Google’s new Base service accepts bulk uploads of data in either tab-separated or XML formats, and offers some tips on making the process go more smoothly.
The latest entry from Google’s official Base blog gives some tips to users who want to use Base to make a lot of data available in one upload.
The process of preparing the data is easy enough, but the key is to make it searchable and easy to find for whoever the desired audience may be. To address that, Google recommends using descriptive attributes as much as possible.
Google provides a number of pre-defined attributes listed in their information for tab-delimited or XML files. “If our pre-defined attributes aren’t enough, you can create and submit your own custom set. These can include whatever additional details you choose. Just create a custom attribute and add the pertinent information when you upload,” Google’s Steven Delao wrote in the entry.
XML formats supported include RSS 1.0, RSS 2.0, and Atom 0.3. Google plans to provide support for Atom 1.0 in the future. They also intend to expand the list of pre-defined attributes on an ongoing basis.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
