Column options
This section covers different column options in both the website and data view. This will enable you to classify what data you want captured, enabling you to further customize your extractor. This can be carried out in the data view and the web view.
Data View
Adding Columns
To add a new column select Add column on the right hand side of the Website on both the Website view and the Data view:
Renaming columns
In the Data view of the extractor you can name/rename columns by by using the column menu and selecting Rename column.
Delete columns
In the Data view you can delete columns by using the column menu and selecting Delete column.
Set default value
You can set a default value to be automatically added, instead of outputting an empty value, when there is no data for that column.
For example, you can see how to use the Set default value option to assign "Unspecified" as the default value for the Dimensions column:
Output HTML
In specific cases you may wish to output the HTML rather than the displayed output. The reasons for this is that the HTML can contain extra information, such as what currency is used. To output HTML go to the data section of the editor and click the little arrow next to the column you want the code and click output HTML, this will then deliver the HTML rather than the normal data.
To show this let us look at a before and after image:
Before
After
As shown the text has changed to the html output.
Capture the link's URL
You can also select to extract the link's URL, to do this go to the data section of the editor and click the little arrow next to the column you want the code and click Capture this link's URL, the column will now deliver the link URL. To best show this tool let look at a before and after image.
Before
After
The department column contained a link so it is now blue, all other columns didn't so they remained the same.
Manual XPath
Manual XPath can be activated at the top right hand corner of the column menu, opening up a new bar at the top of the screen.
This bar enables you to manually select what element of the website you wish to obtain. For more information click here for our full guide to Manual XPath.
Website View
You can also edit columns in the website view of the editor.
Add column
We can create a column in the website view at a time by simply clicking the add column button on the top right hand of the screen. Once we have clicked this a new column will appear.
Clear data or delete column
Press the clear data button if you want to keep the column, but want to start adding information from scratch. This option will remove all pink boxes from the pages so you can reselect the data.
Click the Delete column button to remove it entirely from the editor.
Additional data
Sometimes none of the above techniques will collect the data you need, Import.io has designed advanced technique to collect that pesky data. These are covered in more detail in enhancing your extractors.