Is there a way to limit fields in CSV (CMS007 status 80), instead of getting the entire XML section?

Question

We frequently create Excel (CSV) files via Service ID M3_IDM_CSV, by setting the section to status 80.

However, there are times when the users don't want all fields in a section to appear in the document.  Has anyone found a way to filter out particular columns within an XML section?

MapleHill · Answer

To anyone attempting this in the future, it's possible to accomplish this in a clunky and convoluted way if you create a custom subsection under the section you are trying to limit.

To create that custom subsection, you will have to relate the section to a table with some relation to the parent section.  You must include one field from the custom section table (the section you want to expose to the CSV), you're essentially making the subsection a related table to the parent section.

In the custom section, you you will add elements where the source of data is "4-Field fr oth s".

This field will be a virtual field that you have created in the parent section (field from other section only works with virtual fields).

In the parent section, I make these virtual fields using field type "9-Substring" and simply make the VF an alphanumeric copy of the field I want to display in the subsection.

Then it's simply a matter of setting the custom subsection to status 80.

It's not a perfect solution, and you usually end up with at least one column that you didn't necessarily want, but it works.

Aaron Forry · Answer

Seems that exclusion of sections is all that is supported opposed to the individual fields.

This was confirmed by Infor to us at one point.

A custom XML structure might be the easiest way to do it, as you could toggle the MNS210 settings for your user to use the different structure that only has the necessary elements added but as you mention for you it affects your XML.

Otherwise you could have ION intercept the CSV version of the document, and have a script modify the file to drop columns before it passes it back to IDM to email out to the end user, but might seem a bit overkill in this scenario.

BR

Aaron

MapleHill · Answer

I invented a very hacky way around this once by creating a Custom subsection and using "fields from other section" to inherit all of the fields I wanted to display from the parent section.  And then you only turn the custom subsection on to status 80.

But it's a terrible solution, as you can only inherit virtual fields — so you need to first create virtual fields in the parent section that may then be passed into the custom subsection.  It's clunky.

If you are only using CSV, could also just delete the elements you don't want, but in our case we need those other elements for the PDF service id (we generate both a PDF and a CSV at the same time).

There has to be a better way to do this, but I haven't found it yet.  It's a real problem.

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