# Import Commands
The import command is triggered either using a web browser or using a CRON job on your server. The import is run by triggering the Open-Realty® administration action: addon_transparentRETS_loadRETS.
For example, after logging into your OR site as the Admin, you can enter the following into your web browser address bar to trigger the loader manually:
http://www.mysite.com/admin/index.php?action=addon_transparentRETS_loadRETS
With TransparentRETS 2.0 and higher you can call the loader through the Open-Realty ajax page, so you do not get Open-Realty admin template HTML in the output.
http://www.mysite.com/admin/ajax.php?action=addon_transparentRETS_loadRETS
The loader will then run, updating the OR activity log as it downloads and imports listing data and photos.
CRON jobs
Note: You should not attempt to setup your CRON jobs before you have completed one or more fully working, manually triggered imports.
Setting-up a CRON job is a way for your hosting account to trigger the import loader at a recurring preset time without having to login to your site and trigger the import manually. An example CRON job follows. Make sure to replace ORADMINUSER with your Open-Realty® admin user name, ORADMINPASSWORD with your password, and replace yourdomain.com with your real domain name and any additional path elements if you installed OR in a folder and not root.
If you are unsure of how to create or troubleshoot a CRON job with your hosting account, you should contact your host for details as this process varies between different servers and hosting control panels.
php YOURPATH/admin/index.php "user_name=ORADMINUSER&user_pass=ORADMINPASSWORD" "action=addon_transparentRETS_loadRETS"
You must allow enough time between re-running your CRON job so that the import can complete before another one starts. Overlapping imports can corrupt your OR listing database. Running an import once per 24 hours is recommended, more often is possible if you are 100% certain your jobs will not overlap. .
Optional Modifiers
ONLY add modifiers when needed. Please note that when adding modifiers to the command in a CRON job you must often escape the ampersand (&) in the URL with a \.
example:
php YOURPATH/admin/index.php "user_name=ORADMINUSER&user_pass=ORADMINPASSWORD" "action=addon_transparentRETS_loadRETS&listingupdate_only=1"
Please note that your last modified time will still be updated whenever you use a modifier so use these with caution. These modifiers should normally only be used when directed by Open-Realty developers.
Skip Data Import - To skip importing update data this run add the following to your command.
&photoupdate_only=1
Skip Image Import - To skip importing photos for this run, add the following to your command.
&listingupdate_only=1
Skip Cleanup - This will skip the cleanup routine, leaving any old listings in your database. This will also prevent us for double checking for missing listings.
&skipcleanup=1
Change Last Update Time for Photos - This can be used to import missing photos, if you accidentally delete photos off your site. Using a time stamp of 0 will result in all images being downloaded. Other then 0 your time stamp should be a UNIX time stamp in GMT for the date/time you wish to import all modified photos from.
&photo_last_update=TIMESTAMP
Change Last Update Time for Listings - This can be used to import missing listings or used if you modify your import criteria. Using a time stamp of 0 will result in all listing data being downloaded. Other then 0 your time stamp should be a UNIX time stamp in GMT for the date/time you wish to import all modified listings from. This Flag is not needed in normal operations, we automatically send the time of the last successfully import. IF your MLS does not have a Listing Photo Timestamp field in the data to search for listings with modified photos, this will also effect the photo import.
&listing_last_update=TIMESTAMP
Change TimeZone - The RETS specification states that all date/time queries MUST be send in GMT, however some bad RETS servers expect date/times to be sent using the local timezone of the server. You should complain to your MLS if your RETS server does not follow the RETS specification, as the entire point of having a "RETS" server is that they are all should operate the same, lowering cost for operating the server and allowing you to use any RETS client to connect and pull data. You can change the timezone TransparentRETS sends, by setting the following flag. This is not recommended however as it violates the RETS specification. If your server requires datetime's to be sent using GMT-5 (EST) for example you would set the following parameter.
&rets_timezone_offset=5
Utility modifiers
These modifiers are used to prepare a new installation of TransparentRETS, or to start over from scratch. These modifiers delete information from your OR and TransparentRETS database tables, make very certain you want to use these as their actions cannot be undone. Running both of these prior to configuring TransparentRETS is recommended as it will start you off with a clean listing database and field list.
Remove All Existing Open-Realty Listing and RETS metadata - This command will DELETE ALL existing listings from your OR database. It will also remove all cached metadata, and class configuration information about your RETS server leaving only your basic login information intact in TransparentRETS.
&addon_transparentRETS_cleanTables
Remove All Existing Open-Realty Fields - This command will DELETE ALL existing Open-Realty fields from your database. This is not reversible and should be used with extreme caution. It should be used in combination with the cleanTables command above.
&action=addon_transparentRETS_cleanAppFields