Hello,

I need clarification around importing.

I was having issues when I was importing records from an AS400 source: the issue was not with the import per se but with the "delete all" before the import. I would get "Communication with the host was interrupted and could not be re-established" (and it was not because of the PC going to sleep).

So I changed the import to update matching. Results are much better.

However I am wondering how to address the issue of when existing records (in FM) no longer exist in the source, how do I know to get rid of them?

Do I need to do a delete all on occasion (and monitor comm issues...) or do I need to have some sort of extra flag (like modified date) for each record and delete the records which have not been updated? Or is there some other way?

(this solution uses Server 8 Advanced on Windows, the import is done from a client)

Thanks for your ideas!

MF

Some members may know what a AS400 source is, but for those of us who don't, please explain further.

Lee

I honestly don't see how changing the beginning of the import from Delete All to Update Matching records would keep the import from losing communication with the host.

AS400 is database software. I started to learn it cuz my mom worked at a courthouse and it was the software they used. Then I was introduced to Filemaker and didn't look back.

Are you switching from AS400 to Filemaker or are you importing for some other reason?

AS400 is an IBM machine. I am using ODBC to request data from a system that resides on this machine. I am querying an inventory table to obtain around 200 000 records (SKU, location, on hand, on transfer). Sorry if it was not clear.

It seems that delete all is an issue, when using the server (when I close the files on the server and use the client as the host to do the import, the delete all is fine). Doing the import/update seems to be better - no communication errors. My guess is that an update/matching does not touch the key fields and no-reindexing needs to happen. Delete all requires more processing.

Update: I've taken the path of adding a field with a modified date stamp. Any records that was not updated or added in the last import is deleted. The number of records deleted is much less. For some of the tables the update is lengthy but at least it completes uneventfully.

Edited June 12, 200718 yr by Guest

I honestly don't see how changing the beginning of the import from Delete All to Update Matching records would keep the import from losing communication with the host.

AS400 is database software. I started to learn it cuz my mom worked at a courthouse and it was the software they used. Then I was introduced to Filemaker and didn't look back.

Are you switching from AS400 to Filemaker or are you importing for some other reason?

Edit: How are you Lee been awhile. Still appreciate the special help you gave me years ago :

Odd, I thought I hit edit and got a new reply o_@

Edited June 11, 200718 yr by Guest