SUMMARY
To import a text file into versions of Microsoft Excel earlier than
version 2.20, the text file must have tabs separating the column
entries and a return at the end of each line.
If the text file has two or more spaces between the column entries
(which is common in text files that originate on mainframe computers),
you must change those spaces into tabs by using one of the following
methods:
- Use Microsoft Word or another word processor program and do the
following:
a. Open the file.
b. Use a Change command (in Microsoft Word) or the equivalent
command in another program to convert the spaces into tabs.
(See below for more information on using Microsoft Word for
this conversion.)
- Use a utility, for example, McSink, to convert the spaces into
tabs. (See below for more information about acquiring McSink.)
Note that Microsoft Excel version 2.20 and later can specify if a text
file should be read as comma or tab delimited and has a built-in space
parsing command.
MORE INFORMATION
McSink is a shareware program that is available from many electronic
bulletin-board services, from local user groups, or from local
software dealers. To obtain a copy directly from the programmer, write
to the following address:
Dave McWherter
Signature Software
2151 Brown Ave.
Bensalem, PA 19020
To use Microsoft Word, follow these steps to change the spaces to
tabs:
- Start Microsoft Word.
- Choose Open from the File menu and open the text file.
- Choose Change from the Search menu.
- In the Find What box, type the greatest number of spaces that
appear together within the document.
- In the Change To box, type "^t" (without the quotation marks). The
caret (^) is created by pressing SHIFT+6.
- Select the Change All option.
- When this procedure is complete, delete one space from the contents
of the Find What box.
- Repeat steps 6 and 7 until the procedure is completed with a single
space in the Find What box, then proceed to step 9.
- Select Save As from the File menu.
- In the File Save As dialog box, click the File Format button.
- Select the Text Only option and save the document.
This procedure replaces each space with a tab. You can now start up
Microsoft Excel and open the new text document.