If you have control over the creation of the Text file you may be able to
approach from the opposite direction. Perhaps there are output options in
the creator app that would render a resulting file that wouldn't have to be
adjusted after the importing?
Also, when you import the data pay particular attention to the 2nd page of
the Import Wizard -- particularly the checkbox pertaining to the treatment
of consecutive delimiters. That can account for data shifting in records
which are null in any given field.
BTW: Whenever posting please be sure to specify your version & update level
of the software. You have been given 2 different macros from 2 different
responders. Both macros are designed to do the same thing but note the
differences... I'm no VBA guy but I'm guessing that the 2 may not be
interchangeable from Mac to Windows & neither is of any value if using
Office 2008. There's also an AppleScript kindly offered by John which is
worthless if you're using a Windows version of the program.
HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac
Hello macropod, John and Bob.
First I wish to thank you for your prompt replies as well as for the
helpful suggestions on how to address my project.
Good point, Bob. I should have mentioned the system and verison I am
running. My system is a Mac G5 running the latest version of Leopard
(not Snow Leopard) which is 10.5.8 and I have Microsoft Office 2004
(haven't upgraded to 2008 and will probably wait until next version to
upgrade). The suggestion to use VBA brings a lot of questions to mind
and I am happy I can still benefit from it since I am running 2004.
Taking my question a step further, the file I am working with is
rather long (close to 57,000 entries or lines of text) that need to be
slightly edited. I would certainly prefer to do it using a macro or
some other automated solution otherwise I will have to edit the entire
file manually one line at a time. Below is an example of the type of
file I now have:
Body Regions;A01
Abdomen;A01.047
Abdominal Cavity;A01.047.025
Peritoneum;A01.047.025.600
Douglas' Pouch;A01.047.025.600.225
Mesentery;A01.047.025.600.451
Mesocolon;A01.047.025.600.451.535
Omentum;A01.047.025.600.573
Peritoneal Cavity;A01.047.025.600.678
Peritoneal Stomata;A01.047.025.600.700
Retroperitoneal Space;A01.047.025.750
Abdominal Wall;A01.047.050
Groin;A01.047.365
Inguinal Canal;A01.047.412
Umbilicus;A01.047.849
Back;A01.176
Lumbosacral Region;A01.176.519
Sacrococcygeal Region;A01.176.780
Breast;A01.236
Mammary Glands, Human;A01.236.249
This is just a small portion of the file I am working with. This is a
"flat" text file but what I need is a "hierarchical" or "tree
structure" file where each of these lines is indented with a number of
"tab keystrokes" corresponding to its level as depicted by the
alphanumeric code following the term. Example:
Body Regions;A01
Abdomen;A01.047
Abdominal Cavity;A01.047.025
Peritoneum;A01.047.025.600
Douglas' Pouch;A01.047.025.600.225
Mesentery;A01.047.025.600.451
Mesocolon;A01.047.025.600.451.535
Omentum;A01.047.025.600.573
Peritoneal Cavity;A01.047.025.600.678
Peritoneal Stomata;A01.047.025.600.700
Retroperitoneal Space;A01.047.025.750
Abdominal Wall;A01.047.050
Groin;A01.047.365
Inguinal Canal;A01.047.412
Umbilicus;A01.047.849
Back;A01.176
Lumbosacral Region;A01.176.519
Sacrococcygeal Region;A01.176.780
Breast;A01.236
Mammary Glands, Human;A01.236.249
As you will notice each line has been indented using the tab key a
number of times corresponding to the size of the numeric code. Lines
with an alphanumeric code containing only 3 characters stay on the
left most position (no tabs). Example:
Body Regions;A01
Lines with an alphanumeric code containing 7 characters (example:
A01.047) are indented with one single tab keystroke. Example:
Abdomen;A01.047
Lines with an alphanumeric code containing 11 characters (example:
A01.047.025) are indented with two tab keystrokes. Example:
Abdominal Cavity;A01.047.025
Lines with an alphanumeric code containing 14 characters (example:
A01.047.025.600) are indented with three tab keystrokes. Example:
Peritoneum;A01.047.025.600
And so on, and so forth.
Once this step is finished and the file has been edited from a flat
text to one with a hierarchical or tree structure using tab entries
(to derive a tab-delimited file) the second part of the project
involves the removal of certain characters and replacement with
others. Basically I need the format to go from the existing:
Abdominal Cavity;A01.047.025
Where the term is followed by a semicolon and alphanumeric code.
To the following:
Abdominal Cavity [A01.047.025]
Where a space is added after the term, the semicolon is removed and
brackets are placed at the beginning and end of the alphanumeric code.
Considering the size of my document as I stated (little less than
57,000 entries) I would like to find a way to automate the process.
How can these two processes be accomplished with the use of a macro ?
I have never worked with macros before and any help would be extremely
valuable and appreciated. I have both Excel 04 and Word 04 as part of
the Office 2004 package in case the information is relevant. I am not
sure which of the applications would be better suited for this task
but am open to your suggestions.
Thank you in advance for your help.
JRC