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importing Excel changes data structure

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    importing Excel changes data structure

    Ok here�s what�s happening on an import.

    I created an operation to import from Excel to AlphaFive The data file is �Products.dbf�,

    The file structure of the numeric fields change from Numeric 8,2 to ExponentNumeric 8,0

    What do you think is wrong with this series?

    It imports OK, but I need to go into the file structure and manually change the settings back from �ExponentNumeric 8.0� to �Numeric 8,2� in order to get the math to work.

    Has anyone ran into this before?

    #2
    Re: importing Excel changes data structure

    Originally posted by CowPoet View Post
    Has anyone ran into this before?
    Searching on "ExponentNumeric" will answer this for you. I believe you will also find some "Similar Threads" if you scroll down on this page.
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: importing Excel changes data structure

      Thanks, it looks like I can olny change the structure manually. That won't allow me to set up an import button, so the end user can inport Excel because it changes the data structure. They won't know how to restructure the file.

      Ron Brinegar

      cowboypoet-az.com

      Comment


        #4
        Re: importing Excel changes data structure

        Originally posted by CowPoet View Post
        Thanks, it looks like I can olny change the structure manually. That won't allow me to set up an import button, so the end user can inport Excel because it changes the data structure. They won't know how to restructure the file.

        Ron Brinegar

        cowboypoet-az.com
        You can open the excel file from within Alpha, set the formatting of columns as desired, and then import it. You can also use the same technique to open the excel file and save it in dbf format. I believe there are a couple of threads in the code archive.

        If you have trouble with the process, I'll try to answer with some specifics.
        There can be only one.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: importing Excel changes data structure

          Thanks Again,

          I may have a work-around. After I distribute the runtime version of the order program to the end user. I will import the Excel file "Products" to my PC then manually change the structure back to numeric 8,2 after an import. Then email "Products.dbf" to the end user. After they copy and paste into the folder and overwrite the existing products file it should work. I'll let you know if this will solve the problem. Perhaps Version 8 will fix the import issue. I have to the first of the year to complete this program. My products file has over 15,000 items that change every week. I tried saving the Excel file as a Dbase4 file. The browse worked once then all the data vanished the second time I did a browse (from a form)

          Ron B.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: importing Excel changes data structure

            Ron

            Another alternative is to import into a temporary table and then use an append operation to move the data to the table that has the structure that you want.
            Al Buchholz
            Bookwood Systems, LTD
            Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

            Occam's Razor - KISS
            Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
            Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
            When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
            "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
            Albert Einstein

            http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

            Comment


              #7
              Re: importing Excel changes data structure

              Thanks, I tried your suggestion but the append flagged an error message telling me the data fields were different. Everytime I import the records the data structure changes from Numeric to ExponentNumeric. I think I'll wait and see version 8 does a better job importing Excel.


              Thanks again

              Ron B.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: importing Excel changes data structure

                Ron,

                I do this daily and only occasionally get the error you are experiencing.

                I scan in a bill of quantities, using omnipage I then OCR this into 4 columns, and export to excel. I then combine all the BOQ pages to one in excel.

                Now the important bit.

                The 4 columns are item, description, quantity and unit.

                I always format the quantity column to number, with 0 decimals, but it works with any number. This is done by right clicking on the column header choosing format and selecting number format from the number tab. This part is essential.

                I then can import into a temporary table and then append to the required table. This part I have written an xbasic routine which asks for the XLS file to import and then does the rest.

                The ExponentNumeric error usually occurs if the item column, which is a character field in the result table, is initially scanned in with numbers in and I haven't spotted it.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: importing Excel changes data structure

                  Thank you so much for your help. Your method worked. I created two operations, one imports to a temp file the other appends the temp file to the master file. Awesum!! Great suggestion, can I send you one of my DVD's ? It's Arizona sunsets, blended in with Cowboy poetry and music.

                  Thanks for your help.
                  Ron Brinegar
                  Arizona Cowboy Poet

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: importing Excel changes data structure

                    My efforts are not worthy of such gifts, thanks

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: importing Excel changes data structure

                      I have this problem with imported Excel and losing the decimals because A5 is setting all my fields to character or exponent numeric with 0 decimals. It is a year and a half since this last post and I want to know if one still needs to use a work around (copying to temp table and then appending as decribed above) or if there is a straight forward method that can be used today for holding onto the decimals during importing.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: importing Excel changes data structure

                        try it with a .csv file instead of .xls from excel.

                        Once the data is in a temp table, you can add a field(numeric in your case) if you want and then copy the records between the two fields. Once the temp table is right, then append to your main table.

                        I do this with vehicle inventory where the stock is always picked up as a numeric and leaves all the letters out, but switching to a csv format works great.
                        Dave Mason
                        [email protected]
                        Skype is dave.mason46

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: importing Excel changes data structure

                          Originally posted by ninomcd View Post
                          I have this problem with imported Excel and losing the decimals because A5 is setting all my fields to character or exponent numeric with 0 decimals. It is a year and a half since this last post and I want to know if one still needs to use a work around (copying to temp table and then appending as decribed above) or if there is a straight forward method that can be used today for holding onto the decimals during importing.
                          Have you tried the DAO Import that allows an over ride of the field definitions?
                          Al Buchholz
                          Bookwood Systems, LTD
                          Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

                          Occam's Razor - KISS
                          Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
                          Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
                          When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
                          "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
                          Albert Einstein

                          http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: importing Excel changes data structure

                            I am not sure how to import the csv file. The options for importing are Access, Excel, other sql databases.

                            The help file states that one can restructure a table by selecting numberic as type and changing the decimals to show to more than 0. This does not work. I do not understand why A5 takes a numeric field in Excel with decimals and makes it exponent numeric without decimals and then does not allow one to successfully edit the table as stated in the help file to include the decimals.

                            This seems to be an issue going back more than a year with older a5 versions. Do you think that this issue requires a patch?

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: importing Excel changes data structure

                              N.
                              Please attach a sample of the Excel file you are attempting to import.

                              Comment

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