tab delimited .txt file

Question

Level 1

38 points

tab delimited .txt file

Autodesk Revit uses tab delimited .txt files to store keynote information. This .txt file needs to be edited frequently. The only way to edit this file is with a spreadsheet program. I used to use Excel and saved to a tab delimited .txt file before I switched to Mac. I can open the .txt file with Numbers but I don't see the option to save or export it as tab delimited .txt. Any ideas would be appreciated.

I tried editing and saving the .txt file as plain text with Pages, but upon linking it with Revit I get the error that "Revit doesn't under stand the line ..." and then it lists all lines in the file.

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Oct 4, 2015 4:32 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 4, 2015 7:48 PM in response to ctc123

I suggest opening the data in a text editor (like Text Edit, or or text wrangler)

select all, copy

paste into a table in Numbers, makes the changes,

select all, copy

switch back to the text editor, select all, then paste to replace with the new edits, save

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Answer 2

ctc123 Author

Level 1

38 points

Dec 10, 2015 10:17 AM in response to Wayne Contello

Thanks for the try, but your method renders the resulting text file unusable by Revit.

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Answer 3

Dec 10, 2015 11:31 AM in response to ctc123

What does the contents of file look like?

Can you post some contents from a file that works and the one that does not?

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Answer 4

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 10, 2015 11:33 AM in response to ctc123

Use Libre Office, it's free and it uses the method you used to use in Excel.

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Answer 5

ctc123 Author

Level 1

38 points

Dec 10, 2015 11:43 AM in response to Wayne Contello

The contents "look" identical in textedit. I've copied and pasted partial contents from both textedit files.

Question: Why does pasting the contents of a textedit file into this forum make the contents appear as a table?

File that works: RevitKeynotes_Imperial_2004.txt

DIVISION 00	PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS
DIVISION 01	GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
01 50 00	TEMPORARY FACILITIES AND CONTROLS	DIVISION 01
01 53 00	TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION	01 50 00
01 53 00.A1	TEMPORARY DUSTPROOF PARTITION	01 53 00
01 53 00.A2	TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE FLOOR COVER	01 53 00
01 53 00.A3	TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE PASSAGEWAY	01 53 00
01 53 00.A4	TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE WALL COVER	01 53 00
01 53 00.A5	"TEMPORARY SHORING, BRACING AND SUPPORT"	01 53 00
01 53 00.A6	TEMPORARY WEATHERPROOF CLOSURE	01 53 00
DIVISION 02	EXISTING CONDITIONS
02 40 00	DEMOLITION AND STRUCTURE MOVING	DIVISION 02
02 41 00	DEMOLITION	02 40 00
02 41 00.A1	REMOVE EXISTING BELOW GRADE CONSTRUCTION	02 41 00
02 41 00.A2	REMOVE DEMOLITION MATERIALS FROM SITE	02 41 00
02 41 00.A3	REMOVE DEMOLITION MATERIALS TO OWNER'S	02 41 00
02 41 00.A4	REMOVE EXISTING CONSTRUCTION	02 41 00
02 41 00.A5	EXISTING BUILDING TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.A6	"SALVAGE ITEM, RETURN TO OWNER"	02 41 00
02 41 00.A7	"SALVAGE ITEM, RE-USE IN NEW WORK"	02 41 00
02 41 00.B1	DISCONNECT AND SEAL EXISTING UTILITIES	02 41 00
02 41 00.B2	MAINTAIN EXISTING UTILITIES IN SERVICE	02 41 00
02 41 00.C1	TOPSOIL STOCKPILE AREA	02 41 00
02 41 00.C2	ASPHALT PAVING TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C3	CONCRETE WALK TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C4	FENCE TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C5	CONCRETE TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C6	CONCRETE PORCH TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C7	BRICK MASONRY TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00

