When you import productions to the software CaseMap (developed by LexisNexis) using load files, it is possible for the values in the load file to cause issues with the import process. Here are some of the issues, as well as solutions to work around them:

Forward-slash characters in path names


Most operating systems use either forward or backslashes to separate the directories that make up a file's path. Windows uses backslashes for example: "C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Documents\Production_1\DATA\VOL001.csv," whereas Linux and OS X use forward slashes.


(Learn more about this here, though an understanding of it is not required to deal with these issues)


CaseMap cannot import load files where forward-slash characters ("/") are used in file paths. It requires only back-slash characters ("\") to be used. The NATIVE_PATH and TEXT_PATH fields are two examples of load file fields that contain file paths.


NOTE: By default, the file paths in load files that GoldFynch generates use backslashes.


Converting forward slashes to backslashes in load files using 'Replace All'


Step 1. Navigate to the appropriate software to open the load file (e.g. Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets for .csv load files.)


Open the load file with the appropriate software



Step 2. Select the columns that contain file paths.


Select the columns that contain file paths



Step 3. Open the 'Replace' tool (found under Edit > Find > Replace for Microsoft Excel on OS X for example.)


Open the find/replace tool



Step 4. Use the 'Replace All' option to replace forward-slash characters with backslash characters.


Replace forward slashes with back slashes


Step 5. Save the file.


Step 6. Upload your production, including your load file, as you otherwise would.


Comma and quotation mark characters

Another potential issue is triggered by having commas and quotation marks in the values a load file's entries (especially in the case of .csv load files.) The fastest way to work around this issue is to either replace or remove such symbols in the content of the load file.


So open the file in a program like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, then run a 'Replace All' command as described above, but skipping Step 2 so that the command will run across the whole sheet, not just in selected columns. To remove a character instead of replacing it, leave the 'Replace with:' field empty.


NOTE: Make sure you only replace these symbols in the values of the load file and not in its raw code. For example, .csv files use commas in their raw code to demarcate where a piece of information ends and the next begins, and use pairs of quotation marks to denote strings of text. So running the command in a program like Notepad (which gives you access to the raw data of the file) will leave the file unusable.


If you are unable to replace the characters, get in touch with CaseMap support.