Importing and Exporting Lists

  • Article

Lists are created in List Manager by importing lists created by other applications, such as Microsoft SQL Server (to create a SQL table), and Notepad (to create an ASCII text file). List Manager requires files to have a specific mailing list format. If you have Commerce Server 2002 Service Pack 1, List Manager can import from any OLEDB data source.

For information about the format of a mailing list, see Creating a Mailing List. You can also import Analysis static reports and Segment Viewer lists into List Manager. You can then use these lists to run Direct Mailer jobs in order to target your users more successfully.

You can also export lists from List Manager to a file or SQL Server database table, and then search on and view members of the exported list.

To import a list

To export a list

To Import a list

  1. In Campaigns, click List Manager.

  2. In the List Manager screen, click Import on the toolbar.

  3. Select the source from which the list was created.

    The available options are File and SQL table.

    • Select File if the list was created in an application such as Notepad, where the list is a flat text file.
    • Select SQL table if the list was created in a SQL table.

  4. In the Import a list dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    List type
    • Select the Static option to import a static list.
    • Select the Dynamic option to import a dynamic list.
    Type name of list to copy to Type a name for the imported list.
    Specify a file on the server

    • If the list you want to import is a flat text file, type the path, file name, and extension of the list.

      Ee784806.note(en-US,CS.20).gifNote
      • When you specify the path (for example, <drive letter>:\<filename.txt>) the <drive letter> refers to the server computer (not the client computer). To import from the client computer, type the universal naming convention (UNC) path name.
      • If the list you want to import was created in a SQL table, do the following:

      1. In the Connection string box, type the database connection string that defines the location of a database and how to connect to it.

        Example: OLEDB connection string:

        Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Integrated Security='SSPI';Initial Catalog=”Retail_Commerce”;
Data Source=<machine name>”

      2. In the SQL query box, type the SQL query to return the wanted information. All members in all queries must be specified by their fully qualified names.

        Example: SQL Server 7.0 database query:

        SELECT u_email_address AS rcp_email 
FROM retail_commerce.dbo.UserObject 
WHERE d_date_registered >= '03/01/2000'

        Example: Remote SQL Server database query

        SELECT u_email_address AS rcp_email 
FROM <Server name>.retail_commerce.dbo.UserObject 
WHERE d_date_registered >= '03/01/2000'

        For information about List Manager field name requirements, see Creating a Mailing List.

      Ee784806.note(en-US,CS.20).gif Note

      • Contact your system administrator for database properties and SQL query information. For information about writing SQL queries see Query Fundamentals in SQL Books Online.

  5. Click OK.

The new list appears in the List Manager. You can now use this list in a direct mail campaign.

To export a list

  1. In Campaigns, click List Manager.

  2. In the List Manager screen, select the list you want to export, and then click Export on the toolbar.

  3. Select the source of the list that you want to export.

    The available options are File and SQL table.

    • Select File if the list was created in an application such as Notepad, where the list is a flat text file.
    • Select SQL table if the list was created in a SQL table.

  4. In the Export a List dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Specify a file on the server

    • If the list you want to export is a flat text file, type the path, file name, and extension to which you want to export the list.

      Ee784806.note(en-US,CS.20).gifNote
      • When you specify the path (for example, <drive letter>:\<filename.txt>) the <drive letter> refers to the server computer (not the client computer). To export from the client computer, type the universal naming convention (UNC) path name.
      • If the list you want to export was created in a SQL table, do the following:

      1. In the Connection string box, type the database connection string that defines the location of a database and how to connect to it.

        Example: OLEDB connection string:

        Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;
Integrated Security='SSPI';
Initial Catalog=”Retail_Commerce”;
Data Source=<machine name>”
      2. In the Table Name box, type the name of the table to export the list to.
      Ee784806.note(en-US,CS.20).gif Notes
      • Only a mailable list (one that contains an rcp_email column) can be exported to a file.
      • Contact your system administrator for database properties information.
    Overwrite existing table Check this box to overwrite an existing table with the list you are exporting.

  5. Click OK.

The list is exported to the selected source.

Ee784806.note(en-US,CS.20).gifNote

  • If the export fails, consult the Windows NT Event Log on the Business Desk Server computer for detailed information about the failure, or contact your system administrator.

See Also

Exporting Segment Data to List Manager

Exporting a Static Report

Exporting a Dynamic Report

Finding User Profiles in a Mailing List

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All rights reserved.