Import/Export Data File Format

The file and record formats used by the Import/Export Utility give you the ability to transfer configuration data between the CIMPLICITY point database and third-party software.

Import/Export reads and writes text files that use the .csv(Comma Separated Value) format. Each record in a .csv file begins on a new line and continues until the next new line character is encountered. Each field in a record is separated by a comma. You can process CIMPLICITY point configuration data in any third-party application that can read or write files in .csv format.

The .csv files used by Import/Export consist of a number of records. These records use the SNF (Shared Name File) format. In an SNF file, the first record, called the Field Names record, lists of the names of all the variables contained in each subsequent record.

In addition, the SNF format used by Import/Export has the following conventions:

  • For import, if a field is empty, and the point already exists, the current value of the field is preserved.
  • For import, if a field is empty, the point is a new point and a default is defined in ie_deflds.cfg, the default is entered in the field in the database.
  • Comment lines are indicated by two-pound signs at the beginning of the line.
  • The field names must be from the list of supported fields and are case insensitive. Any invalid fields will be identified as an error and ignored.
Important: You can change a point from a null to a non-null value. However, once a point has a non-null value you cannot change it to a null value. If you try to change a non-null value to null and do a clie import you will see that fields that were supposed to change retain the previous non-null values.