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Import and export

Added in 1.0.1

Attach ImportOption and/or ExportOption to a ModelAdmin. Chassis adds list-page buttons (in the changelist toolbar), preview/confirm for import, and history records.

Full field tables: Options catalog.

Page anatomy​

Import

  1. Toolbar button → import landing (upload form + backend picker).
  2. Preview page: accepted rows, skipped duplicates, validation errors (ImportPreviewDTO family).
  3. Confirm apply → ImportApplyService writes rows atomically.
  4. History page: ImportHistory rows, download of the source file.

Export

  1. Toolbar button → export form (format, backend, optional filter_fields).
  2. Job writes a file to STORAGES['media'] and stores ExportHistory.
  3. History page: status, backend, download of the finished file.

Both flows share the backend picker documented in Import and export backends.

from django_chassis.enums import ExportFormat, ImportFormat
from django_chassis.options import ExportOption, ImportOption


class BookAdmin(ChassisAdminMixin, ModelAdmin):
    options = [
        ImportOption(permission='import_book', fields=['title', 'isbn'], formats=[ImportFormat.JSON, ImportFormat.XML]),
        ExportOption(
            permission='export_book',
            fields=['title', 'isbn', 'status'],
            formats=[ExportFormat.JSON, ExportFormat.CSV, ExportFormat.XLSX],
            filter_fields=['status'],
            include_journals=False,
        ),
    ]

permission is required and cannot be blank. Empty formats or filter_fields lists raise ValueError at construction.

Formats​

FlowFormats
ImportJSON, XML
ExportJSON, XML, CSV, XLSX

formats=None means every format in the enum.

Import flow​

  1. Upload a file on the import landing page.
  2. Chassis builds a preview: accepted rows, skipped duplicates, validation errors.
  3. Confirm apply. ImportApplyService creates rows atomically.
  4. Uniqueness-based duplicates are skipped, not overwritten.

Preview DTOs: ImportPreviewDTO, ImportPreviewRowDTO, ImportPreviewSkippedRowDTO.

Export flow​

Export writes a file and stores it on ExportHistory. Optional filter_fields become form filters. include_journals=True adds model history/journal data when the project provides it.

Storage​

Files go to STORAGES['media']. Configure that storage before enabling import/export in production.

History​

ImportHistory and ExportHistory persist job status, backend, and file references. Users download finished export files from the history page. Both tables are created by the package's single initial migration (django_chassis.0001_initial). Run migrate after installing the app.

Changed in 1.0.1

Their database names are chassis_import_histories and chassis_export_histories.

See also​