Importing from db with different tables and names

[Bonnerbl]

This is similar to 3217167 Importing from old copies of the same database.

I have database A developed several years ago. There is now database B with new tables and some similar fields but with different names.

I need an automated way to import the old informtion into the new database. I I am now at the point of using the IMPORT command to import. Part of that is the mapping of the old fields to the new fields. But when I go the screen where I indicate the mapping, the source table/fields naturally are not there.

1. How do I specify the mapping if the screen doesn't know what the input database is?

2. Do I copy the old database structure into aa "dummy" database and use it when doing the mapping and somehow overriding it at execution with the actual database name?

3. Or do I have to loop through the old database with script steps setting variables = to the fields and then loop through the new database setting the new fields = the appropriate variables?

Really need help conceptualize what I need to do.

Thanks!

(am sitting in a hotel room with only the internet as my source for how to info. Left the manual at home :-<.)

[Bonnerbl]

hmmm. 85 views and no reply.

This is what I think will work.

1. create an empty "conversion" database with table identical to the old database.

2. in the new database the script should

- ask the user for the name of the database to be converted.

- copy that database into the "conversion database"

- import from the "conversion" database.

My reasoning is that if I have a "conversion" database I can identify it in the script and the import mapping step will display its fields as well as the new database fields. That solves my problem of identifying to the import mapping what the fields are in the old database.

Rest of the script is pretty straightforward. So it is a plain ol' vanilla import preceded by a simply copy of old database into the "conversion" database. Does this sound reasonable?