Complex Import Problem - PDF to XML to CSV to Access?

[Guest]

First off, thank you for reading!

Here's my saga-length problem: I've created a fairly complex form in
Acrobat 7.0. People using Reader 7.0 can fill out this form and the data is
submitted back to me via email as an XML file (and I know server solutions
are better, but they're not possible for us at the moment). Acrobat then
allows you to convert this XML file into a CSV file. This is where the
problem hits.

The CSV which Acrobat exports is essentially useless to me, as it is. All
of the fields appear in alphabetical order and are filled only with the
background numerical data, not the text that I need.

Here's what I'm hoping to do, and I'm wondering if Access might be the
solution. I need to import the fields from the CSV file, rearrange their
order, and translate the numerical data back into the text I need. Now, this
is a very complex set of data. I have 4 variable fields, each depending on
another. So, basically the translation would fall out like this: Field 1 -
3 = Bob If Field 1 = 3, then, in Field 2, 2 = Joe However, if Field 1 - 2
= Harry, then, in Field 2, 2 = Jennifer

Wow, I hope this makes some sense! I'm more than willing to post any fiels,
if people would like to see them. Thanks in advance for any help you can
offer!

 

[John Nurick]

Hi Sixpence,

This doesn't sound like a very difficult problem but which solution is
best depends on things you haven't told us yet. So far it sounds like
something I'd tackle by manipulating text in Perl rather than by using
Access.

1) From what you've said so far it sounds if you want to transform the
CSV file of numeric values into one with the corresponding text values.
Is that right, or do you want the data to end up in (say) a relational
database?

2) In what form is the "lookup" information (which text values
correspond to which combinations of numeric ones) presently stored?

3) What's in the XML file? Does that contain the text values as well as
the numeric ones?

4) How much coding experience do you have, and what are your favourite
languages?