CMS questions - editing channels outside the CMS, import/export contacts, etc.

[thegoop]

I am trying to be more efficient using the CMS with PD362i's:

1. Is there a way to export channels then edit/modify the channel setup outside of the CMS and import it back? Like a normal data plug? I want to add a bunch of sequential channels, and it would be easier in delimited file vs. having to go through screens.
2. Every time I try to export contacts, I get an error "Cannot find the Excel driver." But, the only output format it gives me is .xls (and not .csv or anything else). CMS is installed on a Windows 10 machine that does not have Microsoft Office. Does anybody know what driver I need (I tried to add the Access runtime driver and the Visual Studio redistribution runtime).

For now, what I am doing is saving the full configuration, then loading that back into a new radio. But then I need to and make sure I update the Radio Alias, DMR ID, and tweak the contact list. There has got to be an easier way!

Thanks!

 

[speedway_navigator]

Export needs office, maybe open office or Libre would work. The files are password protected, maybe you can search and find it.
A slightly quicker way to add channels is to do this.
In the channel tab right click on the channel name and use copy, then right click - insert, then right click to past to duplicate the channel. You have to change the name as it defaults to CH A1, 2, etc.

I"m not aware of any easier way to add channels.

 

[YL3IM]

The export .xls file is password protected against editing. You still can create a new one and copy/paste the contents into it, then edit everything and import the new file thereafter.

AFAIK, PD36x series only can export/import conventional contacts, not the channels. Also, importing either contacts or channels does reset the respective settings for contacts/zones/channels. Conventional channel export doesn't contain all fields either — you'll have to set up them manually after import.

 

[thegoop]

Thanks - what a pain in the rear. I want to add ~100 channels to a set of PD362 radios, some of which are slightly different models so the .rcd files won't load from one to the other. Ugh!

 

[speedway_navigator]

I worked with a Motorola shop that added about 100 Vertex radios into a large Trbo system. Each Trbo had a user name and ID we had to add to the new radios and then update the Trbos with the Vertex info. Even the the CPS looked identical you can't, or could not at the time, copy names and IDs over to the Vertex CPS.

Fortunately the shop sent a sales guy to assist with the rollout so I had him type in half the names and I did the other, then merged the 2 files.
My dyslexia added a few new employee names to the initial list...

 

[SP2]

Password protection on an .xls file can be displayed (also to unlock), Google is your friend (hint: vbs scripting)

 

[YL3IM]

Contact and Channel export files from PD/MD/X1p series are password protected from editing. Here's how to workaround it.

ALT + F11
Double click on the workbook
Copy the code on the right
Press the play button (execute macro) and let it run.
Takes a little time depending on the length of the password.

Option Explicit
Sub GetPass()
    Const a = 65, b = 66, c = 32, d = 126
    Dim i#, j#, k#, l#, m#, n#, o#, p#, q#, r#, s#, t#
    With ActiveSheet
        If .ProtectContents Then
            On Error Resume Next
            For i = a To b
                For j = a To b
                    For k = a To b
                        For l = a To b
                            For m = a To b
                                For n = a To b
                                    For o = a To b
                                        For p = a To b
                                            For q = a To b
                                                For r = a To b
                                                    For s = a To b
                                                        For t = c To d
            .Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & _
            Chr(n) & Chr(o) & Chr(p) & Chr(q) & Chr(r) & Chr(s) & Chr(t)
                                                        Next t
                                                    Next s
                                                Next r
                                            Next q
                                        Next p
                                    Next o
                                Next n
                            Next m
                        Next l
                    Next k
                Next j
            Next i
            MsgBox "Finished"
        End If
    End With
End Sub

Please note the importing will fail if an Excel sheet is unprotected. Protect (no password is required) it before importing.

 

[thegoop]

Very cool, thanks. Can someone confirm that Channel information is part of the PD export, because the menu item simply says "Export Contracts". I am worried that this is a red herring. YL3IM stated the following, which suggests even if the Excel is exported and editable, I won't be able to reimport and update other radios.

AFAIK, PD36x series only can export/import conventional contacts, not the channels. Also, importing either contacts or channels does reset the respective settings for contacts/zones/channels. Conventional channel export doesn't contain all fields either — you'll have to set up them manually after import.

 

[Tarnish05]

I have a PD565 Im struggling with importing a contacts file.

Having previously exported and edited a small group of contacts for many hours it failed to import. I gave up believing I had edited the file in some way which corrupted it.

The list has grown now so large that importing and editing will save me time if I can get it to work.

I then tried exporting a contact list (.xls) again, not editing anything at all and attempted importing the unedited file again and it fails with:





Is this a CPS issue or Windows?

Cheers

 

[YL3IM]

Try to protect the Excel spreadsheet before importing.

 

[Tarnish05]

I've run the code (finished) but what file type is it then needing to be saved as for the CPS to see it?

Tried a few with Macros etc....but each fails to import.

 

[SP2]

I've run the code (finished) but what file type is it then needing to be saved as for the CPS to see it?

Tried a few with Macros etc....but each fails to import.

Yes, it is the entry format of the individual cells and/or a password protected page, each cell must have a apostrophe preceding the data. Please let me know if it works, if not, I have another possible solution. Hope this helps!

 

[Tarnish05]

Here’s what steps I’m taking:

CPS Open > Read Codeplug (Radio File Structure)
Tools > Export Conventional Contact > OK > Save As

File Name: Conventional Channel
Save as Type (Default): Excel Files (*.xls)

‘Export Conventional Contact Modules successfully.’

Open Excel > File Open > ‘Conventional Contact.xls’

Prompt: “The file you are trying to open, ‘Conventional Channel.xls’ is in a different format than specified by the file extension. Verify that the file is not corrupted and is from a trusted source before opening the file. Do you want to open the file now? Yes No”

File Opens fine.

Alt+F11 > Visual Basic opens > Run Macros

Prompts with dialogue box with blank name and only cancel is not greyed out.

Entered ‘Sheet2.GetPass’ as file name > Create

Deleted Sub GetPass() and End Sub that prompted in the box and pasted the code text above.

Run Macros (F5) > Finished > OK

Double Click on the Excel file > File > Protect Workbook > Protect Current Sheet >

Prompt: ‘Protect Sheet’

Protect worksheet and contents of locked cells (default ticked)
NO PASSWORD
Select locked cells (default ticked)
Select unlocked cells (default ticked)

OK

Close > Save changes > ‘Save’ (non made at this time to actual contacts)

Prompts
The following features cannot be saved in macro-free workbooks:
VB project
To save a file with these features, click No, and then choose a macro-enabled file type in the File Type list.
To continue saving as a macro-free workbook, click Yes.
Yes No

This worked. Perhaps there are a little muddled steps with the Macros that could be cleared up if needed to but it worked for me.

Imports contacts fine now. To anyone following this, unprotect the sheet once opened, edit as needed then protect as Inga rightly said above before saving and then using CPS to import.

Many thanks All

 

[speedway_navigator]

I was about half way into taking all those stupid single quote marks out of my sheet to import when this popped up. Not sure why excel would not drop them when I formatted the cells as numbers.