Microsoft KB Archive/63274

Works: Parsing Nondelimited Text Files in the Spreadsheet

PSS ID Number: Q63274 Article last modified on 10-16-1998

2.00 3.00

MS-DOS

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= SUMMARY =

To properly convert text files to a spreadsheet or database file, Works requires that the files are either comma or tab delimited prior to loading them. Works is not able to locate and set columns not marked by a tab or comma. Opening a nondelimited file in Works causes all of the information to be placed in the first column. When this behavior occurs, it is not possible to access or manipulate individual column information.

It is possible to parse (or separate) the information by copying it into a communications file with terminal settings for Line Feed and Local Echo.

= MORE INFORMATION =

The method for parsing (delimiting) text files within Works is as follows:


 * 1) Open the file (from the File menu, choose Open Existing File).
 * 2) Open a new communications file (from the File menu, choose Create New Communications).
 * 3) In the communications file, select Options Terminal. In the Add To Incoming Lines box, select LF (ALT+L). Select the Local Echo option (ALT+E).
 * 4) From the Connect menu, choose Connect.
 * 5) Using the Window menu, make the spreadsheet/database file active, select the text, and copy to the communications file by choosing Copy from the Edit menu. It may be helpful to clear the information from the spreadsheet with the Edit Clear (ALT+E, E) command.
 * 6) Within the communications file, select the text and copy it back to the spreadsheet using the Edit Copy command.
 * 7) A dialog box will appear asking if the information should be copied as text or a table. Choose Table.

The information will be properly separated into columns, and can be manipulated using normal column functions.

KBCategory: kbother KBSubcategory: dworkskb Additional reference words: ====================================================================== Version : 2.00 3.00 Platform : MS-DOS ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.