A client is currently generating an XML file in accordance with the formatting requirements of Laserfiche Import Agent. This file is generated from their Permitting system and provides for folders, subfolders, document names, templates and template metadata in their Laserfiche repository. They are having a problem now with one field. The field is the address quadrant, which is a list field and is sometimes blank. Quadrants exist for most numbered streets (N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW) but are fairly rare for named streets.
It turns out that the Import Engine appears to accept the blank values for several other fields which are simple string entries, but the quadrant, which is a list-type entry (with blank in the list) is not accepted when it is blank. The field is not required. The template and metadata for the entries don’t show when the quadrant field is left blank in the XML.
We found that the width they had for the field was 4, when I changed it to the default width of 40 Import Agent successfully imported the documents and applied the template with all the fields included.
The client isn’t comfortable with having the field allow that many characters so after some testing and tweaking, they found that the lowest amount for the field width is 19. The data being input into that field is never over a width of 2 so we’re unsure why it needs to be set so high.
Here is part of the XML code that is being used for that field when it is blank:
<LF:field_value name="Street Quadrant"></LF:field_value>
And when it has a value:
<LF:field_value name="Street Quadrant">SW</LF:field_value>
They aren’t getting any errors in the Event Viewer because it is importing. They were on Import Agent 9 and upgraded to Import Agent 10 as part of their troubleshooting process and that didn't resolve anything. Also, they're not sure if it ever worked before changing the field width. Laserfiche Server version is 10.1.0.151. I thought about getting them to a higher version, but I'm not sure if this is an Import Agent issue or a Laserfiche issue.
I also eliminated the Import Agent step by creating a test document when the list field width was set to 4 and assigning the template with the field set to blank and it saved fine and gave no error that there was something wrong with the field.
Any ideas as to why the width needs to be at least 19 in order for it to import correctly?