Importing Data From Another Database into AwareIM

AwareIM contains the ability to import data using a .csv file. However this approach is sometimes a little bit annoying.
This because the .csv has to follow several rules so that AwareIM can recognise everything.  For example you need to have a headline in the form BusinessObject.Attribute which most systems (at least those I know about) can't create without interaction. But if the data comes from another databse which AwareIM can read then there's (IMHO) a better approach.

The following solution has been tested (and used successfully) against another MySQL database but I don't see any reason why this shouldn't work with the other supported DBMS like MS-SQL, Derby or any other ODBC DB.

1. Create the Business Object with all required attributes in AwareIM where you want to store your data after importing. Lets call this BODestination
2. Create a new Business Object (lets call it BOexternal) and choose "Database: existing external" from the Persistence Drop Down.  The button [Settings] now brings you to a window where you can specify the desired database connection. From this table you'll be importing the data.
3. Once you have established the connection you can hit  [Discover attributes] and the fields from your database table should be published as attributes of your BOexternal.
4. Now create a Process that executes:
   FIND ALL BOexternal UPDATE BOexternal
   This process doesn't make any changes to your data but allows the following rule to be executed.
5. Attach a rule to BOexternal
   CREATE BODestination WITH
      BODestination.Attribute1=BOexternal.Attribut1
      BODestination.Attribute2=BOexternal.Attribut2
   and so on.

That's it. Now start the process from Step 4 and all your data will be moved from BOexternal to BODestination

If you should use this approach then please don't try this on any valuable productive data but use a backup copy !
I am not responsible for any data loss or damage that might occur !