12/1 - AbleCommerce Data Client Utility 7.0

[mfreeze]

I have 2 questions:

1. If I build an XML file for import (not an AC5.5 export) can I use it by selecting 'AC7 Upload' and selecting only the Products and, if so, will options and varients be imported if they are in the XML?

2. When will the DataPort with the ESD fixes be available?

[Naveed]

attached is a file and the error report (zipped) which i got using the most current dataport.
the error message on the products in this file is:
Error message: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.

could some of you look at the file and tell me what went wrong.

I reviewed the error log and all the errors looking of same nature..
It seems at least one of the CSV field exceeding the maximum allowed length, if you closely look at the exception and base exception:

Base Exception: String or binary data would be truncated.

I am verifying that which field causing the issue...

[Naveed]

It is "IconAltText" field for which the database maximum length is 100 characters but in your posted data it is 103+ characters....

please trim it 100 characters and hopefully you will get it successfully.

[mkeith1]

I though all the alt text image fields were 255 characters just like the name field. This is good to know.

[Major]

I am trying to import my latest version of AC 5.5 to a new install of ac7 on XP pro with SQL 2005 Express to do a final test and clean up any errors in parent categories. I had an old test going with several variations and wanted to start clean before I upload the file to our live server and replace our old 5.5.

Problem is, even though all previous exports from 5.5 either with the acexport.exe (store export utility) or the Data Tranfer/Export Data function built into the menu in 5.5 sr3 then copy the text and paste to test file with .xml extension worked fine when uploading with DataPort .19 and even once with DataPort .31; now I get this error for every group of info that Dataport tries to upload (i.e.; each set of 50 products, wrapgroups, customers, orders, etc). I have to click OK nearly 150 times for a 6570 product 500 order store.

Here is the text of the Authentication Error window that pops up.....

Authentication Failed. An unknown error occured while processing request. Exception Message:Index and length must refer to a location withing the string.
Parameter name: length
at
CommerceBuilder.DataClient.Api.ACRequestHandler.ProcessRequest(String requestXML)
at ClientApriService.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context)

Nothing shows up in the logs and it even says no errors in the saved log file.

I am running a developer license with an ip address as the url (license is for http://10.0.0.119). As I said, all worked well before I re-installed AC7. I believe this new install is build 10863 and before I was on an upgraded version of 10125/10152. Are there known issues with dataport .31 with build 10863?

[jmestep]

Hm... my boss was getting the same error so he sent me the file to check. I'll post back.
(It's a 5.5 CF store, but about a month ago I was able to do another CF store OK)

[jmestep]

I just ran the test and got the same error message. I tried the file I had done earlier and it errored also. I checked the date that I received the old file and it was 10/17, so I did it with the previous version of the dataport because I installed version 31 on 10/22.

[Naveed]

Authentication Failed. An unknown error occured while processing request. Exception Message:Index and length must refer to a location withing the string.
Parameter name: length
at
CommerceBuilder.DataClient.Api.ACRequestHandler.ProcessRequest(String requestXML)
at ClientApriService.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context)
.
.
.
Are there known issues with dataport .31 with build 10863?

No, that might be some new bug. Can you please share some sample data that can be used to reproduce the error consistently? This will help us identify/fix the issue...

[Naveed]

Here is a step by step guide for upgrading your AC5x store to AC7, please read this carefully before starting:
http://help.ablecommerce.com/upgrades/A ... erce_7.htm

[jmestep]

Naveed, I will send you the data file that worked in 19 but doesn't work in 31.

[Shopping Cart Admin]

Hello All,

See the first post of this thread for version 7.0.34 of the AbleCommerce data client.

[mfreeze]

Does this version fix all the ESD problems?

[Naveed]

Yes all the known issues are fixed for DataPort 7.0.34.

[eggheaddesign]

Hi

I've downloaded 7.0.34 and tried it against my shiny new installation of 7.1. It reports a version error when first run up - apparently this is not for 7.1?

Also, one of my requests earlier which did get some support was to allow the export of products with variants, one row per variant, in the CSV download and upload. The reason for this, as I explained, is that accounting system/stock control systems don't understand variants, they just know about products, and as one of the main uses of the dataport COULD be to provide inventory level updates to a running store (i.e. well beyond installation), being able to have one row per variant (which is afterall the level at which inventory is managed) is essential.

