importing a tab or space deliminated text document into a sp

[mojognome]

Is is possible to take a space or tab deliminated text document such as http://chemistry.mtu.edu/~jdbailey/downloads/sucrose_tabbed.txt and import into a spread sheet, where each data set resides in its own cell? A final product woudl then look somethign like http://chemistry.mtu.edu/~jdbailey/downloads/sucrose_data.sxc

I know Corel Quattro Pro has this feature. Does OOo?

-thanks
Josh

[Guest]

I did it readily with a COMMA delimited file, but didn't try a tab delimited (called for supper)

So you might look for a really neat program called CSVDB which allows you to easily manage data files, changing the delimiters. I.E. you can change all your tabs into commas. Actually, using WordPerfect's Reveal Codes (always a great advantage over other processors) you can do a batch change right there. Then OOo will "open" that file into columns.

David.

[dfrench]

A file with the columns separated by TAB characters may not work with IMPORT but should work with Insert Sheet From File

[ftack]

Rename the text file to .csv. Then Calc will open it and allow you to set delimiters and the like.

[Guest]

Steps to retrieve a tab delimited file into an OpenOffice.org Calc spreadsheet:

note: Click means single left mouse click

1. With a Calc spreadsheet already open, click "Insert" from the menu bar.

2. Click "Sheet.." from the pull down menu that appears.

3. Click the "From file" radio button found under the Sheet heading.

4. The "Browse.." button is now enabled, click the "Browse.." button.

5. A new window now appears with the name of "Insert" which lists the
files in your present working directory. If this directory does not
contain the file you wish to insert, then use the navigation buttons
at the top right of this window to go to the proper directory.

6. Once you are located in the proper directory, click the file to be
inserted so that it is highlighted, then click the "Insert" button.

7. Another new window will appear with the name of "Text Import - [your selected file]". It should automatically recognize the type of file you are importing. That is, the "Separated by" radio button should be selected and in your case the "Tab" check box should be checked. The "Fields" of the file are displayed in a table for you to preview. For this example, just click the "OK" button.

8. Now, another new window will appear with the name of "Insert Sheet". This window is prompting you to select where to position the new sheet that will contain your imported file. For this example, just click the "OK" button.

9. The data from your file is now displayed in a new sheet probably labeled "Sheet1_2"

These actions were done using OpenOffice.org 1.10 in Red Hat Linux 8.0 environment.