Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.

CSV Specifications

To import and export element data to and from Enterprise Architect using CSV files, you must first set up one or more file specifications.

A file specification defines the:

•Fields from the spreadsheet in the order they are imported or exported
•Filename (optional) and
•Delimiter between columns

Once you have defined one or more specifications, one can be selected in the CSV Import/Export dialog as the current specification to apply during an import or export action.

CSV Import/Exports only imports and exports elements (within packages) and their properties; items such as Class attributes cannot be imported or exported through this mechanism.

XMI import/export provides a solution to this limitation, as does use of the Automation Interface (Object Model).

Access    Project | Model Import/Export | CSV Import/Export Specifications

Reference

On the CSV Import/Export Specification dialog, complete the fields as required, as indicated in the following table:

Field

Usage

See also

Specification Name

Select the unique name for this specification.

 

 

Delimiter

Specify the character delimiter to use between record fields.

If a field contains an instance of the delimiter, the field is exported wrapped in " (quotation marks) and all instances of " in the field are doubled (that is, " becomes "").

 

 

Notes

Record a brief description of the specification.

 

 

Default Filename

Select the default filename.

 

 

Default Direction

Set the default action - Import or Export.

A specification can be used in either direction, but this enables you to set the default type.

 

 

Default Types

Limit the element types being exported, by entering a comma-separated list: for example: class,requirement,component,node,object.

•If you specify element types, ONLY elements of those types are exported or imported; therefore, in order to enable the Preserve Hierarchy option to operate (if selected) you must include Package as an element type, otherwise there are no packages in which to preserve the hierarchy
•If you do not specify any default element types, all elements including Packages are exported or imported and the hierarchy can be preserved

 

 

Preserve Hierarchy

Include fields generated by Enterprise Architect to embed/reconstruct the package hierarchy.

 

Using Preserve Hierarchy

Available Fields

Select from a list of possible record fields, not yet allocated.

 

 

File Specification

List the record fields (in the order they are plotted across the spreadsheet) already assigned.

 

 

Add Tagged Value Field

Adds a Tagged Value column to the CSV Specification, to import or export the value that an element has for a particular tag.

When you click on this button, a prompt displays to select one of two options:

•Value - to import or export the content of the Tagged Value Value field; a column heading with the prefix TagValue_ is added to the specification
•Notes - to import or export the content of the Tagged Value Notes field (some Tagged Values use the Notes field to accommodate long values, such as <memo> text); a column heading with the prefix TagNotes_ is added to the specification

 

In each case, the Add Tag Value Column dialog displays.

Select either the

•Global Tagged Values option, or
•Tagged Values from the selected Element option, and  select the required element using the Other Element button

 

Now select the required Tagged Value from the Tagged Value drop-down list, and click on the OK button.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Package Browser Options

Add Field

Move all selected fields in the top list to the bottom list.

 

 

Remove Field

Move all selected fields in the bottom list back to the available list.

 

 

New

Create a new specification.

 

 

Save

Save changes to the currently selected specification.

 

 

Save As

Save the current specification with a new name.

 

 

Delete

Delete the current specification.

 

 

Close

Close this dialog.

 

 

Notes

•In Available Fields and File Specification, the record fields Created Date and Modified Date are not set when imported from CSV

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