Import > Import free format header data table

Menu: Import | Free format header data table

Using a wizard you can import a table containing header data into a database in two steps.

Input formats permitted are: SDF (fixed column width), comma delimited, tab delimited, semicolon delimited, space delimited, dBase III+, and MS Excel (up to version 2007).

See the two examples below. Please note that delimited formatted tables, dBase III+ files, and especially MS Excel sheets are much easier to import than SDF formatted tables. Also note that all the data of one relevé should be organized in one row.

If you planning to import a corresponding file with species data than you first need to the species data table followed by the header data table.

If you want to import a(n Excel) table with header and species data, then you should separate the header from the species part and perform two imports, one on the header data and one on the species data. An example how to do this explained here.

Step 1: If the columns in the table are delimited with a comma, a tab, a semicolon, or a blank, then you first have to choose the right format from Format table. After having changed the delimiter the table will be reformatted automatically.

If the columns in the table are not delimited (“Columns at fixed positions“) then you will need to specify where each new column in the table starts. You can do this by marking (click the grey cell on top of the table) the first cell of each new column. Press Next when all columns are marked. The table will then be reformatted automatically.

Field names in row indicate in which line the field descriptions are stored. Zero means that there are no descriptions included in the file.

Step 2: Specify in which fields the data of specified columns have to be incorporated. Select a column and press the Space bar or click the column header (grey cells).

A dialogue box appears in which you have to specify in which existing or new database field the data have to be loaded.

One of the columns has to be marked as a Key field. The key field is the link between the source (the file to be imported) and the target (the database table with header data). It is important that the values in the source field and target field are unique.

With Multiply with… you can define a numerical factor with which the values from the input file must be multiplied before they are written to the database.

It is not necessary to mark all fields. This enables you to skip information that can be ignored.

Press Complete to read the table into the database.

An example in SDF format:

1 50097199612 4 15 3

2 50098199612 13100 12

3 50099199612 16100 16

4 50100199612 4 20 3

5 50101199612 4 5 4

6 50102199612 15 50 6

7 50103199612 5 50 15

8 50104199612 4 30 1

9 50105199612 2 40 4

10 50106199612 2 20 13

11 50107199612 5 40 7

12 50108199612 7 60 3

13 50109199612 5 35 1

14 50110199612 0 70 3

15 50111199612 0 90 3

Column definition:

Kolomno. Description

1 Table number

6 Relevé number

12 Year

16 Month

18 Altitude (m)

22 Cover total (%)

25 Landtype

29 Soil_type

31 Number of species

An example in comma delimited format:

table_nr,releve_nr,year,month,altitude,total_cover,landtype,soiltype,nr_of_spec

1,50097,1996,12,4,15,,,3

2,50098,1996,12,13,100,,,12

3,50099,1996,12,16,100,,,16

4,50100,1996,12,4,20,,,3

5,50101,1996,12,4,5,,,4

6,50102,1996,12,15,50,,,6

7,50103,1996,12,5,50,,,15

8,50104,1996,12,4,30,,,1

9,50105,1996,12,2,40,,,4

10,50106,1996,12,2,20,,,13

11,50107,1996,12,5,40,,,7

12,50108,1996,12,7,60,,,3

13,50109,1996,12,5,35,,,1

14,50110,1996,12,0,70,,,3

15,50111,1996,12,0,90,,,3