After several months of strenuous testing and using the 2.0 import add on installed and running on many live real estate websites, the add-on for WP All Import is ready for release.
Of all the software we create this is the most difficult and complex system that must be 100% correct so that when you update to the latest version, it just works.
Whats new
Field Skipping and you can use Featured Listings
A major feature request for us is the ability to use the featured listings option in WordPress to manage your featured properties. But as this is an importer the listing data is being pulled in from an outside listing source. Making the ability to retain added data to your listings in WordPress stay there after you update it in your listing provider.
We have implemented a very elegant system where custom fields can be automatically skipped, linked contact data skipped and several default fields.
Meaning you can add additional data to your imported listings after its imported and use the Featured star to feature your imported listings!
By default we are force skipping the property_featured, property_year_built and property_owner data.
See the codex on how to use the epl_wpimport_default_skip_fields_list filter to skip additional fields.
Selective updating of imports – Partial / full / skip specific fields
Now you can selectively update a specific piece of imported info, a few, exclude some or update everything. This is really handy when altering a large number of listings where you want to JUST update something specific. Like just the title, an agent, or a few specific fields.
Many options to choose from and you can selectively just update the Easy Property Listings fields, or skip them entirely.
This makes updating much easier. See the guide on updating your imports with the add-on.
Major enhancement to logging
Once the import configuration is set and running every hour, every day 24/7 it just runs. However if there is a problem with bad logging this is nearly impossible to figure out what has gone wrong…
- Was it the data source?
- Why did the listing skip or update?
- Which field is incorrect?
Answering the above is very difficult with bad or minimal information. So we have done extra work to implement specific logging on exactly what is happening and why. Our logging was already quite good, but with the new features, means we need much more detail so we can see exactly what is going on during the import process.
Full Change Log
= 2.0.0 February 5, 2020 =
- New: Select and specifically override Easy Property Listings Custom Fields. You can now update all, update specific fields, or leave some alone.
- New: Filter epl_wpimport_default_skip_fields_list allowing record skipping of specific fields when importer is set to update everything. This allows you to use the featured listing system in EPL with imported data and by default will not update property_featured, property_year_built, property_owner custom fields. Add more to the epl_wpimport_default_skip_fields_list array as required.
- New: Modified date/time filter epl_import_mod_time added allowing support for other data formats.
- New: Better logging output so you know specifically what is happening to all EPL fields during import.
- New: Support for custom meat fields to use ‘import’ => ‘preserve’ which will automatically enable record skipping of custom added meta fields.
- New: Image filter epl_import_image_new_mod_date enabling image record skipping process for custom feeds.
- Tweak: WP All Import rapid-addon updated to 1.1.1 version.
- Tweak: Revised log messaging for better clarity on exactly what is happing during the import process.
- Tweak: Updated fallback meta fields to EPL 3.4.21.
- Fix: Bold formatting issue in log.
- Fix: Security improvements.