File that doesn't work:RevitKeynotes_Imperial_2004_copy

DIVISION 00	PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS
DIVISION 01	GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
01 50 00	TEMPORARY FACILITIES AND CONTROLS	DIVISION 01
01 53 00	TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION	01 50 00
01 53 00.A1	TEMPORARY DUSTPROOF PARTITION	01 53 00
01 53 00.A2	TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE FLOOR COVER	01 53 00
01 53 00.A3	TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE PASSAGEWAY	01 53 00
01 53 00.A4	TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE WALL COVER	01 53 00
01 53 00.A5	TEMPORARY SHORING, BRACING AND SUPPORT	01 53 00
01 53 00.A6	TEMPORARY WEATHERPROOF CLOSURE	01 53 00
DIVISION 02	EXISTING CONDITIONS
02 40 00	DEMOLITION AND STRUCTURE MOVING	DIVISION 02
02 41 00	DEMOLITION	02 40 00
02 41 00.A1	REMOVE EXISTING BELOW GRADE CONSTRUCTION	02 41 00
02 41 00.A2	REMOVE DEMOLITION MATERIALS FROM SITE	02 41 00
02 41 00.A3	REMOVE DEMOLITION MATERIALS TO OWNER'S	02 41 00
02 41 00.A4	REMOVE EXISTING CONSTRUCTION	02 41 00
02 41 00.A5	EXISTING BUILDING TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.A6	SALVAGE ITEM, RETURN TO OWNER	02 41 00
02 41 00.A7	SALVAGE ITEM, RE-USE IN NEW WORK	02 41 00
02 41 00.B1	DISCONNECT AND SEAL EXISTING UTILITIES	02 41 00
02 41 00.B2	MAINTAIN EXISTING UTILITIES IN SERVICE	02 41 00
02 41 00.C1	TOPSOIL STOCKPILE AREA	02 41 00
02 41 00.C2	ASPHALT PAVING TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C3	CONCRETE WALK TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C4	FENCE TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C5	CONCRETE TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C6	CONCRETE PORCH TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00
02 41 00.C7	BRICK MASONRY TO BE REMOVED	02 41 00

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Answer 6

Dec 10, 2015 11:48 AM in response to ctc123

Please make a copy of each file and give the one that works the name "Works.txt" and the one that does not work the name "Does nor work.txt" (or something like this) and email the two files to my email address in the bio of my profile

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Answer 7

SGIII

Level 8

35,270 points

Dec 10, 2015 12:27 PM in response to ctc123

ctc123 wrote:

I can open the .txt file with Numbers but I don't see the option to save or export it as tab delimited .txt.

Getting tab-delimited text out of Numbers is easy. Select the cells with the data, command-c to copy to the system clipboard, command-v paste into TextEdit or any other favorite text editor, and save with the extension you want.

SG

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Answer 8

ctc123 Author

Level 1

38 points

Dec 10, 2015 12:43 PM in response to SGIII

Thanks for your suggestion. I tried it but the resulting file does not work in Revit.

There must be some other change to the .txt file that lurks beneath the hood, because simply opening a tab-delimited.txt file with textedit and then saving it without changes renders it unusable in Revit.

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Answer 9

SGIII

Level 8

35,270 points

Dec 10, 2015 12:56 PM in response to ctc123

In TextEdit > Preferences have you made sure you are working with 'Plain text'? ('Rich text' likely won't work).

Also might want to make sure you haven't selected something exotic in Plain Text File Encoding:

SG

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Answer 10

Dec 10, 2015 1:43 PM in response to Wayne Contello

I opened the files in a hex editor (0xED) and can see the file that works ends with a TAB(0x09), Carriage Return (0x0D) and LineFeed (0x0A) where as the one

that does not work has a TAB(0x09), and LineFeed (0x0A)

I do not know how to make Numbers retain the Carriage Return (0x0D) line ending character without doing extra work. I tried concatenating the first three columns then postponing a carriage return but numbers does not allow the use of the ascii code for the carriage return.

Might be possible to use an applescript.

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Answer 11

ctc123 Author

Level 1

38 points

Dec 10, 2015 1:46 PM in response to SGIII

I've matched those settings but the resulting file still does not work. Thanks.

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Answer 12

ctc123 Author

Level 1

38 points

Dec 10, 2015 1:47 PM in response to Wayne Contello

Thanks Wayne.

Looks like I'll have to drink toilet water and purchase a copy of MS Excel....

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Answer 13

SGIII

Level 8

35,270 points

Dec 10, 2015 1:53 PM in response to ctc123

Nothing beats Excel at this kind of thing. Luckily the whole 2016 suite is about the cost of a couple of lattes a month... more expensive than toilet water, but a better experience.

One last thought. If it's line endings maybe choosing one of the Windows file save options would work.