Creating New Import Source Types

Aptify provides three default Import Source Types:

• Tab-delimited Text File: Import from a text file with field data separated by a tab.
• Excel File: Import from an Excel file.
• Access Database: Import from an Access database.

If you want to import data that is not in one of these formats, you need to create a new Import Source Type. Follow these steps:

1. A developer writes and compiles code that implements Aptify's IImportSourceReader interface to create an import process for the desired file type.
2. The developer writes and compiles code that implements Aptify's IImportSourceTypePropPage to specify the properties for the new source type.
   
   • The Prop Page specifies an input map control that appears in the Generic Import wizard and on the Import Runs record's Input Maps tab.
   • Creating new code is beyond the scope of this document. Refer to the Aptify Software Development Kit (SDK) for information on these interfaces. 
3. The developer or an administrator adds the source reader and property page object files to the Object Repository.
   
   • See Creating Object Repository Objects for more information on adding new items to the repository. 
4. Open a new record from the Import Source Types service (found under the Aptify Framework Administration application).
5. Specify the new source type's Name and Description in the fields provided.
6. Enter the .NET assembly name for the SourceReader file in the Assembly Name field.
7. Enter the Object Repository location of the SourceReader's object in the Object field.
   
   • Alternatively, you can click the plus (Emoticon: plus) icon to the right of the field to open the Select Object Repository Object dialog. You can use this dialog to browse for an existing object or to add a new object to the repository (if you have not done so already). See Creating Object Repository Objects for details. 
8. Enter the class within the .NET assembly that corresponds to the SourceReader functionality in the Class field.
9. Enter the .NET assembly name for the source's PropPage file in the Prop Page Assembly Name field.
10. Enter the Object Repository location of the PropPage's object in the Prop Page Object field.
    
    • Alternatively, you can click the plus (Emoticon: plus) icon to the right of the field to open the Select Object Repository Object dialog. You can use this dialog to browse for an existing object or to add a new object to the repository (if you have not done so already). See Creating Object Repository Objects for details. 
11. Enter the class within the .NET assembly that corresponds to the PropPage for this source type in the Prop Page Class field.  
    
     
12. Click the Input Properties tab.
13. Define a sub-type record for each property required by the Input Source Type.
    
    • This includes properties such as Filename and HasHeader.
    • See the three default source types for sample Input Properties.
    • Specify the property in the Name field, select the data Type from the drop-down list (such as String), and select the Is Required option, if the property is required to successfully perform the import operation.
      • See About the Input Properties Form for information on the Input Properties form.  
        
        
         
14. Save and close the Import Source Types record.