Note:   This wizard is obsolete and is only supported for backward compatibility purposes. Use the Text Data Import Wizard instead.

The Text Data Import Wizard assists you when reading data sets from text files. You can import any number of columns in a single process. The Wizard saves a data set or a text data link object in the database for each column.

The Wizard guides you through four steps to complete the import process:

Step 1

Here you first specify the file from which the data is to be read. The content of the file is displayed in a field so that you can review it. Very large files are not displayed completely, but can still be imported in their entirety.

Select the Manual method if header information, such as names, comments or units, are either not present or are not in the titles above the data columns. With this method you can specify header information, data type and data structure of each individual data set in the file.

The Automatic method is the preferred import method if the data and header information have been organized into columns. All you need to do is to specify the row numbers containing names, units, comments and data. All columns are then imported automatically.

In the last step of the Wizard you can save all settings as a new file type.

Step 2

Here you specify how the file is organized. You must specify

•whether the file has several columns and, if so, which character was used to separate the columns, and

•where the data is located in the text file.

The Wizard selects the first row in the file and specifies the number of columns detected using the current settings. Please check this before proceeding to the next step.

If the columns are separated with a mix of tabs and spaces, select the last option and enter a space in the field next to it and the code \t for the tab character.

Step 3

This step depends on which import method you selected.

The manual import method lets you name all of the columns that you would like to read using themanual import method. Add an empty entry to the list of data sets and then specify the following information:

•Name

The name of the data set created for the column.

•X data set

You should select this option if the column currently being edited contains the X component for all other data sets, e.g. time information. The X component is then assigned to the other data sets. These then provide signals or signal series instead of data series or data matrices.

•Unit

The physical unit of the data from this column.

•Comments

The comments for the data set created for the column.

•Column(s)

Here you specify the column or a group of columns from which the data for this data set is to be taken. If you specify several columns, these are normally read as a data matrix. However, you can also read these as a data series. The columns are then appended to one another.

•Data Type

Here you specify the data type in which the data is to be read. You can read all real data types, including strings and calendar time values. You have to specify the format for the calendar time data. Use the following abbreviations:

T        Day

M        Month

Y        Year

h        Hour

m        Minute

s        Second

Read date in UTC

This specifies that the date values are to be interpreted as Universal Time Coordinated (UTC).

After you have completed the particulars for a data set, please check again to make sure the correct area in the text file has been selected. After you have added all of the data sets, you can proceed to the last step.

The automatic import method is where you specify the rows in which names, units and comments can be found. You can enter the same row number for names and units, leave individual fields blank, or enter a fixed term. If the text file has control over a column with X-values, select the Column with X-values option and specify the column number. Alternatively, you can also generate the X-values as a linear data series. Here, you select the Custom X-column option and specify its name, unit, starting value and sampling interval or sampling rate. You should, however, first set the desired X-data type so that you can enter the values in the format you want.

Step 4

Here, the Wizard again shows you a summary of your input, which you should check thoroughly. In addition, you must specify here whether you would like to copy the data or set up links. In the first case, the Wizard sets up data sets containing the imported data in the database. In the second case, Text Data Link Objects are set up, and these maintain a link to the text file.

If you would like to save these settings as a new file type , you can assign a name to the file type here and save it. The file type generated in this way is linked to the file extension of the file currently selected, e.g. (*.dat), and from now on is available for quick import as a file type in the Import dialog box. FlexPro stores the files types in your user profile , which you can manage in the FlexPro File > Options dialog box.

See Also

Data Link Object