Sample data create and import: Difference between revisions

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(Created section on installing benedata benerator)
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# create nant job to import data
# create nant job to import data


=== Creating data ===
== Installing third party software ==


* finished generator
Currently the only external software used is Benedata Benerator for creation of the raw data, but this in turn requires the java runtime enviroment.
* predefined (self-explaining) csv


=== Import File Format ===
=== Databene Benerator ===


xml-File with the following tag hierarchy:
* Project Website: http://databene.org/databene-benerator.html
* Note: The project is a java project
* Used version: 0.6.6 (as of 2011-July - but it may be advisable to use the recent one, we just use simple features anyway)
* Other requirements: Java Runtime Enviroment


'''Partners''' (v)
These instructions are largely copied from [http://databene.org/databene-benerator/installation.html|the benerator website] and slightly abridged. The original instructions are more detailed and contain details about installing benerator on a Windows / Mac / Linux-System.
  '''People''' (r)
    ''People can later be distinguished (from their gifts-behaviour) between personnel and partners''
    - first_name
    - family_name
    - address_line
    - postal code
    - country
  '''Organisations''' (v)
    '''Companies''' (r)
      - name (other organisations: similar)
    '''Churches'''  (r)
    '''Charities''' (r)
      '''Projects''' (r)
        - name
'''Gifts''' (r)
  - amount
  - currency ''(for now: always GBP, later country dependant)''
  - recipient


(v) means virtual (just exists to group sub-partners) while (r) means actual existing partners.
==== Abridged Instructions ====


* [https://sourceforge.net/project/platformdownload.php?group_id=222964 Download the Benerator distribution] from SourceForge
* Unzip into a directory of your choice (e.g. C:\Program Files\Development\databene-benerator-0.6.5)
* Create an environment variable BENERATOR_HOME that points to the path you extracted benerator.
* Append BENERATOR_HOME/bin to your environment variable PATH
<code>
BENERATOR_HOME = C:\Documents and Settings\thomass\My Documents\external\databene-benerator-0.6.6
PATH = C:\WINDOWS; ....; %BENERATOR_HOME%\bin
</code>
* That's all! Test benerator by just opening a new command prompt:
<code>
C:\> benerator
</code>


Creation is done differently:
== Test data generators / Sample data (SPLIT this chapter out) ==
 
'''People''' (r)
  '''Gifts''' (r)
'''Organisations''' (v)
  ''Companies'' (r)
  ''Churches''  (r)
  ''Charities'' (r)
    ''Projects'' (r)
 
== Test data generators / Sample data ==


There are a number of good test data generators out there, building our own would not have been beneficial for just finding something to work and quickly. I looked at a number of them, with an emphasis on they ''should be recommended by people'' and were ''open source''.
There are a number of good test data generators out there, building our own would not have been beneficial for just finding something to work and quickly. I looked at a number of them, with an emphasis on they ''should be recommended by people'' and were ''open source''.

Revision as of 11:53, 11 July 2011

Data creation and import is split into two tasks:

The import is done via import file. Decision: simple for user.

Keeping the focus: the focus is creating sample data for the database, not import/export.

The above points were decided to be done this way in a phonecall with Timo.

This page aims to act as whiteboard for displaying current state and solving this task. The task itself is tracked in the two issue stated above.

Creating sample data

Goal: creating sample data for the database.

The sample data should have

  • many donors
  • many recipients
  • many donations

Current line of action (as of 2011-07)

Steps:

  1. create raw data as csv files (sufficiently complete!) -- done
  2. import and put together raw data in temporary program (for creating relationships) --done
  3. connect to petra server from temporary program, assemble data as OpenPetra TDS, save, and done...

Additionally:

  1. create nant job to import data

Installing third party software

Currently the only external software used is Benedata Benerator for creation of the raw data, but this in turn requires the java runtime enviroment.

Databene Benerator

  • Project Website: http://databene.org/databene-benerator.html
  • Note: The project is a java project
  • Used version: 0.6.6 (as of 2011-July - but it may be advisable to use the recent one, we just use simple features anyway)
  • Other requirements: Java Runtime Enviroment

These instructions are largely copied from benerator website and slightly abridged. The original instructions are more detailed and contain details about installing benerator on a Windows / Mac / Linux-System.

Abridged Instructions

  • Download the Benerator distribution from SourceForge
  • Unzip into a directory of your choice (e.g. C:\Program Files\Development\databene-benerator-0.6.5)
  • Create an environment variable BENERATOR_HOME that points to the path you extracted benerator.
  • Append BENERATOR_HOME/bin to your environment variable PATH

BENERATOR_HOME = C:\Documents and Settings\thomass\My Documents\external\databene-benerator-0.6.6 PATH = C:\WINDOWS; ....; %BENERATOR_HOME%\bin

  • That's all! Test benerator by just opening a new command prompt:

C:\> benerator

Test data generators / Sample data (SPLIT this chapter out)

There are a number of good test data generators out there, building our own would not have been beneficial for just finding something to work and quickly. I looked at a number of them, with an emphasis on they should be recommended by people and were open source.

