Batch import of metadata / aspects on Alfresco?

[trelofysikos]

Hi,

I would like to batch import documents on the Alfresco repository.
I m able to do this with CIFS/ FTP/ WEBDAV.
These documents have certain metadata which i store in a database.
How can I give properties / aspects easily(btach) on my files?

Is it possible to batch import metadata or aspects on Files allready in Alfresco ?

[pmonks]

I'd suggest using a Web Script (http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Web_Scripts) for uploading the metadata.  Your batch import process would upload files as usual, then call a Web Script to set the metadata on those files.

Cheers,
Peter

[mdutoo]

Hi

Beyond webscripted import as pmonks said, you can use the Open Source ETL tool Talend 3.1 and its Alfresco connector to import data (taken e.g. from XLS, XML, databases or anything Talend can look into) into Alfresco as any kind of Alfresco content (documents, folders, custom…).

Otherwise there is an ACP generator (but I didn't test it) or you could even develop a specific automated action, though that probably would amount to more work.

Some links :
Talend 3.1 including the Alfresco connector is available at http://www.talend.com/download.php
Its Alfresco connector has been contributed on the Alfresco forge at http://forge.alfresco.com/projects/etlconnector/
More information at http://knowledge.openwide.fr/bin/view/Main/AlfrescoETLConnector

[pmonks]

That reminds me - OpenMigrate (http://www.tsgrp.com/Open_Source/OpenMigrate/open-migrate.jsp) does something like this too.  One of my colleagues used it quite extensively for a Hummingbird -> Alfresco migration and thought it was pretty good.

Cheers,
Peter

[mdutoo]

Interesting, I didn't know about it, thanks for the feedback.

[groutal]

Hi Mdutoo, thank you for the information. About Talend Open Studio, it is an open source ETL tool for data integration experts with a user-friendly GUI, easy to learn for a non-technical user. What distinguishes Talend, when it comes to business users, is the tMap component which allows the user to get a graphical and functional view of integration processes. For more information: http://www.talend.com/

[trelofysikos]

thanks for the feedback guys.

I gave talend a wuick try and thought it was a bit confusing. If anyone can help me with how to import a certain tree structure with metadata in alfresco i would be gratefull.

Also i'm now downloading openMigrate which seems promising. Anyone ever used this for batch import of documents + metadata in alfresco ?

[groutal]

Hello trelofysikos,

With Talend you can perform many functions and if you are trying to load metadata in Alfresco, you can perform that operation easily. Talend has connectors to Alfresco so you can import metadata from Alfresco.
About importing a tree structure, you should be able to do that with Talend.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask, we will answer the best we can.

[itbeb]

What does one do if you want to migrate ordinary Windows file system docs to Alfresco and want to keep the dates in tact, i.e. you want the created and modified dates to stay the same when you upload it to Alfresco and not to change to the current date?

[trelofysikos]

Hello trelofysikos,

With Talend you can perform many functions and if you are trying to load metadata in Alfresco, you can perform that operation easily. Talend has connectors to Alfresco so you can import metadata from Alfresco.
About importing a tree structure, you should be able to do that with Talend.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask, we will answer the best we can.

Hey Groutal,

can you give me a simple example of one file+metadata  import to alfresco using Talend ?
like a step by step tutorial ?