Import Data by Drag and Drop

You can quickly import data of many kinds by drag and drop. These include:

  • A CSV or Excel flat file

  • A view exported as a zipped CSV or Excel archive

  • Graph data views, including an exported .graphxr file or a .graphxrsnapshot view archive

  • An exported internal database. REFERENCE

  • JSON data mapping or template files REFERENCE

Data in an CSV or Excel flat file or view archive is added to the existing view.

Views in .graphxr files or a .graphxrsnapshots archive replace the existing view.

When you import a saved view by drag and drop, or by using Import in the Data Store subpanel, an Untitled view is created. However, the existing view label, date of creation, date last modified, or view annotations are not preserved.
Before importing data, save the current view, and consider whether you want to add the data to the current view, or import it into a new unsaved view.

Import a single CSV or Excel file

When you import data that has no defined graph elements, such as a flat CSV or Excel file, each row is imported as a node of a single default category, with properties defined by the column headings and row values. No relationships are created.

To import a CSV or Excel file:

  1. On the project view menu, save your current view.

  2. If you don’t want to add the data to the current view, choose New on the view menu to create a new unsaved view and clear the canvas.

  3. Locate the file on your system, and drag and drop it anywhere on the project canvas.

    You can open the Project > Data Store subpanel and use the Import menu to navigate to local files you want to import.

    For example, when this travel log spreadsheet is dropped onto the canvas of a new view:

    • A node representing a single travel event is created for each row. All nodes are assigned a single category labeled with the name of the file (i.e. COVID-19 Travel Log - Sheet1).

      02 01 01 ImportCSVCovid

    • The column headings in the file are assigned as property names: date, from_country, and to_country, and property values are transferred for the respective nodes. You can inspect the imported nodes and their property values in the Table panel.

      02 01 02 ImportCSVTable
      Starting with unconnected nodes, you can create connected graph data using GraphXR Transforms to extract new categories, assign properties, and create relationships.

Import project views by drag and drop

You can simply drag and drop graph data held in a JSON file, CSV or Excel archive, graphxr file, or graphxrsnapshots archive.

Import a CSV or Excel view archive

A project view exported as a CSV or Excel archive consists of a set of tables that retain the view’s visible graph elements, but not its layout or data that’s temporarily hidden.

Importing this zipped file by drag and drop adds the graph data to the data currently on the canvas, in a default force layout.

To import a CSV or Excel view archive:

  1. On the project view menu, save your current view.

  2. If you don’t want to add data to the current view, choose New on the view menu to create a new unsaved view and clear the canvas.

  3. Locate the file on your system, and drag and drop it anywhere on the project canvas.

    02 01 03 ImportExcelViewArchive
    You can also open the Project > Data Store subpanel and use the Import menu to navigate to local files you want to import.

    The view’s visible graph elements (but not any hidden data) are added to the project canvas.

  4. On the view menu, choose Save As, enter a descriptive name, and click Save.

    02 01 04 ImportExcelViewVisible

    + Once saved, the imported view appears on the Project > View subpanel, and on the view menu.

    + image::/v3/02_01_05_ImportSavedExcelView.png[,420,280,role=text-left]

Import a .graphxr view

In a graphxr file or graphxrsnapshots archive, categories, relationships, and their properties are preserved. Visible data retains its 3D layout and view perspective, and hidden data is included.

A .graphxr view file replaces any data already on the canvas.

Save (or export) your current view before you import a view.

To import a .graphxr view:

  1. Save your current view.

  2. Locate the .graphxr view file, and drag and drop it on your project canvas.

    The view replaces the view on the canvas.

    02 01 06 ImportGXRFView

Import a .graphxrsnapshots archive

You can restore an exported graphxrsnapshots archive to your project by drag and drop. As with a single .graphxr view, the categories, relationships, and their properties are preserved, cisible data retains its 3D layout and view perspective, and hidden data is included.

A .graphxrsnapshots archive replaces any data already on the canvas with the most recent snapshot view.

To import a snapshot archive:

  1. Save your current view.

  2. Locate the .graphxrsnapshots archive file, and drag and drop it on your project canvas.

    02 01 07 SnapshotStart

    + The set of snapshots appear in the Snapshots pane, and the most recent snapshot in the archive replaces the view on the canvas.

  3. You can load any of the snapshots in the archived set to the current view as your new starting point. Locate the snapshot view you want and click its cloud icon to replace the current view on the canvas.

    02 01 08 SnapshotLoadOtherView