard to get it running.

Hope that helps --

[ids]

Thanks, Kent. Want to clarify, you have not written an export module with the scheduled task feature? I have added scheduled tasks to modules, just not an export module. I'd guess it would work but was hoping to find out if I'd waste time finding out these features can't be combined.

I have to ask at the risk of hijacking my own question, "built-in scheduled task for running import modules?" I may have missed something. There is the PROVIDE.XML file which can run on an Admin USER login. Are there other methods to run an import?

Scott

[Kent Multer]

If you create a scheduled task, and pull down the Operations menu, you'll see an option labeled something like "Standard Scheduled Task: Import." If you select that, you'll get a second menu to select the type of import. I must admit I don't know if it supports all import modules, or only the ones provided by Miva.

[ids]

Thanks Kent. I'll check it out. Sounds promising.

Scott