Acalog CSV to Omni Update XML Custom Script

Josh developed a custom PHP script for Enrollment Services. Enrollment Services approached Josh, requesting he automate the process of taking data from Acalog and using it for the program finder feature on SDSU’s main website. The program finder requires an XML file with specific fields to correctly populate data into the feature successfully.

Josh customized a PHP shell-based script to grab the Acalog data through the Acalog API. The data is retrieved as a CSV file. The CSV file includes the program data of academic programs offered at SDSU. The script transforms the CSV into an array for processing. The array data is then cycled through to pull out which data is needed for the program finder. It is then neatly packaged into XML format and subsequently output into an XML file. Enrollment Services can then use the XML file to populate the data into the program finder feature.

Enrollment Services is pleased with the script speed and the ease of which they can switch out the files as they regularly update content in Acalog. The automated process is quick and simple to run.