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Database API Questions

 
 


dhorne
User

Feb 15, 2003, 6:25 AM

Post #1 of 3 (3395 views)
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Database API Questions Can't Post
I’m moving a site from standard handcoded flatfiles to Article Manager. I’d like to automate this, and am looking to use the Database API. I can parse out the following information from the original site:

*Article Title
*Author
*Subject
*Article body
*Image filenames

I have added a custom field to Article Manager to store the original filename so that I can match the article to the file if required. From looking at the examples that come with the API zip I think I understand what is required to load the files, except where images and custom fields are involved.

My questions are as follows:

1. How do I specify the image filenames when I call the API?
2. Do I put ***imagen*** placeholders for the graphics?
3. How do I specify the custom field (original filename)?
4. Do I copy the images to the upload directory? If so I take it that the names will be recognized and the placeholders will be substituted with the appropiate <img> tag when the article is published

I’m guessing something like

my %rec = (
'mon' => $mon, 'day' => $day, 'year' => $year, ‘hour’ => hour, ‘min’ => $min,
'name' => $article,
'summary' => $summary,
'content' => $body,
'summary_format' => 'auto',
'content_format' => 'auto',
'status' => 2,
'cat' => 1,
'art_type' => 1,
‘spare1’ => $author, # Is the author the first spare field?
‘spare2’ => $original_name,
‘ufile_image1’ => $image[0],
‘ufile_image2’ => $image[1],
);

my $new = &DB_Add($db{'art'}, \%rec);

I’m not clear on the relationship between the ufile_image and imagename. Any advice appreciated.

Thanks, Dan
Dan Horne
Redbone Systems Ltd
[url]http://www.redbone.co.nz[/url]


dlo_itools
Staff


Feb 17, 2003, 11:05 AM

Post #2 of 3 (3363 views)
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Re: [dhorne] Database API Questions [In reply to] Can't Post
Hi Dan,

You're got most of the pieces correct. Here are some answers to your questions:

1. How do I specify the image filenames when I call the API?

You do not need to create a separate field for the filename, because that's what the ufile_image fields are for. Each image has three associated fields:

ufile_imageN : this is the filename of image
imagenameN : this is the internal name for the image; you'll see this in the table of images at the bottom of the Edit Article page
captionN : this is the caption displayed under the image when you insert ***imageN***

2. Do I put ***imagen*** placeholders for the graphics?

Yes. After putting in values for the imageN fields, just use ***image*** in your article content to refer to that image.

3. How do I specify the custom field (original filename)?

To use the custom fields (or spare fields as they are called in Article Manager), just put the value into a spareN field. When you run Article Manager, you'll still need to go to the setup options to enable those fields, set the fieldname and type, etc.

4. Do I copy the images to the upload directory? If so I take it that the names will be recognized and the placeholders will be substituted with the appropiate <img> tag when the article is published.

That is correct. Just put the file into the upload/ directory, using the same as the one you used for ufile_imageN. When you publish an article, the ***imageN*** placeholders will be converted into the correct <img> tag.

For example, your %rec line for each record might look like

Code
my %rec = (  
   ...your previous code... 
  'spare1' = $author, 
  'ufile_image1' = $filename1,     # e.g. 'boty2002.jpg' 
  'imagename1' = $imagename1, # e.g. 'Book of the Year 2002' 
  'caption1' = $caption1, # e.g. "Dan's latest books wins big!" 
  'spare1' = $some_useful_info, 
);


If you need more information, just ask anytime. And let us know how your site conversion goes!
/Dave Lo


dhorne
User

Feb 18, 2003, 12:21 AM

Post #3 of 3 (3345 views)
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Re: [dlo] Database API Questions [In reply to] Can't Post
Thanks Dave, it worked well
Dan Horne
Redbone Systems Ltd
[url]http://www.redbone.co.nz[/url]