Importing a non standard CSV file

[genious]

Hi Guys,

I have not been using the forum in quite some time, it is great to be back in Filemaker frame. I have to implement an import of data in a non standard CSV format. It is special because the field separators are semicolons, rather than commas. When I go to import though, FIlemaker doesnt see the separator. As a result it is like I am importing only one field. How do I work around this, I need to work only in Filemaker.

Many thanks

[Vaughan]

a non standard CSV format

Technically, if it's semi-colon delimited then it's not CSV.

If you want a FMP-only solution, import into a "converter" table and use calculation fields to parse out all the semicolon-separated fields. Then import from these calc fields into the main table.

[genious]

Technically, if it's semi-colon delimited then it's not CSV.

If you want a FMP-only solution, import into a "converter" table and use calculation fields to parse out all the semicolon-separated fields. Then import from these calc fields into the main table.

Thanks Vaughn,

Is there anything that Filemaker can't handle? I have forgotten the vast majority of what I used to know from before FM7, but it is all coming back now. In fact I think that only now is it starting to really come of age. It took me a little fiddling around but as soon as I applied myself with a hint from you I solved the problem.

[Vaughan]

Is there anything that Filemaker can't handle?

FileMaker is just a tool. It's the developer that does the "handling".

And yes, FMP >= 9.0 is really becoming an excellent tool.

Interestingly, since I made this post I've created 2 importer solutions for one client, and I'm working on an importer for another client as I write this. These converters go a step further by importing the raw data into a holding table and displaying the results to the user to let them clean it up before adding the new data to the main system. Conditional formatting is great for highlighting "problem" records that attract the users's attention, so they can work out whether they are duplicates etc.

[Ocean West]

I have had occasions where I have used a plugin to import the CSV into a single field (global ) then did some substitutions or a plugin (scribe) on that field then either processed the field into records or exported the field back out as a real CSV.

[genious]

Thanks For all the help. I am having a further problem as I put this onto the back burner for a few days. When I import the text file some of the records are becoming consolidated. I can not understand why, as the data looks good when I open it in Excel.