The accounting system could export a CSV file of inventory for each product/variant, and this could then easily be uploaded to the store. Job done.

Unless I'm having a senior moment, I can't see that this has been added? If not, when will you add it because it's a major piece of functionality that's missing that won't be hard to add and that will make a lot of people's life easier.

Just in case you're wondering, clients (i.e. the people who use the store everyday) don't like editing XML, which is why the XML route is not a serious option for this.

All the Best

Tony

[Naveed]

Hi

I've downloaded 7.0.34 and tried it against my shiny new installation of 7.1. It reports a version error when first run up - apparently this is not for 7.1?

Yes DataPort 7.0.34 is only for 7.0 stores.

And regarding product variants CSV import / export feature, it is already in our future enhancements list.

[divers-supply]

What version of dataport should 7.1 stores use? I have tried them all and can only get 1.0.0.19 to work and it will not download the orders correctly.

[eggheaddesign]

And regarding product variants CSV import / export feature, it is already in our future enhancements list.

I suppose I'm not going to answer to the obvious question of when this will be done, am I?

Cheers

Tony

[Naveed]

What version of dataport should 7.1 stores use? I have tried them all and can only get 1.0.0.19 to work and it will not download the orders correctly.

DataPort for 7.1 stores is not yet released. It is still under development.

[Major]

Mazhar,
One other thing I noticed : we recently imported a 50MB export file from a 5.5 store with over 1400 categories and 15000 products. Everything went fine... except quite a few categories were not put in the right place as a sub-category. Rather they all ended up in the root. Checked the original store and they are not orphans... they are setup correctly.

I looked at the XML and the only differentiating datapoint for all these categories that ended up in the root was the "OrderBy" field value. They were all "0". Like so :
<OrderBy>0</OrderBy>

There were other sub-categories for the same parent that went to the right location.. and the XML data for both looks alike except for the OrderBy above.

I think this might be causing an issue during import... can you please test this as well at your end? I have over 150 sub-categories that are in root and need to be moved manually

-sri
sri@awcs.net

I am having this issue still with DataPort .34. Is this and issue that can be fixed in DP or is it an export issue with 5.5 sr3 that will not be addressed?

I may not have 15000 products, but of my 6500 or so with nearly 150 categories, 320 products and about 20 categories showed up in the root that are not supposed to be. They also show up where they are supposed to be, but manually editing each items to get it to not show up in root by changing the <OrderBy> value in an xml is a lot of work.

[divers-supply]

Any idea when Dataport will be ready for version 7.1? I just purchased ablecommerce an it's not any good to me without Dataport. I'm having Able host it for me do I need them to change it back to Version 7.0?

Thanks

[upstat3]

I'm currently using DataPort to ship orders for Worldship. Since there is not a solution yet for importing tracking numbers back into Able does anyone know how to use Quantum View through UPS to notify customers of the tracking numbers?

[Naveed]

Naveed, I will send you the data file that worked in 19 but doesn't work in 31.

Hello Judy,

Can you please confirm the CFMX AC55 data import problem with the DataPort 7.0.34? Please keep in mind that current version of DataPort only works for 7.0 stores.

[jmestep]

Yes, it worked great. I'm just glad I hadn't updated the site to 7.1 yet. I'm not sure about the digital goods- I'm not working on the store and am not familiar with the products. There are 3 digital goods there, but I don't know if he added them or they came from the import.

[Naveed]

There are 3 digital goods there, but I don't know if he added them or they came from the import.

Please read the AC55 to AC7 migrating manual. It has so much important things that are recommended to read before starting import. Here is a link:
http://help.ablecommerce.com/upgrades/A ... erce_7.htm

As mentioned in "AC55 to AC7 migrating manual" When importing gift certificates from AC55 to AC7 they can be duplicated in Digital Goods section. So, if you find any gift certs duplicated in Digital Goods section you can safely delete them. I am also copying complete text from manual..

Gift Certificates

In AbleCommerce 7, Gift Certificates have their own management interface located under Manage > Gift Certificates. After importing gift certificates, they will appear in the Digital Goods section as well as the new Gift Certificate management area. You can delete any Gift Certificates found under Catalog > Digital Goods > Manage Digital Goods section.

[jmestep]

It wasn't gift certificates, it was some other thing and I haven't had a chance to ask him if they were imported or if he added them later.