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  1. Home
  2. TraceParts Smart-Publishing
  3. Creating products by batch
  4. Using the template
  5. File structure
Updated on March 30, 2023

TraceParts Smart-Publishing

  • Folder icon closed Folder open iconManaging your products
    • Smart-Publishing Dashboard
    • Publish your product
    • Update your product
  • Folder icon closed Folder open iconCreating a product using the Publishing Wizard
    • Product definition
    • Classifications
    • Pictures
    • Documents
    • Attributes
    • Part numbers
    • Translation
    • Validation
  • Folder icon closed Folder open iconCreating products by batch
    • Downloading the template
    • Using the template
      • Startup : using the wizard
      • File structure
      • Customizing the template
      • Where will the data be displayed on the site ?
    • Uploading the product data file

File structure

Estimated reading: 10 minutes

Table of content

  • Products_XX tabs
    • “Product_XX” fields
    • “Document” fields
    • “Part number” fields
  • “Attributes_Definition” tab
  • “System” tab

Products_XX tabs

"Products_XX" fields

Field name Status Definition
Product_ID
Required
Identifier that you use to identify a product in your system. Authorized characters are: “A-Z”, “a-z”, “0-9”, “_”, “.” All other characters, such as characters with accents or space, are not allowed. To group several part numbers together in the same product, repeat the same product ID for each line of each part number. For any one product, this value must be the same in each “Products_xx” tab, as it is used to group data between tabs. Examples: “Part_1”, “EAC.010_120”, “ABC123”
Product_Name
Required
Defines a name for the product. The maximum number of characters for each product name is 255. Example: “Hexagon socket head cap screw, DIN 912 (ref 527)”
Product_Short_Description
Optional
Used to enter a short description of the product. The maximum number of characters for each short description is 255.
Product_Long_Description
Optional
Used to enter a more detailled description of the product. The maximum number of characters for each long description is 2000.
Classification_Category_ID
Required
Identifier used for specifying a category in the classification. The list of authorized identifiers is defined in the “ClassificationAdvancedTemplate” Excel file, supplied with the archive file when you downloaded the empty template. Only the identifier of the category in which you classified your product is required (not the full path from the root). For any one product, this value must be the same in each “Products_xx” tab.
Product_Large_Picture_ FileName
Optional
Supplies the name of the image file showing the product. The image must be supplied together with the completed XLS template. Recommended picture size is 460 x 340 pixels. Larger pictures will be resized. If not provided, TraceParts will try to extract a screenshot from the supplied CAD file. For any one product, this value must be the same in each “Products_xx” tab. Example: “LargeProductPicture1.gif”

The “Product_ID” you provided is stored in the TraceParts System.
When you provide a template with a “Product_ID” that doesn’t exist in the TraceParts Sytem, a new product is created in the TraceParts System.


If you then provide a second template with a “Product_ID” that already exists in the TraceParts System, the existing product is overwritten.

"Document" fields

Field name Status Definition
Product_Document_ FileName ( + “_” + document number)
Optional
Specifies the file name of any document linked to the product. The maximum number of characters for each file name is 100. The authorized file types are defined here. Documents must be supplied together with the completed XLS template. This information is linked to the information in the “Product_Document_Title” field below. Examples: “Catalogue_Page.pdf”, “Presentation.html”
Product_Document _Title ( + “_” + document number )
Optional but recommended for each document declared in “Product_Document_ FileName”
This information is linked to the information in the “Product_Document_FileName” field above. It specifies the title to be displayed to the user, next to the link to the document, instead of the actual file name. The maximum number of characters for each document title is 255. Examples: ”Technical document”, “Datasheet”
Product_Document _URL ( + “_” + URL number )
Optional
Specifies an URL that points to an online document linked to the product. This information is linked to the information in the “Product_Document_URL_Title” field below. The protocol (http, https, etc.) is required in the URL. The maximum number of characters for each URL is 2000. Example: “/help/fr/Main.htm”
Product_Document _URL_Title ( + “_” + URL number )
Optional but recommended for each URL declared in “Product_Document_ URL”
This information is linked to the information in the “Product_Document_URL” field above. It specifies a title for the corresponding link, to be displayed to the user, instead of the actual URL. The maximum number of characters for each URL title is 255. Example: “TraceParts Online Help”
Part_Number_ EShop_URL
Optional
Specifies an URL that points to an online E-shop linked to the product. This information is linked to the information in the “Part_Number_EShop_URL_DisplayedValue” field below. The protocol (http, https, etc.) is required in the URL. The maximum number of characters for each URL is 2000. The “Request for quotation” tab on www.traceparts.com is replaced by a new tab “Buy now”.
Part_Number_ EShop_URL _DisplayedValue
Optional but recommended for each URL declared in “Part_Number_ EShop_URL”
This information is linked to the information in the “Part_Number_EShop_URL” field above. It specifies a title for the corresponding link, to be displayed to the user, instead of the actual URL. The maximum number of characters for each URL title is 255.
Product_Dimensional_ Drawing_FileName ( + “_” + dimensional drawing number )
Optional
Specifies the file name of the dimensional drawing linked to the product. The maximum number of characters for each file name is 100. This information is linked to the information in the “Product_Dimensional_Drawing_Title” field below. Files must be supplied together with the completed XLS template. The authorized file types are picture formats (.gif, .png, .jpg, .bmp). Example: “Front_View.gif”, “tech_doc_1.png”
Product_Dimensional_ Drawing_Title ( + “_” + dimensional drawing number )
Optional but recommended for each dimensional drawing declared in “Product_ Dimensional_ Drawing_FileName”
This information is linked to the information in the “Product_Dimensional_Drawing_FileName” field above. It specifies a title for the corresponding drawing, to be displayed to the user, instead of the actual file name. The maximum number of characters for each drawing title is 255. Example: “Front View”, “Drawing”

