About Import Agent

The ImageNow Server installation includes Import Agent, which performs automated bulk importing of electronic files into ImageNow, where they become documents.

Import Agent uses an automated import process that requires no user interaction. You can configure Import Agent to poll a particular directory, at a given interval, for a specific file type. If Import Agent finds the designated file type, it attempts to import the file. After Import Agent imports the file, the system treats it like any other ImageNow document. The ImageNow Import Agent configuration file, called inserverImp.ini, controls all aspects of the import process. You can configure Import Agent to obtain the document properties for the import using one of the following methods.

• The exporting program provides the index data and the appropriate path to the import object through an index file.
• The exporting program provides the index data as a part of the import object. For this method to work, the import object must be a standard ASCII text file with the index data formatted as an index "line" within the object itself OR the import data must be a standard TIFF file with the index data provided as a standard TIFF tag structure with a data type of ASCII.
• In the Import Agent configuration file, you define .literal values to apply to the objects as they are imported. On import, Import Agent only uses the settings from the inserverlmp.ini file to index the file.
• The exporting program stores the data the system is importing with a naming scheme that includes the indexing values.
• The TIFF data files to be imported are accompanied by a text file that contains the data extracted from the supplied TIFF. Import Agent then searches the text file for a predefined value to use as an index value. These two files have the same file names with different extensions. Import Agent only imports the TIFF file into ImageNow.
• The XML files to be imported follow DoD (Department of Defense) 5015.02 standards.

Available Import Types

Use one of the following import types to import the data.

INDEX_FILE: Separate index files and Data Objects

Prerequisites

1. The index file must be in an ImageNow import format. See below.
2. Data objects must be directly available to the machine running Import Agent. You must define appropriate administrative privileges if you want Import Agent to delete source import objects.
3. For rolling imports (when data arrives before the previous import is completed), make sure the file naming for the data objects (including both path and file name) is unique.
4. The import object must use the same extension value as the index file extension variable defined in the inserverImp.ini file.

File format

The index file contains one line of index data per data object to import. Each line contains a seven-key index, an optional page number, and a fully qualified path to the object. Each field within the line is delimited by a system-defined delimiter, with the default value being ^. Each record is delimited by a and . The fully qualified path must contain the drive letter as seen by the server running the import facility.

Note - Import Agent does not require more than one index line per index file. The agent continues to process index files as long as they are presented to the appropriate import directory. Thus, the exporting process can create one index file per import object.

Line format

drawer^field1^field2^field3^field4^field5^doc type^page#^path to import object^<cr><lf>
drawer = 1 to 40 characters
field1 = 1 to 40 characters
field2 = 1 to 40 characters
field3 = 1 to 40 characters
field4 = 1 to 40 characters
field5 = 1 to 40 characters
Doctype = 1 to 40 characters

page # = 1 to 9999 inclusive, or if not required, the value <>

path to object = fully qualified server path + file name. The path is from the perspective of the server. Path is optional. If not provided the import object must be located in the same directory as the index file.

Example:

Contracts^1234567^Allen,Fred^5551231234^1000^^Default^1^f:\import\1.tif^
Contracts^1234568^Smith,Ann ^5552342345^1000^^Default^2^f:\import\2.tif^
Contracts^1234569^Jones,Robert^5553453456^2230^^Default^1^f:\import\3.tif^
Contracts^1234560^Smith,John^5554564567^2231^^Default^1^f:\import\4.tif^
Contracts^1234561^Young,Sally^5556786789^108^^Default^1^f:\import\5.tif^
Contracts^1234562^Carr,David^5557897890^1000^^Default^3^f:\import\6.tif^

COMBO: Combined index file and Data Object (text)

Summary

Use this format when the import objects are text based, and the user has the ability to combine the import data with the index data.

Prerequisites

1. The first line of the file must be in an ImageNow import format.
2. Each object must have a unique file name.
3. Import data must be in an ASCII file format, and must be appropriately formatted for viewing within ImageNow Client.
4. The import object must have a file name that matches the import/index object file name variable defined in the inserverImp.ini file. This variable allows wild cards.

File format

The index / data file contains one line of index data in the first line of the file. The index structure is for a seven-key index, an optional page number, a fully qualified path to the object. The line is delimited with the system-defined delimiter, with the default value being ^. A delimiter is required at the beginning of the line and at the end of the line. The index line ends with a and .

Line format:

drawer^field1^field2^field3^field4^field5^Doctype^page#^path to import object^<cr><lf>
drawer = 1 to 40 characters
field1 = 1 to 40 characters
field2 = 1 to 40 characters
field3 = 1 to 40 characters
field4 = 1 to 40 characters
field5 = 1 to 40 characters
Doctype= 1 to 40 characters

page # = 1 to 9999 inclusive, or if not required, the value <>

path to object = fully qualified server path + file name. The path is from the perspective of the server.

KEYMAPPING: Combined index file and Data Object (TIFF tags) TIFF file

Summary

When the import objects are TIFF based, ImageNow Server looks to the inserverlmp.ini file to determine the tag from which to acquire the index data (you can use any valid tag). A single tag can hold more than one ImageNow index value. Additionally, you can use multiple tags to define a single document index. A tag reference in the configuration file causes the import facility to treat the imported object as a TIFF file. Thus, setting a tag reference for an import object of type text causes an import error.

