Chapter 13
Importing & Exporting Information
askSam Concepts in this Chapter:
• File Formats for Import
• Importing from a Single File or Multiple Files
• Importing different Data Types
• File Formats for Export
• Exporting Text Files
• Exchanging Information Between askSam Files
File Formats For Import
askSam enables you to deal with both structured and unstructured information. The import and export functions are designed with this in mind. askSam can import and export texts, formatted documents, and structured data.
Different programs store data in different formats. askSam imports the following formats:
FILE FORMAT DESCRIPTION
Text (*.txt) ASCII text files.
askSam 4 (*.ask) Lets you import the contents of other askSam 4 databases. This format retains document boundaries between askSam Documents as well as the formatting. (See Exchanging Information in askSam files in this chapter).
askSam DOS (*.txt) Format for exchanging data between the DOS and Windows versions of askSam. This format retains document boundaries between askSam Documents.
Corel WordPerfect (*.wpd) WordPerfect files with formatting (to use this import type, WordPerfect 2000 must be installed on your computer).
Eudora (*.mbx) Email messages from Eudora mailbox files.
HTML (*.htm, *.html) HTML Documents from the World Wide Web.
Microsoft Access Driver Microsoft Access database files. Imports multiple tables as
(*.mdb) well as memo fields in these databases. In order for this import type to be available in askSam, this driver must be installed in your operating system.
Microsoft dBASE Driver This format allows you to import structured information from
(*.dbf) dBASE databases. It also imports memo fields associated with these databases. In order for this import type to be available in askSam, this driver must be installed in your operating system.
Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls) This format allows you to import structured information from Microsoft Excel files. In order for this import type to be available in askSam, this driver must be installed in your operating system.
Microsoft FoxPro Driver This format allows you to import structured information from (*.dbf) Microsoft FoxPro databases. It also imports memo fields associated with these databases. In order for this import type to be available in askSam, this driver must be installed in your operating system.
Microsoft Paradox Driver This format allows you to import structured information from (*.db) Paradox databases. It also imports memo fields associated with these databases. In order for this import type to be available in askSam, this driver must be installed in your operating system.
Microsoft Word (*.doc) Microsoft Word 95, 97, and 2000 files with formatting (to use this import type, Word 2000 must be installed on your computer).
Outlook Folder Microsoft Outlook email folders (to use this import type, Outlook must be installed on your computer).
RTF Files (*.rtf) Rich Text Format files used to exchange formatted information (including graphics.)
Text Delimited Use this format to import delimited data from spreadsheets and (*.csv, *.dat, *.prn, *.txt) other databases. This import type handles comma delimited files (CSV) , tab delimited files, fixed position data, and more.
NOTES:
1. askSam will automatically recognize additional ODBC drivers that are installed on your computer. These drivers will appear in the “Files of Type” field in the askSam Import Dialog Box. Some of the items listed above (Microsoft Paradox, Microsoft FoxPro, etc) are ODBC drivers. If these are not installed on your computer, the items will not be listed in the askSam Import dialog.
2.Files from the DOS version of askSam cannot be directly imported into askSam 4, but they can be opened using the standard FILE -> OPEN Dialog Box.
3. Although we've tried to make the import filters as complete as possible, askSam does not support the entire range of formats supported by many word processors. Formats that are not understood are removed when the information is imported. The RTF, Word, and Word Perfect import filters handle margins, styles, tabs, indents, fonts, font styles, colors, line spacing, page breaks, paper sizes, and left, right, and center alignment.
The Import Dialog
You import files using the Import Dialog Box. You access this dialog box by choosing FILE ->
IMPORT. The Import Dialog offers a variety of options that affect the way the information will be imported.
In the Import Dialog select the drive, path, and file (or files) you wish to import, and use the dialog to set the following options:
OPTION DESCRIPTION
FILES OF TYPE Selects the type of file you will import (for example Word, text, etc.). The file types are listed above in the Import Formats section
SELECT ALL The Select All check box selects all the files currently displayed in the Import Dialog. This is useful when you wish to import an entire directory of files.
FILE ORIGIN Windows and DOS use different character sets for extended characters. If you import texts written in another language, you may notice that certain accented characters do not appear correctly in Windows. The “File Origin” setting in the Import Dialog Box lets you transfer information without encountering this problem. When importing DOS texts into askSam, the “File Origin” option should be set to “DOS (OEM)”. When importing texts from another Windows application, the “File Origin” option should be set to “Windows (ANSI)”. This option is not available for all File Types.
IMPORT LOCATION Determines the location where imported documents are added to your askSam file. By default askSam adds imported information to the end of the file. The Import Location option lets you import documents at the End of the File, Top of the File, After the Current Document, After a specific (named) Document, or into the End of the Current Document.
DOCUMENT DELIMITER The Document Delimiter determines how imported information will be divided into Documents. By default, askSam uses no delimiter. Each file you import remains a separate “Document” in your askSam database. You use the Document Delimiter setting if you wish to divide a single file into multiple Documents in your database. You can set the Document Delimiter to: No Delimiter, a Blank Line, a Page Break, a specific Number of Lines, any Text String. This option is not available for all File Types.
IMPORT INTO ENTRY FORM You can have askSam import into a selected Entry Form. If you are importing text, email, or word processing documents, the text or document is appended to the end of the Entry Form. If you are importing data (MS Access, dBASE, Text Delimited, etc.), you can import the data directly into fields in your Entry Form. Importing into an Entry Form is described later in this chapter.
AUTO FIELD RECOGNITION Auto Field Recognition recognizes fields in imported information. If you select this option, field recognition takes place immediately after your import is complete. You can also access Auto Field Recognition by choosing TOOLS ->
AUTO FIELD RECOGNITION. See the chapter Customization, Options, and Tools for a complete description.
