Importing and Exporting Lists

The most efficient way to add a list of URLs to your local Allow or Deny lists is to create an external file in Excel or a text editor and then import the list into the WebAdmin. Use the Export button to export a list to a text or csv file. You can modify this file and then import it. Before you begin, see 'Troubleshooting List Imports' below.

Creating a List for Import

The most efficient way to add a list of URLs to your local Allow or Deny lists is to create an Excel CSV (UTF-16LE), Comma Delimited, or Tab Delimited list in Excel or a text editor and then import the list into the WebAdmin.

Create the Local URLs import file with each field comprising one column.

Exporting a List

You can export the default Local URL/Keyword List to examine its format; then use that same format to create and upload a new List.

Please note that not all lists follow the same format. The 'Export' file should look like this.

Export List Window

Importing a List

1.    Click the URL/Keyword Lists tab in a Group’s Policy page.

2.    Click the Create Local List button if this is the first time you are adding entries.

3.    Click the Import button.

4.    The Import window displays.

5.    Select whether the list file is Excel CSV (UTF-16LE), Comma Delimited or a Tab Delimited.

6.    If you have a previous list that you want to delete, select the Delete all existing data? checkbox. By default, this field is not disabled. If it is checked, the ‘Update Duplicate Entries’ on the second page of the Importer will not display.

7.    Click ‘Choose File’ and find and select the file, and then click Open. The file you are importing will show in the ‘File’ box.

8.    Select the Verbose Output checkbox to allow long entries. If some of the entries were not imported, this option makes the import procedure show a line for each failed entry with the entry itself and the error description. Without this option the import procedure shows only summary e.g. ‘5 of 10 entries were added’.

9.    Click Import.

10.An Import Local URL Keyword List box appears, showing the header row, if applicable, and first few rows of the file being imported.

11.In most cases, you can accept the defaults. If you think editing is required. Click the down arrow by each field in the Database Field column and select the appropriate label for the field if necessary.

12.You can also modify these options.

13.When done, click Import.

14.Review the resulting message to see if the import is successful. If there was an error, the message describes the nature of the error.

15.If some of the entries were not imported, you may want to try the import again but with Verbose Output enabled. This option makes the import procedure show a line for each failed entry with the entry itself and the error description.

16.Click the Continue button to review your imported List.

17.You can edit or delete items.

18.Clicking the History link will show the History for that item as ‘Imported from file’.

Duplicate Entries when Importing URL List

When importing a URL List, you are notified of duplicate entries. Please note that Verbose mode must be selected when importing for this window to display.

There is a WebAdmin Setting, 'Maximum Errors to display on Import' that sets the maximum number of errors to display. If any duplicate entry errors are generated, a line indicating "Errors include XX duplicate entries" will be appended to the error message.

Modify Entries with Auto URL Check Rules

You can apply the Auto Enable URL Check Rule option when importing List entries by using the option 'Modify Entries with Auto URL Check Rules' in the List Import page. If this is enabled, the Auto Replace URL Check Rules are applied if enabled in URL Check Rules. As an example, if the 'Remove www from the host name' Check Rule is set to 'Auto', the www will be stripped from the URLs during import.

In the List Suggestions tab in the My Account > Preferences window, set the 'Remove www from the host name' to auto.

Our import file has four URLs prefixed with www.

Go to a List click the Import button and load the List we created.

In the second Import window, click the Modify Entries with the Auto URL Check Rules option.

The URLs are imported with the www stripped away.

Troubleshooting List Imports

Matching Headings

Import requires that the headings of your import file match the expected headings in the WebAdmin. The best way to ensure you are using the correct headings is to export a small list (with at least one entry) to a .csv.

Matching File Types

It is important that the save format of your export file matches the import format used during import. In the WebAdmin, this is called the 'Field Delimiter' setting.

If you are unsure about the different types of settings, it is recommended that you save your file in the CSV (Comma delimited) format in Excel and import the file using the Comma Delimited setting in the List Import field of the WebAdmin.

All My Imported Entries Display on the Header Row of the Second Import Page

If you try to import the incorrect file type, all the imports data will be treated as a single string and display in the top row of your second Import page.

When you try to import, you will see that zero entries were added. See 'Matching File Types' for information on how to correct this issue.

Maximum URL Entries per List

There is WebAdmin Setting that sets the maximum number of URL entries that can be added to a List. By default, it is set to 1000 entries. If the field is blank or zero, this setting will be unlimited. Go to Administration > Configuration and click the WebAdmin Settings link. Scroll down to URL/ Keyword List Settings. Change the setting and click Submit to save the change.

When importing list entries, I get the message 'ERROR: the limit of URL entries is reached

See 'Maximum URL Entries per List' above for more information.

I don't see the Export Button

There must be at least one entry added to a List for the Export button to display.

Click the New Entry button, add an entry and click Save Entry to add the new entry to the list. Click out of the window to refresh the page and then back in to the List to see the Export button.

How can I use 'Verbose Output' for Troubleshooting?

Selecting Verbose Output displays a dropdown list. You can choose to 'Show Errors' or 'Show Errors and Duplicates'. There is a WebAdmin Setting, 'Maximum Errors to display on Import' that sets the maximum number of errors to display. If any duplicate entry errors are generated, a line indicating "Errors include XX duplicate entries" will be appended to the error message.

My imported List shows red in the 'Action' column.

List Restrictions can be set for a List. As an example, a List can be restricted to just Allow and Deny URLs.

During import, entries in the List, such as 'Assign Category' entries that cannot be processed, will display in red in the Action column. Hovering over the text will display additional information.