Add Import data workflow documentation

docs/api_instance_loaders.rst

@@ -2,5 +2,10 @@
 Instance loaders
 ================
 
-.. automodule:: import_export.instance_loaders
-   :members:
+.. module:: import_export.instance_loaders
+
+.. autoclass:: BaseInstanceLoader
+
+.. autoclass:: ModelInstanceLoader
+
+.. autoclass:: CachedInstanceLoader

docs/api_results.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+=======
+Results
+=======
+
+.. currentmodule:: import_export.results
+
+Result
+------
+
+.. autoclass:: import_export.results.Result
+   :members:

docs/changelog.rst

@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 Change Log
 ===========
 
+0.1.2 (not released)
+====================
+
+* added documentation
+
 0.1.1
 =====
 

docs/getting_started.rst

@@ -178,6 +178,11 @@ In 5th line ``Dataset`` with subset of ``Book`` fields is created.
 In rest of code we first pretend to import data with ``dry_run`` set, then
 check for any errors and import data.
 
+.. seealso::
+
+    :doc:`/import_workflow`
+        for detailed import workflow descripton and customization options.
+
 Admin integration
 -----------------
 

docs/import_workflow.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+====================
+Import data workflow
+====================
+
+This document describes import data workflow, with hooks that enable
+customization of import process.
+
+``import_data`` method arguments
+--------------------------------
+
+``import_data`` method of :class:`import_export.resources.Resource` class is
+responsible for import data from given `dataset`.
+
+``import_data`` expect following arguments:
+
+:attr:`dataset`
+    REQUIRED.
+    should be Tablib `Dataset`_ object with header row.
+
+:attr:`dry_run`
+    If ``True``, import should not change database. Default is ``False``.
+
+:attr:`raise_errors`
+    If ``True``, import should raise errors. Default is ``False``, which
+    means that eventual errors and traceback will be saved in ``Result``
+    instance.
+
+``import_data`` method workflow
+-------------------------------
+
+#. ``import_data`` intialize new :class:`import_export.results.Result`
+   instance. ``Result`` instance holds errors and other information
+   gathered during import.
+
+#. ``InstanceLoader`` responsible for loading existing instances
+   is intitalized.
+
+   Different ``InstanceLoader`` class
+   can be specified with ``instance_loader_class``
+   option of :class:`import_export.resources.ResourceOptions`.
+
+   :class:`import_export.instance_loaders.CachedInstanceLoader` can be used to
+   reduce number of database queries.
+
+   See :mod:`import_export.instance_loaders` for available implementations.
+
+#. Process each `row` in ``dataset``
+
+   #. ``get_or_init_instance`` method is called with current ``InstanceLoader``
+      and current `row` returning object `instance` and `Boolean` variable
+      that indicates if object instance is new.
+
+      ``get_or_init_instance`` tries to load instance for current `row` or
+      calls ``init_instance`` to init object if object does not exists yet.
+
+      Default ``ModelResource.init_instance`` initialize Django Model without
+      arguments. You can override ``init_instance`` method to manipulate how
+      new objects are initialized (ie: to set default values).
+
+   #. ``import_obj`` method is called with current object `instance` and
+      current `row`.
+
+      ``import_obj`` loop through all `Resource` `fields`, skipping
+      many to many fields and calls ``import_field`` for each. (Many to many
+      fields require that instance have a primary key, this is why assigning
+      them is postponed, after object is saved).
+
+      ``import_field`` calls ``field.save`` method, if ``field`` has
+      both `attribute` and field `column_name` exists in given row.
+
+   #. ``save_instance`` method is called.
+
+      ``save_instance`` receives ``dry_run`` argument and actually saves
+      instance only when ``dry_run`` is False.
+
+      ``save_instance`` calls two hooks methods that by default does not
+      do anything but can be overriden to customize import process:
+
+      * ``before_save_instance``
+
+      * ``after_save_instance``
+
+      Both methods receive ``instance`` and ``dry_run`` arguments.
+
+   #. ``save_m2m`` method is called to save many to many fields.
+
+   #. ``RowResult`` is assigned with diff between original and imported
+      object fields as well as import type(new, updated).
+
+      If exception is raised inside row processing, and ``raise_errors`` is
+      ``False`` (default), traceback is appended to ``RowResult``.
+
+#. ``result`` is returned.
+
+.. _Dataset: http://docs.python-tablib.org/en/latest/api/#dataset-object

docs/index.rst

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ User Guide
    installation
    configuration
    getting_started
+   import_workflow
    example_app
    todo
    contributing
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ API documentation
    api_widgets
    api_instance_loaders
    api_admin
+   api_results
 
 
 .. _`tablib`: https://github.com/kennethreitz/tablib