The list of authorized external documents types is as follow :

  • bmp
  • gif
  • jpg / jpeg
  • png
  • pdf
  • doc
  • xls
  • htm / html
  • txt
  • ppt / pps
  • swf

"Part number" fields

Field name Status Definition
Part_Number_Sort_ID
if you define some part numbers in “Part_Number” field
Numerical value starting from 1 to N for each product in order to make the part number record distinct for each product. For any one part number, this value must be the same in each “Products_xx” tab.
Manufacturer_Name
Optional
Allow to overwrite the name of the manufacturer defined at the catalog level.
Distributor_ Part_Number
Optional
Specify a Distributor part number.
Distributor_Name
Optional
Specify a Distributor name.
Manufacturer_ Part_Number
Required if you define a CAD model, a description, or any attribute value (see “Customizing the template”)
Define the part number. One part number per line. The maximum number of characters for each part number is 255. For any one Product_ID + Part_Number_ID pairing, this value must be the same in each “Products_xx” tab.
Part_Number_ CAD_FileName
Optional
Defines the CAD file name to be used as the source 3D model. The maximum number of characters for each file name is 100. The file must be supplied together with the completed XLS template. For any one part number, this value must be the same in each “Products_xx” tab. For CAD assembly, create an archive file with all necessary files. The archive file name must be: MainCADFileName.CADExtension.archiveExtension. In the XLS template, enter the archive file name in the relevant field. Example, for a SolidWorks Assembly zip file: MyAssembly.sldasm.zip
Part_Number _Description
Required if you define some part numbers in “Part_Number” field
Provides a description of the part number. The maximum number of characters for each description is 255.

When you want to group several part numbers together in the same product, all data relating to the “Product” and “Document” fields must be duplicated with the same values for each part number line.

The list of supported CAD formats is as follow :

  • STEP
  • Acis
  • IGES
  • Parasolid X-T
  • AutoCAD / Mechanical (Desktop)
  • Drawing
  • 2D exchange
  • SOLIDWORKS Part
  • SOLIDWORKS Assembly
  • Solid Edge Part
  • Solid Edge Assembly
  • Pro/Engineer Part
  • Pro/Engineer Assembly
  • Pro/Engineer Neutral
  • Inventor Part
  • Inventor Assembly
  • CATIA Part
  • CATIA Product
  • OFF
  • Photometric data
  • Revit Family
  • Rhino3D Model
  • Sketchup
  • STL
  • 3dsMax
  • Alibre Design assembly
  • Alibre Design part
  • AMF
  • Arc+
  • Artlantis
  • Autodesk library
  • Altium
  • Cinema 4D
  • Collada
  • EAGLE
  • HiCAD
  • IFC
  • JT
  • KiCAD
  • MiniCAD Design
  • Termo - Namirial
  • TOPSOLIDOPENPACKAGE
  • Vectorworks
  • Vray
  • VRML
  • Wavefront obj
  • Xshade

"Attributes_Definition" tabs

This tab contains information for customizing the template.
See the “Customizing the template” section for more details.

Field name Status Definition
Attribute_ID
Required
Contains the list of attributes you have added to the template (see “Customizing the template”). Remember that the items in this list are treated as the identifiers of the attributes. Therefore: Attribute_ID must be unique, It can only contain the following characters: “A-Z”, “a-z”, “0-9”, “_”, All other characters, such as accented characters or spaces, are prohibited. This information is not visible to the user; it is used by the system to manage your data. Examples: “DIA”, “L0”, “h1”, “ATT_1”, “ATT_2”, “MAT”
Attribute_ Name ( + “_” + language code )
Required
Used to define the name for each of your attributes in the various languages selected (see “Customizing the template”). This name is displayed to the user. If the values of your attribute are expressed in a specific unit, we recommend that you add the unit symbol at the end of the label. Examples: “Internal diameter (mm)”, “L0 (mm)”, “h1 (mm)”, “Temperature (°C)”, “Color”, “Material”

"System" tabs

Warning

This tab contains information required by the programs that will be processing your data. It contains the answers to certain questions asked by the wizard. Please do not make any change in the tab.

Fields defined in the “System” tab
Field name Status Definition
System_Attribute_Name
Required
(Reserved) Specifies a “system” attribute used by the programs that will be processing the template file. See the list of system attributes.
System_Attribute_Value
Required
(Reserved) Value of a system attribute.
List of system attributes
System attribute name System attribute value
Template_Name
Template name. Predefined system value : “Self-Publishing Products Catalog”
Template_Type
Template type. Predefined system value : “Basic Template”
Template_Version
Template version. Predefined system value.
Product_Document_Number
Number of the document selected by the user in the wizard (macro).
Product_URL_Number
Number of the online document selected by the user in the wizard (macro).
Product_Dimensional_Drawing_Number
Number of the dimensional drawing selected by the user in the wizard (macro).
Default_Language_Code
Code of the default language selected by the user in the wizard (macro).
Selected_Language_Code
Code of the language selected by the user in the wizard (macro). There may be one or more lines. Each line contains a single language code.

Sample parts file, with English as selected language.

(splited in 4 parts due to the number of columns to display)

Template sample part 1 (click on the image to enlarge it)
Template sample part 2 (click on the image to enlarge it)
Template sample part 3 (click on the image to enlarge it)
Template sample part 4 (click on the image to enlarge it)

Startup : using the wizard > File structure > Customizing the template

CONTENTS