Decision was: look at benerator and generatedata.com.

I looked at benerator and decided to stick with that for now, if it works out.

Idea to be checked: use data from generatedata / geo-database / briandunning together benerator to compile data to common format, which is then imported as shown below.

generatedata.com

  • creates name, address, email ... looks very nice!
  • creates data for Australia, Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom
  • but: e.g. the UK postal codes don't seem to be real UK codes. So not only are the Codes not correct, but the combination code / address neither. Perhaps this is different for the US. In any case, this would not be a show-stopper as they look close enough, and we just want lots of data anyway.

But:

  • Have not looked at the code yet.
  • Have not thought about how we can integrate this with OP

benerator

  • Has generators for all sorts of information, and can create xml files
  • is not actually GPL - has a "GPL v2 with exceptions" ???. Should chat with the author.

Lists of test data generators

The majority of the software listed below was extracted from former page. Criteria for judging: actively maintained + fits the job + documentation (less important)

interest? Program creates area Output App-Type License
* benerator creates data / transforms given data to test data various databases, xml, csv, excel Framework GPL / commercial (WARNING! GPL "with exceptions")
* generatedata.com Addresses / Cities / Countries Netherlands, Canada, UK, US XML, Excel, HTML, CSV, SQL Webapp (JS,PHP,MySQL) GPL v2
* Geographical Places Database geographical locations (schools, universities, whitehouse, eiffel tower...) tab delimited website, download, libraries (various languages), webservice creative commons attribution
http://www.briandunning.com/sample-data/ Website with real address and company data (US and Canada) but with fake names. This could be useful with testing map services as well since there are real geographic locations. US, Canada free
(still want to briefly check) DBMonster generates test data SQL Command-Line (Java) Apache License
CSV Data generator CSV? (Ruby)
Datagenerator library / GUI GPL
dqMaster text,xml,db GUI (extensible)
Spawner Data Generator random proper names, terms and connectors delimited text / SQL apptype license
Test Dictionary java interface
data at most Fresh Trash Generator Random Website, Email, Family and First Names, Phone Number, Company, Birthday (at least some of the resource data might be interesting) Greek Names and Companies, German Streets java utility package
nn google api toolkit nn Web API
- Data Science Toolkit convert address to coordinates, vv, ip to coordinates etc Web API / VM
- fakenamegenerator.com Names,Adresses from many countries Website / Web API proprietary for API (kostenlos, but attribution)
- .net Fabricator (no addresses, so not suitable, but seems nice framework) Framework using .net MIT
- (com) GEDIS Studio for Test Data "Realistic Test Data" (not viewed) CSV, XML, SQL, or HTML Windows / Scripting community edition kostenlos / commercial
- (com) Excel random data generator Generates sample data, somewhat acclaimed here MS Excel Plugin commercial
- (com) SQL Data Generator Generates complex sample data (addresses, companies, interaction), a business person liked it on stackoverflow. Would probably be the right thing except it is SQL Server and commercial. Application for MS SQL Server commercial
- (com) Microsoft Visual Studio Database Edition Generates sample data, and several people pointed to it on stackoverflow. Part of Visual Studio commercial
- (com) Advanced Data Generator Windows Application commercial
- (com) SQL Manager Windows Application commercial


List of others (not checked): date of last change + project (checked april 2011)

Coding

Some coding has been done already: See csharp\ICT\PetraTools\GenerateSampleData for transforming sample data into family records etc.

Also see partner import module, which processes csv and yaml files. csharp\ICT\Petra\Client\lib\MPartner\gui\PartnerImport.ManualCode.cs

Importing sample data

The import is done via import file. Decision: simple for user.

Keeping the focus: the focus is creating sample data for the database, not import/export. Import/export is a simple tool - which we put effort into, to keep it nice and simple and easy to understand. But in this case, a tool for sample data only.

Make the import file as simple as possible for the user, e.g. consciously limit the scope of the import files capability (one address per person), but rather not powerful import-file.

Data format: This stackoverflow question suggests YAML. I am still split, rather yaml than xml, but perhaps simple csv would fit.

Concider data liberation?

Not necessarily - only if useful to keep it simple and make it work quickly.

Intended location of data in OpenPetra

Data Table
Person p_family
Address -
Donations -

p_family will be used for all data, and p_person ignored (This is in line with the attempts to replace p_person by p_family).