# Export/mport data UNIVERSAL function
**URL:** https://discuss.tryton.org/t/export-mport-data-universal-function/3392
**Category:** Developer
**Created:** [October 24, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://discuss.tryton.org/t/export-mport-data-universal-function/3392 "2020-10-24T20:45:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@banknote](https://discuss.tryton.org/u/banknote)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://discuss.tryton.org/t/export-mport-data-universal-function/3392/1 "2020-10-24T20:45:26Z")
Good evening,
Definitely, everything is in docs, but may you tell me like _I am five_:
how do the export data from an arbitrary model?
**Inputs:**
`items = Transaction().context['active_ids'] # list of selected items ids`
**Outputs:**
a CSV format with all fields (including M2M, O2M)
I build already a pretty complex algorithm if recognizing fields names and it values:
```auto
def populate_csv_data(self, input_model_instance,keys_only=False):
# ''' Returns one copy of class by a call by extracting input_model_instance
# input_model_instance — a tryton Model
# keys_only — boolean — returns keys' names instead of their values
_export_data = []
_accepted_keys_types = ['char','text','numeric','integer','boolean','timestamp','float','datetime','selection','many2many','many2one'];
########## THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE QUESTION #####################
_fields = input_model_instance.fields_get(level=2)
#### WOULD YOU RECOMMEND USE ANOTHER CALL???
######## ModelStorage.export_data ??????
if keys_only: # return a CSV line with keys only
_export_data.append('id#')
_export_data = _export_data + list(_fields)
_export_data.append('\r\n') # return data with ending '\r\n'
return _export_data
for _key in list(_fields):
#_export_data.append(_key)
try:
# ———— Convert various types into CSV coded strings
if _fields[_key]['type'] in _accepted_keys_types: #,
key_value=getattr(vehicle,_key)
if key_value:
if _fields[_key]['type'] == 'timestamp':
_export_data.append('{0:%Y-%m-%d %I:%M %p}'.format(key_value))
elif _fields[_key]['type'] == 'datetime':
_export_data.append('{0:%Y-%m-%d %I:%M %p}'.format(key_value))
elif _fields[_key]['type'] == 'numeric':
_export_data.append('{0:0.2f}'.format(key_value))
elif _fields[_key]['type'] == 'integer':
_export_data.append('{0:.0f}'.format(key_value))
elif _fields[_key]['type'] == 'text': # remove carriage returns from lines
_export_data.append('"{}"'.format(key_value))
elif _fields[_key]['type'] == 'char': # remove carriage returns from lines
_export_data.append('"{}"'.format(getattr(vehicle,_key)))
elif _fields[_key]['type'] == 'many2many':
_export_data.append('"{}"'.format(key_value))
elif _fields[_key]['type'] == 'many2one':
_export_data.append('"{}"'.format(key_value.name))
# —— All other fields from this list
else:
_export_data.append(key_value)
else:
_export_data.append(''); # Add emplty if data is empty (None type)
else:
_export_data.append(''); # SKIP cells of not permitted types
# ———— Completed conversion various types int CSV coded strings
except Exception as e:
_export_data.append("{}".format(e));
_export_data.append('\r\n') # return data with ending '\r\n'
return _export_data
```
How to get data from the model don’t knowing the keys?
How you would recommend to manage this task?
Constantine.
---
### Author:  [@ced](https://discuss.tryton.org/u/ced)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://discuss.tryton.org/t/export-mport-data-universal-function/3392/2 "2020-10-24T20:59:01Z")
Why do not you use the CSV export from the client?
---
### Author:  [@banknote](https://discuss.tryton.org/u/banknote)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://discuss.tryton.org/t/export-mport-data-universal-function/3392/3 "2020-10-24T21:01:38Z")
I want to add some extra logic to the data conversion. Also, I want to create a “ONE BIG BUTTON” solution for the client.
---
### Author:  [@ced](https://discuss.tryton.org/u/ced)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 9:07pm UTC](https://discuss.tryton.org/t/export-mport-data-universal-function/3392/4 "2020-10-24T21:07:26Z")
> [@banknote](#):
>
> I want to add some extra logic to the data conversion
The `ModelStorage.export_data` can be customized if needed.
Or probably better is to add new fields (Function probably) that expose as a schema the special data format.
But the format used by Tryton is pretty standard.
Or if it is a special text file for a specific Model, you can define a Report for it.
---
### Author:  [@banknote](https://discuss.tryton.org/u/banknote)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 9:18pm UTC](https://discuss.tryton.org/t/export-mport-data-universal-function/3392/5 "2020-10-24T21:18:41Z")
Either proposal is good!
Will create a report. The idea with having a hidden field with a schema — a great proposal!
————
Where I can find an example of `ModelStorage.export_data` usage?
Didn’t find in standard modules.
---
### Author:  [@pokoli](https://discuss.tryton.org/u/pokoli)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://discuss.tryton.org/t/export-mport-data-universal-function/3392/6 "2020-10-24T21:31:01Z")
> [@banknote](#):
>
> Where I can find an example of `ModelStorage.export_data` usage?
There are several examples in the [export data tests](https://hg.tryton.org/trytond/file/f6d3843711f6/trytond/tests/test_exportdata.py) 😉