Need to convert columnar document so that can be converted to tabl

[doonboggle]

I have a document of names, addresses, email, etc. that consists of 36 pages;
and hundreds of individuals. This document was provided to me by someone
else. It is in a 'table' format ... however, it is not a table ... nor did
he use the column feature for Word.

By the way, I am using Word 2003.

I need to, somehow, change this document of 2 side by side columns into
something that I can ... hopefully ... be able to then convert it into a
columnar table of some 14-15 columns.

I am afraid this is likely impossible, and too difficult to alter ... but
thought I'd see if anyone has any suggestions.
Thanks

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If the "table" was created with tabs, it can be converted to a table fairly
easily. The table can then be converted back to text in another of different
ways or used as a data source for a mail merge into even more configurations
(the latter is what I would advise), including newspaper-style columns.

 

[Jay Freedman]

See http://www.gmayor.com/convert_labels_into_mail_merge.htm for some
assistance. It will still be tedious, but not impossible.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[doonboggle]

I'm presuming you may be referring to the seperator 'Tab'; which may be a
possibility; yes, the spacers over to the 2nd column was the tab key ... that
much I can see.

But ....... between the end of the left hand line, for that individual, and
over to the beginning line of the next individual ... both being the same
item (name, address, etc) ... the number of tabs will differ from line to
line; from individual to individual.

Thus preventing my setting up a table of specifics columns; since the
individuals location of fields differ from one to the next. In other words,
putting the first individual's phone number into the assigned column ... but
then the next individual, due to having less or more tabs, will have his
phone number into a different column.

I have not tried this yet ... but forsee this as the problem. Your
suggestions?
Chuck

 

[Graham Mayor]

If the columns are not real columns or tables, it should be much simpler if
you use ALT+Drag select to select the extra columns and cut and paste them
to the end of the first column, with the aim of getting all the addresses in
one column. Delete the white space at the ends of the lines (CTRL+E then
CTRL+L) and then use the process Jay posted to convert to a data file.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The first thing you need to do is replace multiple tab characters with a
single one. This can be done using Find and Replace. But what we really need
to know is this: Which of these setups represents what you've got?

Name Address1 Address2 Phone
Name Address1 Address2 Phone
Etc.

or

Name Name
Address1 Address1
Address2 Address2
Phone Phone

If the former, then my method will work, after reducing the number of tab
characters to one for each separatiion. If the latter, then Graham's
suggestion of column selection is the way to go.

 

[Henk57]

Chuck:
Further to Suzanne's suggestions, I can add that first you need to
determine a consistent structure for yr table (you desired output).
Multiple tabs can be replaced by a single tab (replace ^t^t by ^t, and
repeat to get rid of an uneven number of tabs in several steps). But
what if a position is deliberately empty, so indeed TWO tabs are
correct to get the right info in the right column?
I usually find it easier to convert to Excel (tabs (^t) will separate
the data into columns; the hard return (^p) will force Excel to go the
next row. In Excel it is easier / quicker (at least imho) to
add/delete cells or multiple cells for that matter. You can always
convert back to Word if that's what you want.
Other tricks might have to be used, eg, when more ^p clutter the data.
If you send me the file I can have a quick look at it for you.
HTH,
Henk