Title: import-mt.php fails
Last modified: August 18, 2016

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# import-mt.php fails

 *  [zanshin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/zanshin/)
 * (@zanshin)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/import-mtphp-fails/)
 * I am unable to import postings from MovableType version 2.661 to WordPress 1.5.1.3.
 * I followed the steps outlined in the ‘Importing from MovableType’ section of 
   the documentation. Once my entries were saved as ‘import.txt’, I opened the file
   and re-saved it using UTF-8 as the encoding. After editting import-mt.php and
   running it I got this response from Safari:
 * Safari can’t open the page “[http://localhost/~mark/public_html/wordpress/wp-admin/import-mt.php?step=1&#8221](http://localhost/~mark/public_html/wordpress/wp-admin/import-mt.php?step=1&#8221);
   because it could not load any data from this location.
 * I have split my import.txt file into pieces to reduce the size of the import.
   However that hasn’t helped either. My fear is that one or more of the over 500
   entries in the file contain characters that the importer can’t handle.
 * Does any one have any suggestions for how to address this issue. I would love
   to migrate to WordPress, but unless I can get this import to work I’m stuck.
 * Thanks
    Mark

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  [Lorelle](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lorelle/)
 * (@lorelle)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/import-mtphp-fails/#post-240924)
 * Having [battled this](http://www.cameraontheroad.com/?p=591) myself, with over
   500 entires, you have to manually inspect it for the thing that is causing the
   problem.
 * I recommend you cut up your import into smaller chunks. If the first one works,
   great, go on to the next. If the third one borks, then either cut that one up
   into smaller import chunks until one borks, or go through it manually looking
   for something that may cause the problem. It could be the use of a code or quote
   or some combination that causes the problem.
 * It’s a process of elimination rather than a specific answer because the problem
   could be a variety of things. The importing works, and the following article 
   gives really good instructions:
    [http://codex.wordpress.org/Importing_from_Movable_Type_to_WordPress](http://codex.wordpress.org/Importing_from_Movable_Type_to_WordPress)
 * Good luck!
 *  Thread Starter [zanshin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/zanshin/)
 * (@zanshin)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/import-mtphp-fails/#post-240928)
 * Manually editting over 500 entires to import them is not my idea of fun. I parced
   the file in to smaller and small chunks until the import worked… with exactly
   one entry in the import.
 * Free or not, I am not going to perform 551 imports just to switch to WordPress.
   There has to be a better way.
 *  [Mark (podz)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/podz/)
 * (@podz)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/import-mtphp-fails/#post-240931)
 * You are trying on your machine ? I have problems doing that for people too – 
   tried using a website instead ?
 *  Thread Starter [zanshin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/zanshin/)
 * (@zanshin)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/import-mtphp-fails/#post-240996)
 * Hmm. I am running Apache on my machine, and I have mirrored as closely as I can
   the environment at my host. I suppose I could migrate my test to my host, but
   I really don’t want to add the difficulties of working remotely to this conversion.
 * What could be different between my machine and my host that might allow the import
   to work there while not working locally?
 *  Thread Starter [zanshin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/zanshin/)
 * (@zanshin)
 * [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/import-mtphp-fails/#post-241375)
 * I’ve tried saving my “import.txt” in every format allowed by BBEdit. Every combination
   of “generic text file”, “generic OS X text file”, “BBEdit file”, “unix line breaks”,“
   macintosh line breaks”, “dos line breaks”, etc.
 * I am not able to import my entries at all and it is very frustrating. I’ve read
   several posting on the internet that all suggest I need to edit my entries individual
   to make sure they’ll import. With over 550 entries presently I don’t think I’ll
   be doing that.
 * I realize that ExpressionEngine is commercial, but their imported swallowed all
   26000 lines of the import file without a hiccup. WordPress needs to improve their
   MovableType import facility if they want to capture those of us wanting to switch.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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## Tags

 * [Import](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/import/)
 * [import-mt.php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/import-mt-php/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 5 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [zanshin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/zanshin/)
 * Last activity: [20 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/import-mtphp-fails/#post-241375)
 * Status: not resolved

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