Find out about the ways you can import data into Intermapper.
Transcript
Import devices from a file, and place them on a map. Use geographic coordinates to place them at specific locations.Here's how:
You can use a text file to import devices into maps. Because there are many options, I will give you a brief overview, then show you how to import data using geographic coordinates. This encompasses most of the available options.
For specific applications, you can create a text file by:
- Exporting a map
- Using a spreadsheet to create a tab or comma-delimited file, or you can
- Export data from a database
In any case, the text file must conform to one of a couple of formats. The easiest formats for inserting new devices are:
- Tab-delimited (.TAB) or
- Comma-delimited (.CSV) files
Here's an import file as viewed in Excel. And here it is in a text editor. Notice that the first line specifies the contents of the following lines.
In a new empty map, I'll import devices from the text file... And you can see the devices have been added to the map.
Now I'll create another new map. And I'll add a background image. A map of part of Alaska. I'll specify two benchmarks which allow Intermapper to compute the locations of devices based on their geographic coordinates. Now I'll import devices from a text file that contains geographic coordinates for each device. And you can see the devices have been added to the map in the correct locations.
The other format uses a first line called the directive line to specify the contents of the following lines. While this format can be used for inserting new devices, it is the only way to update information about devices through an import file. This file can be in tabbed or comma-delimited format, or can be an XML file. T abbed or comma-delimited files can be created in a spreadsheet program. Export an XML file to see an example of the format. With the directive line format, you have a powerful set of options for updating your maps. You can insert, update, or delete specific devices, and can change numerous parameters, probe-type and parameters, or geographic locations. You can change the appearance of the devices, including color, label, font, icon, location in an XY grid, and many more.
You can control router and switch interface attributes, map attributes, notifiers, and users.
Once you've created an import file, there are several ways to use it. You can open the import file from the File Menu's Import sub-menu in Intermapper or Intermapper Remote Access. You can use Intermapper Remote Access' Command-line Interface or HTTP API to execute commands either from the command line or from a script. Given the number of things you can control, scripting possibilities are virtually unlimited. You can also use the Command-line Interface or HTTP API to export data in any of the available formats. Information on importing and exporting map data is available in the Importing and Exporting Maps section of Creating Maps in the User Guide. Detailed information on file formats is available in the Advanced Data Import/Export chapter of the Reference section of the User Guide.
Detailed information on the Command-Line Interface and its command set is available in Scripting Remote Access in the Using Intermapper Remote Access section of the User's Guide. Also be sure to check out the section on the Intermapper HTTP API in the Developer Guide. That's importing devices in a nutshell. More information is available in the User and Developer Guides.
