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

How to:

To define a specification:

  • Select the CSV Import/Export Specifications menu option
  • The CSV Import/Export Specification dialog displays; 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 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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