11.1.1. Excel database Preparation - Manual
Requirement is to have an Excel database in appropriate format.
Two tabs as per given below names are mandatory.
Devices
It defines all images/icons related to be placed on the visio page.Cablings
It defines all cabling/connectivity related on placed images/icons.
There is a Sample Excel given at end of this page. Download and modify it as your requirement.
Read Below to understand it.
11.1.1.1. Devices Tab - Mandatory Columns
hostname
Define hostname / identity of device. ( No Exception and column name modification not allowed )
x-axis
Define horizontal position of device. ( column name can be changed by defining var argument `x` in input)
y-axis
Define vertical position of device. ( column name can be changed by defining var argument `y` in input)
11.1.1.2. Cablings Tab - Mandatory Columns
a_device
Define identity of a-end device for connectivity. (column name can be changed by defining var argument `dev_a` in input)
b_device
Define identity of b-end device for connectivity. (column name can be changed by defining var argument `dev_b` in input)
11.1.1.3. Devices Tab - Optional Columns
stencil
Define stencil file of individual device ( column name modification not allowed )
item
Define stencil name/number from stencil ( column name modification not allowed )
iconHeight
Define resizing of icon vertically ( column name modification not allowed )
iconWidth
Define resizing of icon horizontaly ( column name modification not allowed )There can be n-number of columns for additional device details, with any column-names
Example: (device_model, serial_number, ip_address, rack_details, … and many more ).
As many of these columns information can be added to device information, by defining them to var argument list
cols_to_merge
.Arrange these in list as desired sequence in output.
11.1.1.4. Cablings Tab - Optional Columns
aport
Define port number for a-end device. Will appear on middle. ( column name modification not allowed )
connector_type
Define connector type. (default: straight, other options: angled, curved). ( column name modification not allowed )
color
Define connector color. (default: blue). ( column name modification not allowed )
weight
Define connector weigth/thickness. (default: 3). ( column name modification not allowed )
pattern
Define connector line pattern. (default: 1). ( column name modification not allowed )
include
Define to display only selected cable connectivities.
Non blank values will be selected and appeared in output.
This will get override by other sheet filters if defined.
Use this quick feature, if want to to have just one filter applied on data
A single Page drawing will appear
use filter_on_include_col input var argument for providing this additional information
filter_on_include_col=TrueThere can be many other filter columns with any arbitrary names as per choice.
column name with each matching row values will be considered as a filter, so multiple filters can be defined in a single column. ( see column: draw_type in given example data )
each filtered data will create its own page in visio drawing.
Multipls columns with multiple matching row values can be combined to generate more granular drawings.
Output will be multipage output.
use sheet_filters input var argument in a form of dictionary for providing this additional information
sheet_filters = { ## key = column header: ## value(s) = can be either single string or tuple of multiple strings. 'draw_type': ('core', 'access',), # Add more as desired .... }
By default, any device with no connectivity on Cablings tab, will be excluded.
Change this behaviour by setting False to input var argument
filter_on_cable
.
11.1.1.5. sample excel database
Sample
. Sample Excel file with Devices and Cablings tabs prefilled.