Dear all, in many projects forest inventory data has already been collected and is stored in different types of databases, csv and excel files. If these already existing files should be imported into a new open foris collect database what is the best practice? Our current strategy is: 1) create a new survey that reflects the inventory design 2.) Create scripts that convert the exiting data into csv files with a structure that fits to the survey in collect and 3.) Import the files using the data manager. However, writing the scripts that convert the old files to the structure of the new survey is complex and csv is not an optimal exchange format as e.g. no data types cannot be defined. What strategy would you recommend to import larger numbers of forest inventory data (+1000 plots ??)

Greetings Paul

asked 24 Nov '15, 16:59

pmagdon's gravatar image

pmagdon
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Dear Paul,
The CSV file is the only way we used to migrate data from previous systems. Usually the data comes from existing tables that is quite easy to export into a CSV file, then what you need to do is just modify the headings of this file to match the attribute names in your survey design and import the files one per each entity.
Even if you don't have the data types in the CSV file, Collect will parse the values depending on the corresponding attribute. This way of importing data is quite fast at the end and we tested it with huge datasets.
Thanks,
Stefano

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answered 24 Nov '15, 17:44

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Stefano (OF) ♦♦
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question asked: 24 Nov '15, 16:59

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last updated: 24 Nov '15, 17:44