Importing data

While data can be entered into the TouchTil system using the forms, it is often more convenient to prepare the data in a spreadsheet program, such as Excel. Excel spreadsheets or csv files may be imported into TouchTil using from the Setup & Maintenance screen by pushing the Import data button.

 

 

The Import data dialog allows you to select which of TouchTil’s two main tables (Items, or Categories) is to be imported.  You can then Browse for the file you are importing. If you are importing from an Excel Workbook you will also need to specify the name of the work sheet (the name on the tab at the bottom of the worksheet – Note that Excel worksheets do not have a space between the word Sheet and the number when the default names are used).

As indicated in the screen shot above, it is essential to make a backup of your database before attempting to import a table. If an import fails and you have chosen to overwrite the existing table, then you have lost all the data in the table.

You can import CSV files, Excel worksheets or XML files. For CSV files or Excel worksheets the names of the columns of data MUST be provided in the first row of the data, AND the column names must be correct, otherwise the import will fail.

Not all columns (and column names) are required. The following table gives the column names that must be provided. Other column names are optional, and the complete list of column names may be obtained by exporting the columns names as described in the Exporting data section.

 

Required column names for importing the Items table

Column name	contents	notes
iText	the item’s name	Heading and data required
iCat	Category code for the item	Heading and data required
iPrice	the item’s selling price	Heading and data required
iID	row number or empty	Heading required
iFullText	additional item description
iPic	optional picture filename

 

The iText and iFullText columns are limited to 50 characters each; iCat, and iID are integer numbers (although the last item should normally be empty), iPrice, is a money item and may be provided as a number to two decimal places with NO currency symbol (the currency symbol is provided by the current currency setting in the Windows Regional settings applet available in the Windows Control Panel). The optional iPic column provides a filename for an image file which must be located in the Database directory and the name is limited to 50 characters each. Attempting to import data exceeding these limits will cause the data to be truncated and may generate a database error.

 

Column names for importing the Category table

Column name	contents	notes
catText	the Category name	Heading and data required
catID	row number or empty	Heading required
catPic	optional picture filename
catSerial	used internally – leave empty
catTicket	1, 0 or empty

 

The catText column is limited to 50 characters, and catID is an integer number – although normally should be left blank even thought the column name must be present. The optional catPic column provides a filename for an image file which must be located in the Database directory and the name is limited to 50 characters each. Attempting to import data exceeding these limits will cause the data to be truncated and may generate a database error. The catText may appear in full on printed tickets but is truncated to fit on the buttons on the order screen. The catTicket column may be left empty for application that do not involve ticket printing, or may contain a 1 to indicate that items in this category require to be printed as tickets, or a zero to indicate that items are treated normally (ie. just get listed on bills & receipts).