Importing text files in an MS Excel spreadsheet Wim Buysse – ICRAF-ILRI Research Methods Group August 2004 Research Methods Group

Importing text files: example GPS Research Methods Group

Importing text files: example Data loggers, example weather station Research Methods Group

Importing text files: example Data loggers, example light intensity meter Research Methods Group

Importing text files: example Data loggers, example CO2 and temperature meter Research Methods Group

Importing text files: example Data loggers, example soil moisture logger Research Methods Group

Importing text files: example Data loggers, example rain gauge Research Methods Group

Importing text files: example Data loggers, example ICP mass spectrometer Research Methods Group

Importing text files: example Data loggers, example harvesters Research Methods Group

Avoid entering manually Reading data from device and next typing in spreadsheet = increasing chance of typing errors Reading data from device on the field, writing on a piece of paper, travelling all the way back to the office and typing in spreadsheet (often some days later) = almost impossible not to make some mistake Research Methods Group

Avoid entering manually RULE = use cables and software to transfer data from device to computer Research Methods Group example = logging data from GPS onto a laptop

Avoid entering manually Example of software (for logging GPS data) Research Methods Group

Text data files Result of logged data is quite often in ASCII text format Research Methods Group

Importing in MS Excel 2000 File => Open gives you the “Text Import Wizard” Research Methods Group

Importing in MS Excel 2000 In this example, fields to import are separated by commas. They are “delimited” Research Methods Group

Importing in MS Excel 2000 Choose the comma as delimiter in the second screen Research Methods Group

Importing in MS Excel 2000 More options in the third screen Research Methods Group

Importing in MS Excel 2000 The data are imported in cells of an Excel spreadsheet. Not a single typing error has been made! Research Methods Group

Some functions CONCATENATE() for merging text from several cells Research Methods Group

Some functions LEFT(); RIGHT() or MID() to extract a fixed number of characters from a specific position Research Methods Group

Some functions Result of =RIGHT(B2, 3) Is still text Using the VALUE function turns it into figures Research Methods Group

Some functions It is possible to superpose a function on a function Research Methods Group