Microsoft KB Archive/128890

= How the Import Wizard Determines the Text File Type =

Article ID: 128890

Article Last Modified on 2/12/2000

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Visual FoxPro 3.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q128890



SUMMARY
The Import Wizard assists you in creating a FoxPro table from another type of file, such as a text file. This article explains how FoxPro determines the type (fixed-length, comma-delimited, or tab-delimited) of text file you are importing.



Determining Records to Analyze
When you import a text file using the Import Wizard, by default it reads the first 50 records in the text file. To begin analysis at a different row, or perform analysis on all records, choose the Options button in the "Step 1a - Options" screen of the Import Wizard.

NOTE: The analysis of records cannot be manually interrupted.

Determining File Type
The following tests are performed in the order listed to determine the file's type:
 * 1) Do all records have the same length? If true, this is a fixed-length file.
 * 2) Do all records have the same number of commas? If true, this is a comma-delimited file.
 * 3) Do all records have the same number of tabs? If true, this is a tab-delimited file.
 * 4) Do all records have the same number of semicolons? If true, this is a semicolon-delimited file.
 * 5) If none of the previous tests are true, the Import Wizard assumes the file to be a fixed-length file, using the length of the longest record in the 50-record sample as the record length.

Determining File Structure
Once the file's type is determined, the following tests are performed to determine its structure.
 * Fixed-length Files: Each record is analyzed to determine potential column breaks, by tracking the locations in each record where a space is followed by a non-space character. When 75% or more of the records have this transition from a space to non-space character in the same location, that location is assumed to be a column break. This is how the Import Wizard decides where to place the default column breaks displayed in Step 1a.
 * Delimited Files: Each field in all records is analyzed to determine the maximum field lengths. All fields are assumed to be character unless a field is wider than the maximum character field width, in which case the field is assumed to be a memo field.

Additional query words: VFoxWin semi-colon 3.00

Keywords: KB128890

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