Importing documents from a database

Notes

• The time that it takes to import documents is affected by many factors. For the best performance, we recommend that the source database and document files reside on the Meridian server. After the import is complete and has been accepted, the source data can be deleted. To estimate the time required, perform a test import with a subset of the data and extrapolate the results.
• Before importing files with external references, such AutoCAD drawings and Autodesk Inventor assemblies, all external reference files must be fully resolved or they must be located in the same folder as the main file. Unresolved external references files will prevent the creation of the required Meridian references.

Tips

• Perform large imports after business hours so that server performance is maintained for production work. Importing thousands of documents with the Database Import Wizard can cause delays that are unacceptable to system users.
• Before you import many documents into a vault, we recommend that you finish all vault configuration. Some configuration changes can be very time-consuming when the vault is populated by a large number of documents. This is especially true for the Field-Path definition. We recommend that you import documents into folders that were created using the Field-Path definition that you have configured.
• To improve the performance of the server during large imports, temporarily configure the following settings as described in the BlueCielo Meridian Enterprise Administrator’s Guide. Remember to restore the settings when the import is complete.
  • Depending on the version of Windows, set Processor scheduling or Application response setting to Programs or Applications respectively.
  • Increase the value of the Maximum Log Size setting of the vault to a value that will prevent snapshots from being made during the import, which will delay completion.
  • Increase the value of the Minimum Snapshot Interval setting of the vault to a value that will prevent snapshots from being made during the import, which will delay completion.

Warnings

• Before attempting a large import, back up the vault first. That way, if the import does not go as planned, you can reverse the import easily by restoring the backup. Deleting incorrectly imported documents does not reclaim vault database storage space. For information on backing up vaults, see the BlueCielo Meridian Enterprise Administrator’s Guide.
• After files have been imported a vault, document properties that were not explicitly set during the import (from title blocks, default property assignments, and so on) contain no values. Those properties will not be synchronized to the imported content files by the Meridian application links. This is done on purpose to prevent overwriting existing values. The properties can be synchronized from the imported content files. Such properties must be set in the vault to an explicit value at least once before the properties will be synchronized to the content files.

To import documents and their metadata with the Database Import Wizard:

1. Create a source database that contains metadata about the documents that you want to import, as described in Creating an import source database.
2. In Configurator, on the Vault menu, select Import from a Database. The Database Import Wizard appears.
3. Click Next. The Configuration File page appears.
4. To use an existing Database Import Wizard configuration file, select it from the list or click Browse, select the file, and click Open.
5. If the configuration file is complete and correct, click Start Import to begin the import immediately. Click Resume to continue a previous import. To configure a new import, click Next. The Database page appears.
6. Click options or type values using the descriptions in the following table.

7. Depending on the data source you selected, the Select Table dialog might appear. If so, select the table (or Excel range) that contains the data that you want to import and click OK. The File Path Field page appears.
8. Select a field in the source database from Path field that contains the path to the files that you want to import. Click Next. The Document types page appears.
9. Assign document types, as described in Assigning document types to imported files and click Next. The External References page appears.
10. If you want the Database Import Wizard to attempt to resolve external references after the import has completed, select Resolve external references. Resolving references creates a Meridian reference between the documents. Click Next. The Initialize Properties page appears.
    
    Note    If CAD external references will be resolved during import, the native application may need to be installed on the computer where the Database Import Wizard is run. This is true for all CAD applications except AutoCAD.

11. Select options to initialize properties as described in Initializing document properties and click Next. The Title Block Fields page appears.
12. Select Import title block data if the information in CAD drawing title blocks is more complete or accurate than the data in the source database. The title block data will overwrite data imported from the source database. The document types assigned to documents with title blocks must be configured to exchange title block data, as described in Configuring standard title block synchronization. Click Next. The Rendition file path field page appears.
13. Select Add the rendition file to the document if the source database contains a field that contains the paths to separate rendition files that you want to import to the vault. Select that field from the list. The rendition files will be imported to the vault and associated with the documents that are created.
    
14. Click Next. The Exclusions page appears.
15. Select options to exclude certain documents from being imported, as described in Excluding documents from import and click Next. The Revisions page appears.
16. Select options to import document revisions, as described in Importing revisions and click Next. The Tree Structure dialog box appears.
17. Select an option to specify whether or not the drive letter of the path of the source documents should be used to create the top-level folder of the documents’ paths in the vault, and click Next. The Final Settings page appears.
18. Click options or type values using the descriptions in the following table.

19. Click Next. The final page appears.
20. Click Finish. The import begins and a progress dialog box appears showing statistics, as described in Monitoring the import progress.
    
    If you need to cancel the import for any reason, it can be completed later by loading the same configuration file in step 4 and resuming the import in step 5.

19. When the import is finished, use a Meridian client application to verify the results by checking the following for a representative sample of documents in the vault:

• Name and location (Field-Path definition) in the vault
• Document content is present and viewable
• Correct property values, especially for the properties described in Creating an import source database.
• Document revisions
• Hybrid documents
• Meridian references were created during the import for external references, if applicable

20. If you chose to create a log file in step 16, review the log file for errors.