Dejal - Forum - Caboodle - Help with custom fields import

Help with custom fields import

Tue, 2010-11-16 13:39 — pws442

I would like to be able to import a file containing entries with custom fields. However, all the text (RTF or Plain) does not parse into the fields defined for the Destination. It just goes as the note with no fields filled in.

I exported a note, edited it, saved as a new name, and imported it. Alas, no custom fields.

Is this "beyond the scope"?

Tue, 2010-11-16 15:52 — David Sinclair

Re: Help with custom fields import

I definitely want to add more export/import options, including a "native Caboodle" format that preserves all custom field content, the icon, etc.

In the meantime, if you're comfortable editing XML data, you could edit the Caboodle data file directly to merge entries. Quit Caboodle first, then make a copy of the data file, then open it in a property list editor (or text editor). Just be careful.

Wed, 2010-11-17 14:31 — pws442

Re: Help with custom fields import

Thanks for the reply David. I have used a PIM in Windows for 17 years. Called Sidekick (not the same as the one you are probably thinking of now). Last version was in 1998 before Starfish Software abandoned it. Note files contain folders containing RTF memos with subject and created date. Card files contain entries with custom fields and plain text notes. I can export its data into RTF files. I can write a VB6 (sorry) program on my PC to parse this out and create XML import files for the tons of data I have accumulated. Caboodle seems to be structured in a similar fashion.

My goal is to create an several import files, each cardfile a top-level item, and each note folder a top-level item, I suppose. I am relatively comfortable with XML. Looked at your data file using TextEdit (I know of nothing else on the Mac yet), and no way am I going to edit it.

Any further thoughts? I hate to do this, and simply drop it into your file, but, I suppose I have a couple more weeks before I decide to go with Caboodle, it seems like it will satisfy my needs.

I really like Sidekick 98, and I run Parallels Desktop to use it and Quicken.

Wed, 2010-11-17 15:21 — David Sinclair

Re: Help with custom fields import

Given your skill set, it should be feasible for you to edit the Caboodle data to merge in your Sidekick data.

I'd suggest picking one of the existing entries in Caboodle (a simple one like one of the recipes, or create a new entry). Then find that in Caboodle's data, and copy the XML as a template. Then reformat the Sidekick data to match that template.

You can omit most of the XML fields; Caboodle will use default values. The one tricky aspect is the the entry itself is saved as RTFD data. This is basically the same as a flattened version of a RTFD package.

I do want to make this easier; I should be able to set the custom fields based on the text file import. But I probably won't have time to make that change till early next year.

Wed, 2010-11-17 17:51 — pws442

Re: Help with custom fields import

Thanks again, david. This will indeed be a test of my dinosaur skills! New terms: RTFD, and flattened version. I have flattened PDFs using VB/Crystal. I found a VB control that lets me read/search, and output based on character position; should be able to extract the keys, and put the actual data where it belongs. Don't really like inserting the extraction into the data file, but I will give it a go!

I mean, how bad can I screw it up! You will be the second person to know. Back in a week, perhaps.

Mon, 2010-11-22 10:36 — pws442

ElementIdentifier and ElementKind

Made a lot of progress. I can insert directly into the data file, and see the items next time I fire up Caboodle. Did some "stress" testing: Imported a small RTF note, copied/pasted its text until it was 50 times original size, and duplicated that item 800 times! Resulting data file about 166MB. Caboodle takes a minute or two to come up, but this is about 20 times the size of my current data base, so that is not an issue. Should be piece of cake to get the Sidekick data inserted into the file.

I do not understand a couple of things in the "header" area of the items: ElementIdentifier seems to be a GUID, and as I simply copied it 800 times, they are identical. is this a field I should not supply?. Same with ElementKind: seems to be set to DSElement (David Sinclair concoction?)

Mon, 2010-11-22 12:04 — David Sinclair

Re: Help with custom fields import

Sounds like good progress.

Simply omit ElementIdentifier and ElementKind from your XML, and Caboodle will automatically generate appropriate ones when the file is opened. You really shouldn't have duplicate ElementIdentifiers.

Mon, 2010-11-22 12:15 — David Sinclair

Searching Selected items

For some reason my content management system isn't accepting your other post, so I'll answer it here:

I would like to know if there is a way to search a specific "tree". Toolbar seems to search entire database, and Find command current note. Anyway either of these support a more selective search: multiple selected items and/or trees?

The ability to search "within" words is also VERY HIGH on my list of requirements.

Thanks again for your help. Above two things would "seal the deal" for me!

You are correct about the way searching works currently. I don't recall any previous requests for a more specific search, but I would like to add search filters at some point. It isn't on my timeline for the next few releases, though.

Mon, 2010-11-22 14:22 — pws442

Re: Searching Selected items

someone put in a post (somewhere in Dejal land) about "berry" matching the start of a word, but not in a word like "strawberry". Again, there seem to be many, many useful things for future versions......

So, it is either all items or current one for searching, and no partial matches.

darn, and it seemed like it would suit my needs!