DATE RANGE Lets you select files to import based on the file date.
SORT ORDER The Sort Order affects the order in which files are imported into your database. Normally, files are selected in the order in which they are displayed in the Import Dialog. By choose the “Descending” Sort Order, the files will be imported in reverse order.
USE STORED SETTINGS This option is only displayed when you import Text Delimited files. The Text Delimited import allows you to save your import settings. This option allows you to reuse these settings the next time you import a Text Delimited file with the same structure.
Importing A Single File As A Single askSam Document
To import a text file or a word processing Document into askSam as a single askSam Document:
1. Choose FILE -> IMPORT.
The Import Dialog Box will appear.
2. Define the format of the information you are importing by selecting the File Type option.
3. Type in the name of the file you wish to import (or select it from the list of file names).
4. Set any necessary Import Options (the Import Options are described above in the Import Dialog section).
5. Choose the IMPORT button.
A Message Box will appear showing the status of your import.
6. When the import is complete, choose CLOSE.
NOTES:
1. When you choose FILE -> IMPORT, the Import Dialog Box will appear.
askSam remembers the Import Options you previously selected in the current askSam file and sets these in the Import Dialog Box.
Importing A Single File As Multiple Documents
At times it may be useful to import a single text file or word processing document and divide the information into separate Documents in your askSam database.
EXAMPLE: If a file contained bibliographic information about several hundred people, and each person's information was contained in a separate paragraph, you could import the file and turn each paragraph into its own askSam Document.
1. Choose FILE -> IMPORT.
The Import Dialog Box will appear.
2. Define the format of the information you are importing by selecting the File Type option.
3. Enter the name of the file you wish to import (or select it from the list of file names).
4. Choose the “Document Delimiter” option.
The Document Delimiter Dialog Box will appear.
5. Choose a Document Delimiter for the incoming information:
DELIMITER EFFECT
NO DELIMITER The entire file you import is stored in askSam as a single Document. If you import multiple files, each of these is stored as a separate askSam Document in your database.
BLANK LINE Each time askSam encounters a blank line, a new askSam Document is created for the next block of imported information. This option turns each paragraph of a file into a separate Document in your database (provided that each paragraph in the imported file is separated by a blank line).
PAGE BREAK Divides the file you import into askSam Documents wherever hard page breaks are encountered. Hard page breaks are page breaks set using a word processors page break command. In text files the ASCII 12 character is understood as a page break.
LINES Lets you specify a number of lines as a delimiter. askSam creates a new Document each time the specified number of lines are imported.
STRING Allows you to enter a string of characters which askSam will use to separate imported information into multiple Documents. Pressing ENTER inserts a CR/LF (carriage return / line feed). The Remove Delimiter String option removes the Delimiter String from the imported information.
6. Choose OK to save the delimiter and close Document Delimiter Dialog Box.
7. Choose the IMPORT button to start the Import.
A Message Box will appear showing the status of the Import. Each time askSam encounters the Document Delimiter you defined, a new Document is added to the file. The status bar shows how much of the file has been imported, and the “Document Imported” field tells you how many Documents have been created in askSam.
When the import is complete, the last Document imported is displayed.
8. Choose CLOSE to close the Import Status Dialog Box.
Importing Multiple Files
With a single Import command, askSam can import all files in a directory or a selected group of files from a directory.
1. Choose FILE -> IMPORT.
The IMPORT Dialog Box will appear.
2. Define the format of the information you are importing by selecting the File Type option (see note 1 below).
3. Choose the files you wish to Import. You can check the Select All option to import all files in a directory, or you can select individual files in the file list.
· To select individual files with the mouse, press and hold the CTRL key and click on the files you wish to select.
· To select individual files with the keyboard, press and hold the CTRL key and use the cursor keys to move to the files you want to select. Press the SPACE BAR to select files.
4. Make sure the Document Delimiter is set to NONE. With the Document Delimiter set to NONE, each imported file is stored as a separate Document in your askSam database.
5. Choose the IMPORT button.
A Message Box will appear showing the status of the Import. For each file imported, askSam adds a new Document to the file. When the import is complete, the last imported file is displayed.
6. Choose CLOSE to close the Import Status Dialog Box.
NOTES:
1. When you import multiple files, askSam will attempt to import all files as the File Type you have chosen (for example as Text Files). If some of the files are a different File Type (for example WordPerfect), askSam will display a message box telling you the file name, and allowing you to select another file type for this file.
Importing Files onto the end of an Entry Form
Imported files can be appended onto the end of a pre-defined Entry Form. When you import onto the end of an Entry Form, you can automatically number Documents, date and time stamp Documents, and include the original file name and path of the source files.
To Import a File onto the end of an Entry Form:
1. Create an Entry Form (by choosing TOOLS -> ENTRY FORM or by using
the Entry Form Wizard).
Include the fields you want. You can also include the following commands:
ENTERING INSERTS ...
^D Inserts the DATE when a file is imported.
^T Inserts the TIME when a file is imported.
^W Inserts the WEEKDAY when a file is imported.
^N Sequentially numbers imported files.
^f Inserts the name of the file you import.
^F Inserts the path and name of the file you import.
Here's an example Entry Form:
 Once your Entry Form is set, you are ready to import.
2. Choose FILE -> IMPORT.
The Import Dialog Box will appear.
3. Define the format of the information you are importing by selecting the File Type option.
4. Select the file or files you wish to import.
The Select All option chooses all files in a directory.
5. Choose the “Import into Entry Form” option and select an Entry Form.
6. Choose the IMPORT button.
The files you selected will be imported onto the end of the Entry Form.
NOTE: If you wish to import fielded data, such as dBASE files, MS Access files, Excel files, or Text Delimited files, into an Entry Form, see the following section on Importing Data Files.
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