If you have a look into the Magento module "Directory" in the data folder: data/directory_setup/data-install-1.6.0.0.php file, you can see how Magento is filling up the tables.
For example to add Australian states, first, create a module with these files:
app/code/local/Package/Ausregions/etc/config.xml
<?xml version="1.0"?><config><modules>
<Package_Ausregions>
<version>0.1.0</version>
</Package_Ausregions>
</modules>
<global>
<helpers>
<ausregions>
<class>Package_Ausregions_Helper</class>
</ausregions>
</helpers>
<resources>
<ausregions_setup>
<setup>
<module>Package_Ausregions</module>
</setup>
<connection>
<use>core_setup</use>
</connection>
</ausregions_setup>
<ausregions_write>
<connection>
<use>core_write</use>
</connection>
</ausregions_write>
<ausregions_read>
<connection>
<use>core_read</use>
</connection>
</ausregions_read>
</resources>
</global>
Then you need to write your Helper class: Package/Ausregions/Helper/Data.php
class Package_Ausregions_Helper_Data extends Mage_Core_Helper_Abstract
{
}
And finally, add your data-install file in: Package/Ausregions/data/ausregions_setup/data-install-0.1.0.php with the following content:
$installer = $this;
$data = array(
array('AU', 'ACT', 'Australian Capital Territory'),
array('AU', 'NSW', 'New South Wales'),
array('AU', 'NT', 'Northern Territory'),
array('AU', 'QLD', 'Queensland'),
array('AU', 'SA', 'South Australia'),
array('AU', 'TAS', 'Tasmania'),
array('AU', 'VIC', 'Victoria'),
array('AU', 'WA', 'Western Australia')
);
foreach ($data as $row)
{
$bind = array(
'country_id' => $row[0],
'code' => $row[1],
'default_name' => $row[2],
);
//First add data into "directory_country_region" table
$installer->getConnection()->insert($installer->getTable('directory/country_region'), $bind);
//Then get the last inserted ID for the regionID
$regionId = $installer->getConnection()->lastInsertId($installer->getTable('directory/country_region'));
$bind = array(
'locale' => 'en_US',
'region_id' => $regionId,
'name' => $row[2]
);
//Insert data into "directory_country_region_name" table
$installer->getConnection()->insert($installer->getTable('directory/country_region_name'), $bind);
}
This will add the states and when you are on checkout page, if you select country Australia, it will populate the "State" dropdown with the inserted states.
