Importing from a File with Fixed-Width Columns

A fixed-position text file is a formatted file that contains the information for one article on each line. Each article's fields (content, title, keywords, and so on) always start in pre-determined columns in each line of the file. These types of files are commonly exported from database or spreadsheet programs.

When you import a text file with fixed-width columns, each line of the file becomes one article in your data file. To import a fixed-position text file into an open data file:

•	Select the Import command from the File menu.

The Import dialog box is displayed.

•	Select the Delimited Text Files option from the Files of Type box.

Only files with the extensions TXT, CSV, TAB, or ASC are now displayed in the files list.

•	Use the dialog box to select the folder and name of the file you want to import.

•	If you want to immediately open the imported articles in Article Windows, check the Open Imported Articles option.

Turn off the Open Imported Articles option if you don't want to open the newly imported articles now. If your file has many lines, we recommend turning off this option. Opening large numbers of Article Windows at once may strain your Windows System resources.

•	Select the Open button.

OR Double-click on the file name in the files list.

The first step of the Column Data Import Wizard is displayed: the Setup step. Your file is displayed in the File Preview pane at the bottom for your reference.

•	From the Select the File Format box, select Fixed-Position.

•	Set Articles Start at Line to the line number of the file that the article data starts on.

If your file has one line of header, your data probably starts at line 2 of the file.

•	Set Column Names on Line to the line number of the file that contains your column headers.

If your file has one line of header, your column names are probably at line 1 of the file.

•	Select the Next button.

The next step of the Column Data Import Wizard is displayed: the Fixed-Position Data step.

•	On the ruler along the top of the File Preview pane, click on the character position that separates the first and second columns of data in your file.

A small triangular marker appears on the ruler at your selected position, and a vertical line extends downward from it showing how the data will be delimited. Also, the position that you selected is shown in the Column Positions edit box.

If this position does not look right, you can move it by clicking on the triangular marker and dragging it along the ruler to a new position.

•	Repeat this position selection on the ruler as many times as necessary to delimit all columns of data in your file.

Delimit every column of data in the file, even if you will not be using every column of data. When you are finished, Column Positions should list all column delimiter positions.

•	Select the Next button.

The last step of the Column Data Import Wizard is displayed: the Fields to Columns step. Here you need to specify which column of your file maps to which field of each Personal Knowbase article.

Personal Knowbase attempts to automatically detect and assign the columns of your file to the appropriate fields, based on the text found in the Column Names line of your file which was specified in the previous Setup step. If a column's header is missing, the column is referred to by its column number (for example, "Column 1").

•	If your file contains article titles, select the appropriate column name from the Title drop-down menu.

Note that when you select a column from the menu, the corresponding column in the File Preview pane is highlighted. If the correct column is not highlighted, change the selected column.

•	If your file contains article dates, select the appropriate column name from the Date drop-down menu.

Again verify that the correct corresponding column in the File Preview pane is highlighted.

•	If your file contains article dates, select the appropriate format code from the Date Format drop-down menu.

This code specifies the order of the year, month, and day for the dates in your file. The Y represents the year in the date. The M represents the month. The D represents the day.

•	If your file contains article content, select the appropriate column name from the Content drop-down menu.

Verify that the correct corresponding column in the File Preview pane is highlighted.

•	If your file contains article attachments, select the appropriate column names from the Attachment list menu.

As you select columns from the list, the corresponding columns in the File Preview pane are highlighted. You can select as many columns as you need. Clicking on a column name a second time de-selects it.

•	If your file contains keywords, select the appropriate column names from the Keywords list menu.

•	If your file contains keywords, select the character which your file uses to separate the keywords from each other within the keyword column(s) from the Keyword/Attachment Delimiter Within Column box.

If your file uses a character other than Comma, Tab, or Space, select Other and type the delimiter character into the box to the right. Select None if there are no keywords in the file or if each keyword appears in its own column.

•	Select the Finish button to complete the wizard.

The Keywords for Imported Articles dialog box is displayed.

•	To assign one or more keywords to each new article (in addition to any keywords being imported from the file itself), type each keyword you want assigned into the New Keyword edit box and press Enter.

OR Double-click on the desired keyword in the Available Keywords list.

Each keyword selected is moved to the Assigned Keywords list.

•	When all keywords that you want to assign are listed in the Assigned Keywords list, select the OK button.

The file is now imported. An article is created for each line of the file using the structure that you have defined. If you checked the Open Imported Articles option, each article is displayed in an Article Window as it is created.

•	If the Article Windows opened, you can modify the articles now.

You may make any changes you want to the new articles.

•	Close each Article Window by clicking on the window's close box.

OR Close all the Article Windows by selecting the Close All command from the Window menu.

If you made changes to any article, Personal Knowbase asks you to verify that you want to save the changes. Select the Yes button.

For a List of Other Procedures for Importing, See:

About Importing