Online CSV Data Source
This data source belongs to the Files category in the data source library. It enables you to retrieve dynamic content from CSV files (Comma-Separated Values, a structured text data format) located on an FTP directory or in a file sharing and storage solution such as Google Drive.
- Once the file is uploaded via the URL, you should define its configuration. In particular, you should specify the column separator used to divide each row into columns.
- The file data is then automatically updated each time the file is refreshed on the network.
Notes
See General remarks on data sources.
- The files stored on Google Drive must first be converted to CSV format before they can be integrated by Service Apps. You can use the generator located as follows: https://sites.google.com/site/gdocs2direct/.
Example
ExampleCSVFile
You want to retrieve from a CSV file the number of incidents and requests per employee by department:
- The file contains a header row ==> the First Line Contains Column Titles property is checked
- Column separator = ; (semicolon)
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Download List of properties
Content
Base Uri: URL for accessing the online CSV file. See Procedure Create an Online CSV file from a Google document
Preview
Configure Field Types: Used to open the field editor that enables you to select data source fields and specify the type of each field, e.g. date, integer, etc. when this is not automatically detected.
- The
button below the property shows the number of rows (max. 15) and columns extracted. Click to open the editor. - The button will display No data available as long as you have not selected any of the mandatory elements for the data source.
- In edit mode, only the first 15 data source records are displayed.
- In execute mode, all of the data source records are displayed.
- Data in static data sources comes from the last file upload.
- Data in dynamic data sources is refreshed when you open the app in edit mode.
SelectFirstRowAsCurrentRecord
Select First Row As Current Record: Used to indicate if the first record of the data source, when displayed in widgets, is selected by default (box is checked) or not (box is not checked).
NoDataMessage
No Data Message: This message is displayed when the data source does not contain any data.
- Enter the code directly in the field or click
to open the text editor.
AutoRefresh
Auto Refresh (Note: Only for dynamic data sources): Used to indicate the automatic refreshment interval for data from the data source in hours/minutes.
- Data is automatically refreshed each time the app is run and each time the page is redisplayed, regardless of whether it is in execute mode or edit mode.
- You should define an automatic refreshment interval only if the app is required to constantly display real-time data for long periods of time on screen.
example View dashboard data
- You should not specify an automatic refreshment interval if the app is only used for displaying a snapshot of data.
example Display a portal where catalogs can be consulted
FirstLineContainsColumn
First Line Contains Column Titles: Used to indicate if the first row of the data source contains the Dimension and Measures column headers (box is checked) or if it contains values (box is not checked). See Standard data source structure.
| Box is checked | Box is not checked |
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ColumnSeparatorCharacter
Column Separator Character: Character used to separate data into columns in the CSV file. It can be a comma, semicolon or tab.
- Click the button below the Configure Field Types property to preview your configuration.
example CSV file row: Service, Incident per Employee
- Column separator = comma ==> The row is divided into 2 columns: Service; Incident per Employee
- Column separator = tab ==> The row has only 1 column: Service, Incident per Employee
ColumnEnclosingCharacter
Column Enclosing Character: Character used to identify or delimit text in the CSV file (usually double quotes). This helps prevent any conflict due to the use of a column separator (defined in the Column Separator Character property) within a column.
- Click the button below the Configure Field Types property to preview your configuration.
example CSV file row = Incident per Employee, "2,7" (column separator = comma)
- Text delimiter = double quotes ==> The row is divided into 2 columns: Incident per Employee; 2,7
- Text delimiter = unspecified ==> The row is divided into 3 columns: Incident per Employee; "2 ; 7"
LineSeparatorCharacter
Line Separator Character: Sequence of characters used to identify a row change in the CSV file, i.e. modified record, based on the platform used:
- In Windows: \n\r = CR (Carriage Return) + LF (Line Feed)
- In Linux or Mac: \n = CR (Carriage Return)
DecimalSeparatorCharacter
Decimal Separator Character: Character used to indicate the decimal symbol in the CSV file. By default, this is a period (.).
ThousandSeparatorCharacter
Thousand Separator Character : Character used to indicate the thousands separator in the CSV file. By default, this is a space.
Master/Detail
SectionMasterDetail
Master Datasource: In a master-detail relationship, this is the name of the master data source linked to the current data source.
Master Field: Name of the primary key in the master data source used to establish the link with the current data source.
- As a general rule, it is the PK (Primary Key) column in the Service Manager) table.
Detail Field: Name of the EasyVista data source column identifying the key in the Service Manager table.
- As a general rule, it is the column whose prefix is FK (Foreign Key).
example You want to display all actions (detail data source) associated with an incident (master data source):
- Master Datasource = Incidents data source defined using the Operation > Incidents > All Incidents parent query.
- Master Field = PK identifying the Incident_ID column in the Incidents table.
- Detail Field = FK_AM_ACTION_REQUEST_ID identifying the action number related to the incident.
Procedure: How to create an Online CSV file from a Google document
1. Open your file with Google Docs, Google Sheets or Google Slides.
2. Click on File > Publish to the web.
3. Select the data you want to publish on line (by default, all the file is published) and select the Comma-separated values (.csv) option.
4. Click Publish and copy the link displayed.
5. Go to your app and paste the link in the Base Uri property.