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Importing Data into a 1-2-3 Spreadsheet
The Clipboard always transfers data as text—even between two spreadsheetcells,
but Lotus 1-2-3 has a special File Import feature for more sophisticated transfers.
But first you must prepare the ASCII text file of data that you're importing:
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Prepare a delimited file, then import the data into individual spreadsheetcells.
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Prepare a columnized (nondelimited) file, then import the data into large
spreadsheet cells, and finally parse (translate) the data into discrete spread-
sheet cells according to rules you prescribe.
Delimiting a File
For 1-2-3 importing purposes, there are two kinds of text files—delimited and
nondelimited. In a delimited text file each data item is separated (delimited).
Every "label" data item is enclosed in
and every item is separated from others
by any one of four designated characters (delimiters): s, (space), =, or §.
Example: "Some data:",234,886,945,4550987," The end"
Notice that commas are used to separate each data item. The text also includes
spaces and colons—normally delimiters—but they're within the quotation marks
and thus part ofthe label data. Be sure to review a delimitedfile before importing.
Do not include commas in any non-label items, nor extra spaces or tabs between
items (they would be treated as extra delimiters).
Columnizing a File
1-2-3 will import any kind ofnondelimited text, and it's often unorganized, so that
whenitgoesintoarigidly structured spreadsheet, it''sajumble. Even nondelimited
text should be organized before it's imported. One method is to columnize text, so
that each item is in the same column as the corresponding items in other records:
KREXRXX
RRKKR
RARKKNR
KXXX
KRX
RARXER
RRHRXKX
HREHXRKEK RXEXRXX
KERRHKR KRXXX
KRXX
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3. SHARING INFORMATION BETWEEN APPLICATIONS
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