Database File Layout - pipe delimited text files

Hey, Can anyone help me with importing pipe delimited text files into Numbers with the following layout:

Name Type Max Length

OWNER_NAME text 55

OWNER_STREET1 text 40

OWNER_STREET2 text 40

OWNER_CITY text 40

OWNER_STATE text 2

OWNER_ZIP text 5

REPORTER_NAME text 60

ACCOUNT_TITLE text 70

PROPERTY_TYPE_NAME text 40

NO_OF_OWNERS text 8

ACCOUNT_SEQ Long integer 9

OWNER_SEQ Long Integer 9

REPORT_YEAR text 4


Thanks in advance for your kind help.

Blessings




Posted on Jul 8, 2020 7:35 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 8, 2020 3:20 PM

Hello, @jay-alph.


You can do as @Tom-Hartland has suggested, to convert a Pipe Separated Values (PSV) text file, to a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file. However, if your file has any commas in any of the values, you'll not get what you desire.


Numbers has the ability to import PSV files, directly. (I do it rather often, since US Federal Government files often use PSV.)


Simply open the text file into Numbers.


Numbers will, initially, misinterpret the file, defaulting to Comma or Tab or space delimiters.


Don't Edit the File in Numbers!


When you first load the file, there will be an "imported" message that will show up, for a short time. If it goes away before you had the chance to click on "Adjust Settings", don't worry!


Click anywhere in the Table, open the Format->Table control (if it's not already open). Scroll to the bottom, and you should see a button to "Adjust Import Settings".


Within the "Import Settings", deselect all "Tab", Comma, etc. settings, and type a "pipe" character (|) into the "Custom Delimiter" choice.


Then, simply click the "Update Table" button to have the file reread.


No fuss, no muss!


(It also works for other file formats, as I'm sure you'll notice.)

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 8, 2020 3:20 PM in response to jay-alph

Hello, @jay-alph.


You can do as @Tom-Hartland has suggested, to convert a Pipe Separated Values (PSV) text file, to a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file. However, if your file has any commas in any of the values, you'll not get what you desire.


Numbers has the ability to import PSV files, directly. (I do it rather often, since US Federal Government files often use PSV.)


Simply open the text file into Numbers.


Numbers will, initially, misinterpret the file, defaulting to Comma or Tab or space delimiters.


Don't Edit the File in Numbers!


When you first load the file, there will be an "imported" message that will show up, for a short time. If it goes away before you had the chance to click on "Adjust Settings", don't worry!


Click anywhere in the Table, open the Format->Table control (if it's not already open). Scroll to the bottom, and you should see a button to "Adjust Import Settings".


Within the "Import Settings", deselect all "Tab", Comma, etc. settings, and type a "pipe" character (|) into the "Custom Delimiter" choice.


Then, simply click the "Update Table" button to have the file reread.


No fuss, no muss!


(It also works for other file formats, as I'm sure you'll notice.)

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Database File Layout - pipe delimited text files

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