Import Panorama Database into Current Database

When I select File:Import:import Panorama Database into Current Database, the list of Databases in the “Choose Database to Import” window is empty and I see no way to navigate file selection. What’s the best way now to append one PANDB file to another? I saw a topic like this one but don’t understand how to script the function if that is the only way to go at this time.

This utility will only see databases that are already open, the open databases are what populate the list of choices.

Thanks… the intended file showed up and the records were appended, however the summary records in the imported file were turned into non-summary records…

FWIW, under Pano 6, I could select records in the database I was working on, save the file and then open the same saved file with append, effectively duplicating a bulk set of records, as only the selected records would be appended, including summary records.

Under PanoX, I cannot append a file to itself. Not complaining here about this restriction, but would be nice if summary records were preserved in an imported different file using the new method.

Also under PanoX, if I save a database with a subset of records selected, when I import with append, the whole database is appended, this is different behavior than Pano6 which will append just the selected records.

Panorama X gives you the option of whether you want it to append all records or just selected records.

Summary records are intended to be extremely transient, not something to save and transfer around from database to database. If you need them, you regenerate them, then remove them again.

In the past, some users have used summary records to essentially store an extra bit of data in each record. I’ve been trying to discourage that for a long time, and Panorama X goes even further in that direction. That sort of usage of summary records is not supported. You should never manually create or uncreate summary records – they should only be created by the Group commands or Summary dialog, then removed when you’re done. If you need an extra bit of data, add another field.

Well, that’s a possible feature to consider on it’s own. For now, you can do this with a short procedure.

let data = arrayselectedbuild(cr(),"", exportline())
importtext data

This won’t preserve summary records, though, they will come in as data records.