CSV file connector

The CSV file connector is useful when importing users, either for initial provisioning or for ongoing updates. When used continuously in production, a CSV file serves as a change log, often containing only user records that have changed.

This connector does not verify CSV data before attempting a synchronization. You must ensure that your CSV file is complete and properly formed before using the connector.

Do not remove or replace CSV files that are the source or target of an active scheduled reconciliation or synchronization operation.

Install the CSV file connector

You can download any connector from Backstage, but some come bundled with Identity Cloud, IDM, or RCS by default. When using a bundled connector, you can skip installing it and move directly to configuration.

Bundle availability
Connector	Identity Cloud	IDM	RCS
CSV file	No	Yes	Yes

Download the connector .jar file from Backstage.

If you are running the connector locally, place it in the /path/to/openidm/connectors directory, for example:
```
mv ~/Downloads/csvfile-connector-1.5.20.18.jar /path/to/openidm/connectors/
```
If you are using a remote connector server (RCS), place it in the /path/to/openicf/connectors directory on the RCS.

Configure the CSV file connector

Create a connector configuration using the IDM admin UI:

From the navigation bar, click Configure > Connectors.
On the Connectors page, click New Connector.
On the New Connector page, type a Connector Name.
From the Connector Type drop-down list, select CSV file Connector - 1.5.20.18.
Complete the Base Connector Details.

For a list of all configuration properties, refer to CSV file Connector Configuration
Click Save.

When your connector is configured correctly, the connector displays as Active in the admin UI.

Refer to this procedure to create a connector configuration over REST.

Alternatively, use the sample CSV file connector configuration in openidm/samples/example-configurations/provisioners/provisioner.openicf-csvfile.json as a basis for your configuration.

The following example shows an excerpt of the connector configuration. The connectorHostRef property is optional and must be provided only if the connector runs remotely.

{
    "connectorRef": {
        "connectorHostRef": "#LOCAL",
        "connectorName": "org.forgerock.openicf.csvfile.CSVFileConnector",
        "bundleName": "org.forgerock.openicf.connectors.csvfile-connector",
        "bundleVersion": "[1.5.0.0,1.6.0.0)"
    }
}

The only required configuration property is the path to the csvFile:

"configurationProperties" : {
    "csvFile" : "&{idm.instance.dir}/data/csvConnectorData.csv"
}

For a list of all configuration properties for this connector, refer to Configuration Properties.

If you change the structure of the CSV file resource, by adding or removing columns, you must update the corresponding object properties in the connector configuration accordingly.

CSV file remote connector

If you want to run this connector outside of Identity Cloud or IDM, you can configure the CSV file connector as a remote connector. Java Connectors installed remotely on a Java Connector Server function identically to those bundled locally within Identity Cloud or installed locally on IDM.

You can download the CSV file connector from here.

Refer to Remote connectors for configuring the CSV file remote connector.

OpenICF Interfaces Implemented by the CSV File Connector

The CSV File Connector implements the following OpenICF interfaces. For additional details, see ICF interfaces:

Authenticate

Provides simple authentication with two parameters, presumed to be a user name and password.

Batch

Execute a series of operations in a single request.

Create

Creates an object and its uid.

Delete

Deletes an object, referenced by its uid.

Resolve Username

Resolves an object by its username and returns the uid of the object.

Schema

Describes the object types, operations, and options that the connector supports.

Script on Connector

Enables an application to run a script in the context of the connector.

Any script that runs on the connector has the following characteristics:

The script runs in the same execution environment as the connector and has access to all the classes to which the connector has access.
The script has access to a connector variable that is equivalent to an initialized instance of the connector. At a minimum, the script can access the connector configuration.
The script has access to any script arguments passed in by the application.

Search

Searches the target resource for all objects that match the specified object class and filter.

Sync

Polls the target resource for synchronization events, that is, native changes to objects on the target resource.

Test

Tests the connector configuration.

Testing a configuration checks all elements of the environment that are referred to by the configuration are available. For example, the connector might make a physical connection to a host that is specified in the configuration to verify that it exists and that the credentials that are specified in the configuration are valid.

This operation might need to connect to a resource, and, as such, might take some time. Do not invoke this operation too often, such as before every provisioning operation. The test operation is not intended to check that the connector is alive (that is, that its physical connection to the resource has not timed out).

You can invoke the test operation before a connector configuration has been validated.

Update

Updates (modifies or replaces) objects on a target resource.

CSV File Connector Configuration

The CSV File Connector has the following configurable properties:

Configuration properties

Property Type Default Encrypted⁽¹⁾ Required⁽²⁾

Property	Type	Default	Required⁽²⁾
`headerPassword`	`String`	`password`	No
The CSV header that maps to the password for each row. Use this property when password-based authentication is required.
`spaceReplacementString`	`String`	`_`	No
The character(s) used to replace spaces within column names.
`csvFile`	`File`	`null`	Yes
The full path to the CSV file that is the data source for this connector.
`newlineString`	`String`	`\n`	No
The character string in the CSV file that is used to terminate each line.
`headerUid`	`String`	`uid`	No
The CSV header that maps to the uid (or name) for each row.
`quoteCharacter`	`String`	`"`	No
The character in the CSV file that is used to encapsulate strings.
`escapeCharacter`	`String`	`\`	No
The character in the CSV file that is used to escape characters.
`fieldDelimiter`	`String`	`,`	No
The character in the CSV file that is used to separate field values.
`syncFileRetentionCount`	`int`	`3`	No
The number of historical copies of the CSV file to retain when performing synchronization operations.

headerPassword

String

password

The CSV header that maps to the password for each row. Use this property when password-based authentication is required.

spaceReplacementString

String

_

The character(s) used to replace spaces within column names.

csvFile

File

null

Yes

The full path to the CSV file that is the data source for this connector.

newlineString

String

\n

The character string in the CSV file that is used to terminate each line.

headerUid

String

uid

The CSV header that maps to the uid (or name) for each row.

quoteCharacter

String

"

The character in the CSV file that is used to encapsulate strings.

escapeCharacter

String

\

The character in the CSV file that is used to escape characters.

fieldDelimiter

String

,

The character in the CSV file that is used to separate field values.

syncFileRetentionCount

int

3

The number of historical copies of the CSV file to retain when performing synchronization operations.

⁽¹⁾ Whether the property value is considered confidential, and is therefore encrypted in IDM.

⁽²⁾ A list of operations in this column indicates that the property is required for those operations.

ICF 1.5.20.21

CSV file connector

Install the CSV file connector

Configure the CSV file connector

CSV file remote connector

OpenICF Interfaces Implemented by the CSV File Connector

CSV File Connector Configuration

Configuration properties