egroupware/importexport/doc
Cornelius Weiß b7d62c7b09 initial import of my importexport work,
export is quite clean at the moment, but import needs lots of work, 

all the stuff is not really for production yet, but i import it now, so that the guy from metaways can also work on it.
most pending tasks:
- implement conversions based on regular expressions
- implement options of plugin
- rework import part (mostly ui)
2006-11-10 15:30:01 +00:00
..
README.developers initial import of my importexport work, 2006-11-10 15:30:01 +00:00

=importexport=

Importexport is a framework for egroupware to handle imports and exports. 
The idea behind importexport is to have a common userinterface in all apps regarding 
import and export stuff AND to have common backends whitch handle the stuff.
Importexport can nothing without the plugins of the applications.

Attending importeport framework with you application is pretty easy.

You just need to have your plugins in files which start with 
class.import_<type> or
class.export_<type>
in 
EGW_INCLUDE_ROOT/YourApp/inc/

== definitions ==
The bases of all imports and exports is the '''definition'''.
A definition defines all nessesary parameters to perform the desired action.
Moreover definitions can be stored and thus the same import / export can be redone
by loading the definition. Definitions are also reachable by the importexport 
'''command line interface'''.

== export ==
Starting an export is as easy as just putting a button in your app with: 
onClick="importexport.uiexport.export_dialog&appname=<appname>&have_selection=<{true|false}>"
If parameter "have_selection" if true, export askes (javascript) opener.get_selection();to retreave
a list of identifiers of selected records.

NOTE: javascript function get_selection() is the only function which is not part of an interface yet.

==Discussion of interfaces==
To make live easy there are several general plugins which can be found 
EGW_INCLUDE_ROOT/importexport/inc/import_...
EGW_INCLUDE_ROOT/importexport/inc/export_...