topic Re: Bulk Upload in Alfresco Forum

Bulk Upload

bupesoneka — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 15:27:11 GMT

I have over 2,000 manuals as PDF files created using flare. I have downloaded the Alfresco free trail to use as a tool for version control. Is this the right tool? what is the fastest way for me to upload a few hundred files to Alfresco. Will the program save the new files as new versions or would I

Re: Bulk Upload

mehe — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 16:27:29 GMT

Hi,

you can use the bulk importer: http://docs.alfresco.com/community/concepts/Bulk-Import-Tool.html

With that you can even create a version history for your documents (see "prepare the filesystem")

Re: Bulk Upload

bupesoneka — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 07:18:22 GMT

Hi Martin,

Thank you for you reply.

I have started reading the "prepare the filesystem" document and it states that the files need to be XML. Is this only limited to XML or can i use PDF files?

Re: Bulk Upload

bupesoneka — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 07:21:41 GMT

My sincere apologise I have read it again and it makes sense. Is there a way to add all files in a specific folder rather than adding files individually?

Re: Bulk Upload

mehe — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 13:52:32 GMT

The bulk importer takes a complete directory structure and imports it into alfresco

Re: Bulk Upload

bupesoneka — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:02:50 GMT

Thank you very much

Just one last question

I have been trying to set up the bulk upload.

When I complete the form I initiate the bulk upload and it gives me this page:

I'm not sure if I've been typing something in wrong.

Would you be able to give me some guidance on what I need to fill in to complete the process?

Regards

Bupe

Re: Bulk Upload

mehe — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:17:20 GMT

Your source and target seems to be wrong.

source is a directory under which the files that have to be imported reside, for example c:\myimportroot

target is the directory in alfresco, where the files should be imported to. For example company_home/mytarget

under c:\myimportroot you have, for example, the files

mydoc.pdf

mydoc.pdf.v1

mydoc.pdf.v2

mydoc.pdf.v3

after the Import you should see the file mydoc.pdf in alfresco (under company home/mytarget) with the .v files as versions

.. like documented...

Re: Bulk Upload

bupesoneka — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:45:31 GMT

Thank you very much I have finally uploaded the files.

The last question is about version control.

If i repeat the process will the system recognise that this is a new version or will it overwrite the old file?

Re: Bulk Upload

bupesoneka — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:59:18 GMT

Basically is there a way for me to upload the same files uploaded previously, with the same name without overwriting the old files?

Re: Bulk Upload

mehe — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 15:22:53 GMT

If the files in alfresco are "versionable" (which means, they have the versionable aspect applied) the new file will be uploaded as the newest revision.

Re: Bulk Upload

bupesoneka — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 15:35:09 GMT

well i have read the tutorials on versioning and I have tried adding a 'V#' as instructed and that doesn't work as the file is no longer readable.

Re: Bulk Upload

mehe — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 16:21:34 GMT

I cannot reproduce that - have you really tried like described? You wrote 'V#' should be 'v#', like above ...v1 ...v2 ....v3

You only need the version files if you want to import more than one version in one import process.

Re: Bulk Upload

bupesoneka — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 07:17:46 GMT

what I am trying to do is find out if there is a way to upload 2000 and 5 have amendments. is there a way for me to upload all the files and the 5 amended files to appear as v2 and not overwrite the old files?

I have tried to add 'v2' to the end of the files and that hasn't worked.

I have read the section on 'version history' but as I am new to the software I don't fully understand what i need to do.

Re: Bulk Upload

mehe — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 15:02:25 GMT

Maybe the explanation of Peter Monks, the original author of the import tool (afaik) is more detailed:

Preparing the Source Content · pmonks/alfresco-bulk-import Wiki · GitHub

Re: Bulk Upload

mehe — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 21:38:21 GMT

You can see the Version history (that means the older versions of the document and the metadata) on the documents detail page, at the bottom on the right.