OpeningTextFile

[Jim May]

I've been provided a text file (sample.txt) which I desire to import into
Excel.
It is too big to open in Notepad (a message provided), and I don't seem
to have Wordpad (on my PC,,??), so just to view it and get an idea
of how it is layed out I opened it in MS Word (I've got Office XP).

The data is exactly like it appears IN HARD-COPY. It is a detailed
Accounts Receivable transaction report reflecting ALL transactions for
a full month - Cust Name, PrevBal, Charges (vertical), payments, etc...
EndingBal

The data is in portrait-layout and word-wrapping and snaking columns is
everywhere..^%^(*)*,,, Looks to me that this text file needs "cleaning up"
before I attempt to open with Excel.
Where can I go (to get what I need) in order to find out what I need to do?
Wow, that was a mouth full.

Any help greatly appreciated,,

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Jim,

As for WordPad not being on your PC, perhaps just the shortcut is missing.
Try Start - Run, and type wordpad.exe.

The word-wrapping that's making it a nightmare when you open it in Word may
be happening in Word when it renders it -- it doesn't seem likely that the
file is actually laid out that way. So you may not need to clean it up for
Excel. Why not just try opening it in Excel? It should, since the
extension is .txt, invoke the text import wizard. Try "delimited" and see
if it parses sensibly (splits the fields into columns). If not, try various
delimiters (it's usually a comma, but might be a Tab character or something
else -- just try various things). If there are more than 256 fields per
record, Excel won't be able to handle it (neither will Access, I think).

Speaking of Access, if you have it, try opening it in that program. It
handles text files well, and may give you a table with the data laid out
like it's sposed to.
--
Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com/

Off-topic: There's a hilarious comedy act by Men in Coats at
http://www.koreus.com/files/200505/men-in-coats.html. You gotta see this.
I had to share with all.