Importing Data for Virtual Catalogs
A virtual catalog references the product data in one or more base catalogs. If you add a product to a base catalog, the product can also appear in the associated virtual catalog, depending on the inclusion rules. Products are represented once in the catalog database regardless of how many virtual catalogs they appear in.
When you run the Product catalog data import task to import data from a virtual catalog into the Data Warehouse, it also imports data from the associated base catalogs. For example, you might have a base catalog named “Compact Discs,” and you include it in the virtual catalog named “Spring Products.” You run the Product catalog data import task and Compact Discs data is imported into the Spring Products catalog in the Data Warehouse.
You can remove the Compact Discs catalog from the Spring Products virtual catalog, and then add another base catalog, named Books, to the Spring Products catalog. When you run the import task, the Spring Products catalog in the Data Warehouse will contain data for both Compact Discs and Books.
Perform Full Imports
To import products from virtual catalogs into the Data Warehouse, you must perform a full import. If a product or a category that exists in a base catalog is added to a virtual catalog, the product or category will have a smaller timestamp than the rest of the products and categories in the virtual catalog. As a result, the incremental import option will not import it.
See Also
Running the Product Catalog Data Import DTS Task
Troubleshooting the Data Warehouse Import Process
Copyright © 2005 Microsoft Corporation.
All rights reserved.