You can also use this mode when the import objects are data only (no indexing provided). The import process is responsible for supplying the index values. These values are set in the inserverImp.ini file and can be either literals or dynamic values.

Prerequisites

1. While TIFF standards allow for many different data types inside the body of the tag, ImageNow only works with the ASCII data type.
2. The tag must include the following data.
   • The size of the tag (in bytes)
   • The offset (in bytes) to the key string within the tag
   • The length (in characters) of the key string within the tag
3. You can import any file type supported by ImageNow.
4. You must define the document indexing requirements in the inserverImp.ini file.
5. You must define the extension or name of the documents.

Key Mapping structure for TIFF tag:

<<tiff_tag <tag#> <tag_length> <key_start_position> <key_length>>>

Example 1:

Drawer=Contracts /* valid ImageNow drawer
Field1=<<tiff_tag 260 128 1 12>> /* 12 character string starting at position 1 in Tag# 260
Field2=<<tiff_tag 260 128 13 20>> /* 20 character string starting at position 13 in Tag# 260
Field3=<<tiff_tag 270 512 125 30>> /* 30 character string starting at position 125 in Tag# 270
Field4= /* not used
Field5=Checks /* literal value
Doctype = Default /* literal value

Key Mapping structure for Data Object:

Example 2:

Drawer=Contracts /* valid ImageNow drawer
Field1=Grade Sheets
Field2=Fall 2002
Field3=Section 101
Field4= <<uniqueID>>
Doctype = Default

TIFF_TEXT_COMBO: Data Object with OCR created text file Indexing based on searched strings

Summary

Use this mode to import TIFF objects that are accompanied by a text file containing the OCR extract of the TIFF file. The import process is responsible for supplying the index values. Import Agent extracts the index values from the text file based on a search criteria defined is the inserverImp.ini file. These import files are typically an output of the ImageNow Printer software.

Prerequisites

1. The TIFF file and the text file must have the same file name with .tif and .txt extensions to separate them.
2. You must define the document indexing requirements in the inserverImp.ini file with the tag <>.
3. You must define the extension or name of the documents, both the data file and the index.

<> Parameters

Parameter 1

<search_string> = <<search,fixed_string,skipped number, extract number>>

Program will find string (<>), skip y characters where y = skipped number, then read x characters where x =extract number. An EOL will not stop the string read. EOLs are stripped from the result string.

OR

Parameter 2

<search_string> = <<search,fixed_string,skipped number,EOL,EOL_ordinal>>

EOL_ordinal == 1; read to the first line EOL and then stop
EOL_ordinal == 2; read to the second line EOL and then stop
EOL_ordinal == 3; read to the third line EOL and then stop first 40 characters of the result string are saved to the key object.

Note - The fixed_string should be case sensitive and match the same string in the text file.

Key Mapping structure for Data Object

Example

Field1=<<search,"Patient No: ",0,9>> Field2=<<search,"a",1,EOL,2>> Field3=<<search, Date: ,0,10>> Field4=<<unique id>>

FILENAME: Data Object with index values as file name Any data type

Summary

Use this mode when the import objects are data-only with the index values being the file name. The import process is responsible for supplying the index values. These values are set in the inserverImp.ini file and can be either literals or dynamic values. Any index value that is set to <> uses the corresponding value from the file name. Note that the file name extension is provided in image.file.ext, so that you do not need to include it in file.name. The following section of the inserverImp.ini file defines the file name structure and extension you want to use:

[Mode FILENAME]
image.file.ext =pdf
; File Name Formats definition:
; 0 -- <<drawer>>
; 1 -- <<field1>
; 2 -- <<field2>>
; 3 -- <<field3>>
; 4 -- <<field4>>
; 5 -- <<field5>>
; 6 -- <<doctype>>
file.name =<<drawer>>_<<field1>>_<<field2>>_<<doctype>>
field.delim = _
split.multipage.tiffs =FALSE
multi.doc.mode =FALSE

Example file name

<<drawer>>_<<field1>>_<<field2>>_<<doctype>>AP_555123555_Allen, Fred_resume

Prerequisites

1. You can import any file type supported by ImageNow.
2. You must define the document indexing requirements in the inserverImp.ini file.
3. You must define the extension or name of the documents.
4. You can use the page number to store pages in order.

Key Mapping structure for Data Object

Example:

Drawer = <<index provided>>
Field1 = <<index provided>>
Field2 = <<index provided>>
Field3 = <<index provided>>
Field4 = <<index provided>>
Field5 = <<index provided>>
Doc.type = <<index provided>>

DOD_XML: XML files that follow DoD 5015.02 standards

Summary

Use this format when you want to import XML files that follow DoD 5015.02 standards. For example, you can use this format to import retention export sets back into your ImageNow system.

Prerequisites

1. XML files must be directly available to the machine running the Import Agent. You must define appropriate administrative privileges if you want Import Agent to delete source import objects.
2. For rolling imports (data arrives before the previous import is completed), the XML file name must be unique.
3. The XML files must have the same extension value as the file extension variable defined in the inserverImp.ini file.

CAPTURE PROFILE: Assign custom property values to a document upon import, and store a new document in a content mode.

ImageNow Server Agent configuration file

You set the import parameters in the inserverImp.ini file, which is located in the 6. This file contains descriptions of the default settings.