Confluence space Export and Import

Katherine Nji

I am trying to export and reimport a confluence space from one instance to another.
I tried the CSV export since they are both cloud instances . However, on countless times when I go to reimport  the file on the new instance, it  gives me an error message, it starts unzipping the file and half way through it says the import has failed.
I tried using another approach by exporting to XML. I exported some selected pages of the space  and reimported just that file and it worked.  It created a new space on the new instance so  I moved the information and deleted that space.
Now I am trying to export other pages  and the import crashes 1/2 way through and I get this error message.
 Also, when I do the entire space XML export , I immediately get a failure message when I hit import. The entire space export is about 81,600 KB

Kristian Klima_gtcuat

Hi @Katherine Nji 

Yes, your experience is correct as you can only import XML space exports.

If I get it right, you exported a couple of pages from space A from Confluence 1 and imported those pages to Confluence 2.

The reason your second import to Confluence 2 fails is that there is already a space in your C2 with a space key A. 

Ever Confluence space has a unique space key. There can be no two spaces with the same key on one Confluence site and, before you ask, you cannot change a space key.

Space key is a part of any XML export AND import.

By importing the first batch of pages, you created in your C2 a space with the key of Space A. As you second export/import carries the same space key, it fails. 

You say that you deleted the imported space from C2 ... but did you removed it from the space trash? 

Anyway, if I run into multi-stage import issues, I usually do one of the following:

Workaround 1

1. Delete the original import from C2 (delete and purge from Trashed spaces).
2. Export the entire Space 1 from C1 and import it to C2.

Workaround 2

1. On C1, create a new space - space B.
2. Using an app like Copy Page Tree or other method, copy the remaining pages of Space A into Space B.
3. Export Space B from C1 and import it into C2.
4. On C2, using the app or other method, copy the pages from Space A to Space B (or the other way 'round.

I'd go with the first method which will preserve all links between the pages within Space A and assures that permissions and other metadata are preserved across the space as whole.