Import Auctions from CSV
To help you populate your database much more easier, you can use the Import Auctions from CSV feature. With it you can import data from the admin backend as a bulk upload, which will append the data to your existing database.
To access this page go to Components/Auction Factory/Tools and click on Import Auctions from CSV, there you will find 2 fields which will allow you to upload a ".csv" file and an archive with images corresponding with the uploaded csv respectively. This feature is also available on the frontend if enabled in the configuration, the import button will show on the My Auctions Page.
These ".csv" files need to be written in a specific order and format to be eligible for upload and to have no errors since each value will be inserted in the database.
It is very important that the information is separated by tab spacing and without a header row.
The CSV to DB field mapping can be seen in the ImportFromCSV function in the "tools.php" file found at "components\com_bids\helpers".
To know exactly how the structure of the file must be, here is a list of the fields with their corresponding IDs and how they should be ordered on the .csv file:
| ID | Name | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Joomla UserID | This is the ID shown before the user in the userlist | 632 |
| 1 | Title | Text which will be used as the auction title on listings and details page | Asus Zenbook Prime |
| 2 | Short Description | Short descriptive text regarding the item which will be displayed on listings | UX32A-DB31 13.3 |
| 3 | Description | Longer descriptive text regarding the item which can also contain HTML and that will be displayed on the details page | The Asus Zenbook Prime UX32A-DB31 13.3" Ultrabook Computer takes portability to the next level |
| 4 | Picture | Name of the photo representing the respective product | resize_9_img_13.JPG |
| 6 | Initial Price | Starting price of the auction, must be a valid number greater than 0 | 500 |
| 7 | Used Currency | Currency used for auction price, use one that is available from Currency Manager list (USD, EUR, AUD, etc.) | USD |
| 8 | BIN Price | Buy It Now price, needs to be greater than the initial price | 600 |
| 9 | Auction Type | Number representing the type of the auction: 1=Public Auction ; 2=Private Auction ; 3=BIN Only Auction | 1 |
| 10 | Automatic | Parameter to set if the auction is fully automatic (0=No ; 1=Yes) | 1 |
| 11 | Payment Method | Text from the list of the available payment methods found at the Payment Gateways page (PayPal, Moneybookers, etc.) | PayPal |
| 12 | Shipment Info | Informational text regarding the shipment | Buyer pays for shipping |
| 13 | Start Date | Date of when the auction starts which is required to be filled in (Y-m-d H:i:s) | 2013-11-10 17:00 |
| 14 | End Date | Date of when the auction ends which is required to be filled in (Y-m-d H:i:s) | 2014-05-10 12:00 |
| 15 | Param Picture | Parameter to set if the main picture of the product will be displayed or not (0=No ; 1=Yes) | 1 |
| 16 | Additional Picture | Parameter to set if the additional picture of the product will be displayed or not (0=No ; 1=Yes) | 1 |
| 17 | Auto Accept BIN | Parameter to set if the Auto Accept BIN function is enabled (0=No ; 1=Yes) | 1 |
| 18 | Show Bid Counts | Parameter to set if the Bid Counts function will be shown (0=No ; 1=Yes) | 1 |
| 19 | Show Max Price | Parameter to set if the Maximum Price function will be shown (0=No ; 1=Yes) | 1 |
| 20 | Published | Parameter to set if the auction is published (0=No ; 1=Yes) | 1 |
| 21 | Category | Name of one of the available categories | Electronics |
To help you even further to understand the structure of the CSV file, you can download auction_import_sample.csv.
More information available on our forum at: http://thephpfactory.com/forum/auction-factory/332-sample-data-bulk-import
File tested on version 3.5.4 of Auction Factory.