What does an export file look like for Custom Routes?

What does an export file look like for Custom Routes?

Info
Note: This article describes the file format of BookRouter™ exports from the Custom Routing tools only. Preset marketplaces are not typically constrained by this format. We may work with third-parties to support special features, use an API rather than text file for updating inventory, etc. 

BookRouter™ Standard Export Format

Because we like to support vendor specific features and upload formats / methods for marketplaces when we can, most of them do not use the default BookRouter™ export file for updates. Nevertheless, we do have a standard export format that functions as a starting point for any new third-party connection. If you decide to use the Custom Routing tools, this standard format would be the default output.

Notes
Key characteristics of default export
  1. Files may be gzipped, leading to a .txt.gz extension
  2. Filenames begin with Upload_ and then a numeric sequence prior to the extension. Ex: Upload_1772265880.txt.gz
  3. Purge files are named with the word Purge_ in place of Upload_
  4. The first record in all upload files sent from BookRouter™ is a header record with field names.

sku

author

title

subtitle
place_pub
publisher
date_pub
edition
isbn
description
binding
condition
jacket_cond
comments
dj (y/n)
signed (y/n)
first_ed (y/n)
illustrator
keywords
subject 1
subject 2
subject 3
subject 4
subject 5
alt_1
alt_2
type
* image_url 
price
quantity   (0 = delete; > 0 = add)

 

* image_url BookRouter™ populates the image_url field with the primary image URL with exceptions for marketplaces that support multiple images per listing. In these instances, the image_url field contains comma separated image URLs.

Marketplace specific image_url specifications:

  • ABE upload files contain up to their maximum supported five image URLs.
  • Alibris upload files contain a single image URL.
  • AntiqBook upload files contain a single image URL.
  • Biblio upload files contain all image URLs.