# CSV Attributes Manager

The **CSV Attributes Manager** is a powerful productivity tool in SimLab Composer 15 designed to manage metadata for hundreds or thousands of objects simultaneously. Instead of manually entering attributes for individual items (such as a scene containing every country in the world), you can export, edit, and import data using standard CSV files.

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### Key Functions

The add-on interface is divided into four main utilities to ensure your scene data is organized and easily accessible for logic-heavy experiences.

#### 1. Guarantee Unique Names

In large scenes, identical object names can cause issues with logic and tracking.

- **Fix Duplicates:** Automatically scans your selection and renames duplicate objects by adding a numerical suffix (e.g., "Chair" becomes "Chair#1", "Chair#2").

#### 2. Add Unique Identifier (GUID)

- **Add GUIDs:** Adds a unique "ID" attribute to every selected object. This is essential for developers who need a permanent, unique reference for objects that persists even if names are changed later.

#### 3. Export CSV

This section allows you to pull data out of SimLab Composer to edit it in external programs like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.

- **Export Names Only:** Creates a CSV file with a single column titled **"name"**. This is the perfect starting point for adding new data to a scene.
- **Export Names with Attributes:** Exports the object names along with any existing attributes they already possess.

#### 4. Import CSV – Apply Attributes

This is the core of the workflow. It reads data from your spreadsheet and applies it to the corresponding objects in your 3D scene.

- **Select CSV File:** Once you have edited your CSV, select your objects in the scene and use this button to apply the new data.

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### The Workflow: Adding Data in Bulk

To add complex data (like Capital, Population, and Area) to many objects at once, follow these steps:

1. **Selection:** Select all objects in the scene tree that require attributes.
2. **Export:** Use **Export Names Only** to generate your base file.
3. **External Edit:** Open the CSV in Excel or a similar tool.
    
    > \[!IMPORTANT\]
    > 
    > Column Formatting: The first column MUST be titled name in all lowercase letters for the importer to recognize the objects.
4. **Add Attributes:** Create new columns for each attribute you want (e.g., a "Population" column). Fill in the rows with the corresponding data.
5. **Import:** Back in SimLab Composer, with the objects still selected, click **Select CSV File** and choose your edited document.

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### Summary Table

<table data-path-to-node="22" id="bkmrk-feature-best-use-cas"><thead><tr><td>**Feature**</td><td>**Best Use Case**</td><td>**Benefit**</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><span data-path-to-node="22,1,0,0">**Fix Duplicates**</span></td><td><span data-path-to-node="22,1,1,0">Scenes with many repeated assets (trees, chairs).</span></td><td><span data-path-to-node="22,1,2,0">Prevents naming conflicts in logic.</span></td></tr><tr><td><span data-path-to-node="22,2,0,0">**Add GUIDs**</span></td><td><span data-path-to-node="22,2,1,0">Complex VR training or database-driven scenes.</span></td><td><span data-path-to-node="22,2,2,0">Provides a permanent "ID" for every object.</span></td></tr><tr><td><span data-path-to-node="22,3,0,0">**Export Names**</span></td><td><span data-path-to-node="22,3,1,0">Initializing a new project's data.</span></td><td><span data-path-to-node="22,3,2,0">Quickly creates a "master list" of your scene.</span></td></tr><tr><td><span data-path-to-node="22,4,0,0">**Import CSV**</span></td><td><span data-path-to-node="22,4,1,0">Applying population, price, or technical data.</span></td><td><span data-path-to-node="22,4,2,0">Saves hours of manual data entry.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

Watch this Tutorial to lean more

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" height="314" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OJ_s2mFd9yA" width="560"></iframe>