CSV from watched folder - populating $KeyAttributes?

Agents, Actions and Automation
1

Hi,
the watch folder functionality seems very handy! I’d like it to help automate the process of getting tabular data into TBX from csv files (allowing for editing csv’s on external editors). But right now the data from csv files is fetched onto the note’s $Text – would it be possible to fetch it to specific $KeyAttributes as well? (as for eg. when one copy/pastes directly from Numbers?).

Thanks!

I’m really considering renewing for this feature :slight_smile: just a (maybe off topic, sorry) question: no Winterfest this year? :slight_smile:

2
  1. Winterfest typically happens in late December.
  2. The problem with watched csv files is that they naturally are exploded into numerous notes. We could just delete all the children of the container and create new children; is that what you’d want? And is AutoFetch what you really want?
3

Thanks for the quick reply!
I’m putting some images to better express things:

If I have a table in Numbers

numbers.jpg1046×310 30 KB

and copy paste it into TBX I get the desired result, with correct $Name, $Text and $KeyAttributes

direct_copy_paste_from_numbers.jpg1250×418 46.7 KB

but if I export the numbers doc into a csv file and import it into TBX (via watched folder or not) I get a different result

csv_from_watched_folder.jpg1490×400 61.2 KB

I’d like the csv file to be imported with its $Name, $Text and $KeyAttributes in place, don’t know if it’s complicated in the current import mechanism!

1 Like
4

Works here. Please send the CSV with a brief note to tech support, info@eastgate.com ; there’s something amiss.

5

Thanks, will send.
Noticed that if I change the default delimiter of Numbers, from “;” to “,”, the csv gets correctly imported by drag-and-drop, but through watched folder I get the same result (all content into $Text).

6

Your CSV file imports fine when dragged into Tinderbox 7.3 .

We don’t currently automatically explode CSV files in watched folders, since this might easily make hundreds or thousands of notes — and it’s not clear whether existing notes should be preserved or deleted. We’re open to doing this if it facilitates work difficult to accomplish otherwise.

7

Thanks. Yes, the csv with standard delimiter (,) works fine (it was Numbers “fault” since it uses “;” as a delimiter for its csv exports).

I understand the dangers of the “explode” approach … but wished it was still there with a “USE ADVISORY” notice :slight_smile: