Method Community

Hello

Is it possible to truncate a table using the API?

I can get the data into a table, but I want to clear it first.

Thanks,

-Brian

Brian,

There is no clear or purge function (scary to have such a thing!).  But there is MethodAPIDeleteV2.  This lets you delete one record at a time.  You need to know the RecordID of the records you want to delete first though. So you would have to retreive those using MethodAPISelect_XMLV2 or MethodAPISelect_DatasetV2.

Paul

 By the way - if you are looking to import data into Method, you might want to take a look at the new Import / Export tool we just launched into beta yesterday.  It's pretty awesome. See http://www.methodintegration.com/cs/forums/t/721.aspx.

 Hi Paul,

I was taking your advice from this post
http://www.methodintegration.com/cs/forums/t/670.aspx

I found a way to do it by using Method actions--

Start Loop Through Grid
   Delete Record From Table -- Record ID equal to Value From Row RecordID
Start Loop Through Grid

Seems to work...

I like the batch import idea, is there a way to do that through the API?
Right now I'm importing one record at a time. Not a big deal, but I could imagine the performance increase...

Brian

Brian - even with the import / export tool it is still importing one record at a time and validating as it goes. 

In terms of performance increases, you are right that a DELETE * FROM TableName would be the most efficient SQL to run against it. Since Method, in general, is made for non-programmers, this is something we are staying away from.

Paul

Brian,

I made a utility for my own use to erase all the records in any given table. It isn't pretty looking and given it's destructive potential I don't think I'd want to give/sell it to anyone, but if you have a few tables that you would like erased one time, you can contact me at matt@TechInTheField.com and I should be able to take care of that for you.

Matt,

I appreciate it, but this is a temporary table I'm working with. I fill in the data remotely with a webservice and I want to show the results to the end user. The grid loop seems to work fine for now.