Unable import .txt file

[deano]

This topic has come up before, but I don't recall seeing a successful resolution.

Attached (I hope) is a simple text file consisting of 4 records from an old MS Works database, saved in Text & Tabs format.

It imports beautifully into A5 V4.5. But with V5 - it's a no go.

Everything looks OK all through the import operation. It reports 4 records imported successfully and if I click on "view results", the default browse opens. I can add and save records.

However - as soon as I close it, or click on OK at the end of the import, it's game over. V5 reports "expected value". I can right-click and edit structure, create indexes and field rules, but the default form and browse will not open. I can create browses and reports, but they appear greyed out in the control panel and won't open. (They open fine in V4.5.)

I'm out of ideas - appreciate any help, thanks!

Gary

[deano]

RE: Unable import .txt file

A slight "oops". "Cards.txt" is straight text and spaces, no tabs, but it's the same in A5 V5 - "Expected value".

Gary

[Stan Mathews]

RE: Unable import .txt file

What build are you using? With 1043....

I just imported your text to a new table, no problems with opening default browse or form.

I emptied that table, imported to an existing table, no problems with default browse or form.

[Marc King - A5solutions]

RE: Unable import .txt file

If it imports into 4.5. Try exporting it from 4.5 as CSV and take a look at the file.Is it the same spaced format?

Can you export it as CSV from works?

I know 5.0 is quirky about some import types but I have never experienced any problems importing CSV text.

Marc

*CSV is Comma Seperated Values

[deano]

RE: Unable import .txt file

Stan,

Latest version - 1454-1043.

Marc,

I've tried that - same results when exporting from Works as 1-2-3 file, as text & tabs, text for DOS, CSV, exported from 4.5 to various formats and then into 5 - always "expected value".

I dunno .... but something is definitely going on here. Check Tim Riley's thread "dbf file", starting at message 32936. Sounds to me like he's having the same experience.

Gary

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: Unable import .txt file

Gary,

Unzip the attachment to an empty folder.

The attachment began as an empty database. I put your text file in the database folder and used the genie to define a new Table ASCII import operation called Test. I set it up to import the file to a 'new' DBF. It worked first time out of the chute.

I then modified the saved operation to import the same text file to an 'existing' DBF and selected the 'Cards' table created in the first step. Saved this modified operation 'AS' Test2. Worked fine.

You haven't given us a copy of your database or the table into which you're trying to import the test file. Without seeing it it's hard to diagnose what might be causing the error you're seeing. My guess is that you have a field rule defined in your table and it's the field rule that's having trouble with your import data. The simple table I've created here has no field rules whatsoever.

If you can't figure it out, you might want to post a working copy of your database here so we can take a peek.

-- tom

[deano]

RE: Unable import .txt file

Thanks, Tom, but ...

I'm starting to wonder if, somehow, it's machine-specific - although I can't see how it could be. (For the record, it's a P3 - 733 running XP Home with 384 megs of RAM. A beige box like millions of others.)

The tables I try to import into, no matter whether I create them myself or let the genie do it, are as basic as you can get, like the one you created. No field rules of any kind, and none that I can find in the old MS Works data. (And saving the old files as text should wipe out any field rules anyway, right?)

I opened your sample database as instructed, and got the "expected value" error. Then I created a table in the same folder - five character fields, named one through five, with corresponding widths. Brand new - never been touched by human hands.

Look what I get. I just created it, and it won't open. This shouldn't be happening. Maybe I'll delete V5 and reinstall it.

Gary

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: Unable import .txt file

Gary,

That may be best (reinstalling).

Which version of Alpha Five have you been using ?

-- tom

[Arthur Armour]

RE: Unable import .txt file

Not sure about this but I seem to remember something like this happened because the user had not started A5 from a desktop shortcut.

[deano]

RE: Unable import .txt file

I give up. I've played with this thing all weekend. I've deleted Alpha 5 and reinstalled it, patched with the latest. I've tried with different MS Works files. I've saved them as Excel spreadsheets, text files, everything I can think of. But A5V5 still complains "expected value" when I try to open the resulting table.

There has been some improvement. I can open the browse editor on the attached "animals" table, create and save a new browse. It still won't open, however, it is not greyed out in the control panel as it was previously.

I can create a new form, and save it, and it too is not greyed out in the control panel. As long as I don't close the form, I can view each record. If I close the form, it won't reopen. "Expected value." I tried entering a new record before closing the form; it won't save. I get a "property not found" error. Perhaps that is the clue one of you gurus out there needs to solve this mystery!

Needless to say, everything still works fine in A5 V4.5.

The whole works attached. Selwyn? Anybody?

Thanks,

Gary

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: Unable import .txt file

Gary,

I'm not certain if this will help, and cannot explain why A5V4 doesn't complain, but I think your table structure is suspect.

You have a field called:

Catalog_#

I don't think the pound sign is permitted.

Here's a quote from pg 44 of the user's guide:

' The field name must start with a letter, and can contain the characters A-Z, 0-9, and the underscore character (_). If you use a space in the field name, Alpha Five automatically inserts an underscore in place of the space. '

This passage describes the naming rules for fields being defined in a table.

-- tom

[deano]

RE: Unable import .txt file

Thanks, Tom,

I went back and fixed that in MS Works, then saved the file in DBase IV format and attempted to open it in A5V5. "Expected value."

Then I created a new browse, saved it, and was able to add a record to the table. (PROGRESS!) But when I close the newly-created browse, it still won't reopen.

I activated the trace window, tried to reopen the table, got the usual error, and this in the "hook errors" tab in the trace window:

addin.variables().a5_error_show(Expected value) : *INTERMEDIATE_00000035.a5_error_show method not found.

Does this mean anything to anybody?

Gary

[Selwyn Rabins]

RE: Unable import .txt file

gary

one of the fields has a "#" in the fieldname.

this is not legal in an a5 fieldname.

you need to edit the structure of the table and remove the illegal character. then you will be all set.

don't know why this worked in v4.5, but it should not have.

[deano]

RE: Unable import .txt file - solved

After a bunch of trial and error (mostly error), I think I've got this figured out.

The original files are from a Microsoft Works v4.5 database (.wdb file extension). Some of the records contained commas within fields ("Las Vegas, NV"). A5V5 definitely doesn't like those!

If I go through the Works file and clean out the odd characters, then save it in DBase III format (not DBase IV), A5V5 opens the saved file, no problem.

Thanks, everybody.

Gary