This guide is designed as step-by-step instruction on using the EvoCall tool for extracting data from the StatMap GMS system. The execution of this tool is performed via batch files and the scheduling should be configured through Windows Task Scheduler. EvoCall can be deployed on any modern computer with Microsoft Windows operating system on the condition that this computer has .NET Framework 4.8 installed. EvoCall communicates with the StatMap GMS system on standard HTTP/HTTPS ports.
Content of export directories
Usually, there are 4 directories containing the files exported from the GMS via EvoCall for redistribution over back-office systems. The directories naming is based on the DTF7.3 Version 3.1 specification. The naming may vary in some cases, due to the client's requirements. Please find the short description of their content below.
GMS_Exports\COU - this directory contains Change-Only Update files (COUs). This file contains only records that were inserted or updated since the last COU was generated. This file is the same as the one generated and uploaded daily into the GeoPlace Hub.
GMS_Exports\COUwithNoExport - files contained in this directory are essentially the same as the normal COUs, meaning they only contain inserts and updates from the period since the last COU was generated, however, they will also contain records marked in the system as No Export. No Export records are not uploaded into GeoPlace Hub.
GMS_Exports\Full - directory containing the full DTF files exported from the GMS system. Full DTF files contain all records from the GMS system designated for uploading into GeoPlace Hub.
GMS_Exports\FullwithNoExport - the last directory within the GMS_Export catalog contains full DTF exports from the GMS system with the addition of records marked as No Export.
EvoCall task configuration
1. Create a batch file
Go to the folder, where you have deployed the EvoCall tool. Create a file with extension .bat and open this file for editing.
2. Obtain the EvoCall parameters
To set up a task, please open your instance of StatMap GMS app and go to Export&Import tool. On this pane you will see a list of “Export profiles”. The top section of this list shows the predefined profiles. The second section lists all custom defined profiles.
Please select the export profile which you want to use in the EvoCall, and click the “Show EvoCall” button. Now copy the call link to the batch file which you have created in step 1.
3. User name and password
EvoCall needs to authenticate its access to the StatMap GMS app. For this to happen you need to provide user name and password when making a call. There are two ways of doing this.
You can add the user and password parameters directly into the call like so:
Alternatively, you can create a JSON file next to the EvoCall.exe called EvoCall.json and provide the user name and password there. This method has the advantage of hiding the user name and password from generic users. The structure of this file should look similar to the example below:
For the purpose of this guide we have opted for providing the user name and password via the EvoCall.json file, so our batch file looks like this:
4. Output folder
In order for the EvoCall tool to save the extracted file, you need to further extend the call by adding the –output parameter. Please note that this parameter has to be a FQDN path to the location, where EvoCall should save the result. This can either be a local drive or a network location.
Example of local drive path:
--output c:\StatMap\Data\EvoCallExports\
Example of network location path:
--output \\DATASERVER\Extracts\EvoCallExports\
At this stage the batch file looks like this:
5. Redirect progress report
To make it easier to spot any issues with the call parameters, especially in the initial stages of setting up the task, you may want to redirect the progress and potential errors to a report file. To do so, please extend the call by adding the following section at the end:
> export_report.txt
At this stage the batch file looks like this:
This will create a file called export_report.txt in the same folder where the batch file resides and save all commands and errors to this file.
6. Run the batch file
Now, that we have provided all the call parameters and saved the batch file, it’s time to execute it. The simplest way of executing this batch file is by double-clicking on it to run the file. After a while (some full data extracts can take over a minute) and on the condition that all parameters are correct, a file should be delivered and saved to the output location.
7. Scheduling the task
As mentioned at the beginning, the EvoCall tasks can be scheduled via Windows Task Scheduler. Please keep in mind that since the EvoCall tool uses batch files for configuration of the calls, you need to make sure that the user who will be running these tasks has appropriate privileges. Detailed documentation of Windows Task Scheduler can be found on various websites across the Internet.