If you need to convert an existing meetings database to BMLT format, this page should help. It is not as simple as a lot of the other BMLT setup, but can save you an enormous amount of time. We have a script that we’re refining. It takes a generic file, and will do Google Maps geocode lookup to assign a long/lat pair to each address.
VERY IMPORTANT!
This is a dangerous and potentially destructive script that is very technical, and still under development! Please back up your database before running it. If you do that, then it should be fine. The chances are good that you will need to run the script several times, while you work out the bugs. You should do a database restore each time, prior to running the script.
First, Install a Root Server
Follow the instructions on this page. It will set up a standard root server, with one Service body.
Next, Set Up the Service Bodies
Create each Service body, then follow the instructions on this page to ensure that each one is set up correctly.
Record the ID number of each of the Service bodies (it is at the top of the section for each body).
Next, Prepare a Tab-Separated-Values (TSV) File of the Meetings
This is a bit technical. A good tool for this job is Microsoft Excel. There are many other ways to produce the file, which is simply a text file, with columns of values, separated by tabs. However, a tool like Excel will allow you to easily edit and format the file.
This page contains detailed technical documentation on the format of this TSV file.
Next, Get the translator file
You get the translator file here (Downloads a PHP text file) (It is still a work in progress, but very stable).
Place the translate_bmlt.php file and the TSV file, saved as "meetings.tsv", in the top directory, next to the main_server directory.
Next, Run the Translator
This page contains detailed instructions on running the converter. You need to call it with the appropriate parameters. It is very important to specify Service Body IDs (or names -exactly spelled), if you don’t want the entire meeting database cleared out.
The process will run geocodes on addresses, and create long/lat pairs. It will output a simple HTML page that will record the conversion. Any meetings that fail geocode will be flagged. It should be noted that the addresses should be properly done, or the geocode will fail.
VERY IMPORTANT!
Once you have finished with the translation, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you remove the translate_bmlt.php file! It is a dangerous script that can be run by pretty much anybody, and that could damage your database! This is a one-time tool.
Backups are GOOOOOOOD.