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Text File Schemes

Updated

Text File Schemes allow you to load data from ASCII files into the Geographic Calculator.  There are several types of common text file schemes included with the Calculator: CSV, TSV, SEG, UKO, and SPS.  These schemes can be used as they are, or modified to meet the needs of a particular file.  The Text File Schemes dialog box allows you to add, edit, and delete custom text file schemes.

More:

Create a new text file scheme

How to change an existing text file scheme

How to delete an existing text file scheme

How to import text file schemes

How to export text file schemes

Create a New Text File Scheme

  1. Go to Options>Text File Schemes

  2. In the drop down menu at the top, enter the three letter extension of the file type you are creating a scheme for, click the Add button.

  3. Enter a description for the text file scheme (optional). This description will be displayed in the file open and save dialog filters (drop down box).

  4. Select the text file type, either Delimited Text or Fixed- Length Fields from the File Type group box. When you make a selection, the appropriate dialog box (described below) will display:

    • For Delimited Text files, select the delimiter and specify the text qualifier from the Field Delimiters group box. The delimiter is the character that separates fields. The text qualifier encloses text strings.

    • For Fixed Length Fields files, enter the number of fields (columns), the width of each field, and the output field alignment (justification).

  5. Specify header record information from the Header Records group box.

    Note: The Geographic Calculator assumes that headers come BEFORE all data.

    There are three options:

    • Total Number of Header Records  

      Use this option to specify the number of header records that appear before the data.  

      Example

        A data file has 150 header records before the data. Specify 150 in the appropriate box. The Calculator will begin looking for data starting with line 151.

      …

      <Line 148>

      <Line 149>

      <Line 150>

      <Line 151>

      expects data …

    • Records Above First Blank Line  

      This option instructs the Calculator to look for data after the first blank line following header records.  

      Example

        <Header line 1>

      <Header line 2>

      <Header line 3>

       

        Data

    • Header Records Begin With...

      Header records may have a code or tag at the beginning of each line. Use this option to indicate those tags.

      Example

      Your point file has header records and each line has some tag at the beginning of each line:

      <TAG> This is the first header line

      <TAG> This is the second header line

      <TAG2> This is the third header line

      Data

      To set up header tags that should be ignored:

      • Click the Add button. In the dialog that appears, enter <TAG> . Click OK.

      • Again, click Add and enter <TAG2>. Click OK.

      • Repeat this for all header tags

      Note: Only the first character of the header tag (e.g. < ) needs to be entered. It is good practice to indicate the whole tag to avoid any ambiguities.

  6. Specify a setting in the Field Names area. The settings determine how the grid columns are named. There are three options:

    • Use Default Field Names

      By default, the grid columns are named C1, C2, C3, ...

      You may change the column names manually by placing the cursor over the column name in the Point Database Conversions job and right-clicking. Select Rename from the menu that appears.

    • Last Header Records Contain Field Names

      The last line of the header may be used to name the grid fields (columns).

      Example

      <HeaderTag Header info

      <HeaderTag Header Info

      <HeaderTag Name, Lat, Long, Ht

      Data

      Column C1 will be named Name

      Column C2 will be named Lat

      Column C3 will be named Long

      Column C4 will be named Ht

      Note: The Calculator will recognize Name as being a header record only if it meets the criteria specified in the Header Records area.

    • First Non-Header Record Contains Field Name

      The Calculator will search the point file for header records using all the criteria specified in the settings. At the first occurrence of data that is not considered header information (based on the users criteria), the Calculator will use that data for naming the fields (columns).  

      Example

      The user has specified that all header records begin with <HEADER> and has chosen First Non-Header... to assign the field names.

      <HEADER> Header info

      <HEADER> Header info

      <HEADER> Header info

      PT#, NORTHING, EASTING, ELEV

      100, 3000, 3000, 5

      101, 3010, 3005, 2.4

      102, 2929, 3001, 4.5

      etc.

      The grid column names will be assigned as follows:

      Column 1 = PT#

      Column 2 = NORTHING

      Column 3 = EASTING

      Column 4 = ELEV

  7. Specify a setting for the Data Records. This setting specifies when the Calculator should start reading data. There are two options:

    • Data Records Begin With ...

      The Calculator searches for Header Records based on the criteria selected in previous dialogs.

      The user may explicitly assign a tag or character to indicate data (similar to the way Header Records may be assigned).

      Based on the user-specified criteria, anything in the point file other than the following will be ignored:

      • Header records

      • Field names

      • Data

      Click Add to add a search string.

      Example

      The user has specified that there will be 10 lines of header records. He has also specified that Data Records Begin With: <DATA>

       

      The point file has the following contents:

      ...

      >>>Header Line 8

      >>>Header Line 9

      >>>Header Line 10

      >>>This line of text will be ignored.

      >>>So will this.

      >>>This too.

      <THIS WILL BE IGNORED> &%#@LKHEU3434

      <DATA> First data record. The Calculator will begin reading data on this line.

      <DATA> More data

      ...

    • Data Records Start After the Header

      This is the default setting.

      The Calculator searches for Header Records based on the criteria selected in previous dialogs. The first instance where the Calculator does not find a Header record or Field name data, it considers the next entry as a data record ( i.e. What is not a Header Record or Field Name is a Data record) .

      Example

      <HEADER>

      <HEADER>

      <HEADER>

      >>This line will be data

  8. Click OK to save the scheme.

How to change an existing text file scheme

  1. Select Text File Schemes within the Options Menu.
  2. Select the scheme from the Unique File Extension list.
  3. Change any required parameter.
  4. Press the OK button.

How to delete an existing text file scheme

  1. Select Text File Schemes within the Options Menu.
  2. Select the scheme from the Unique File Extension list.
  3. Press the Delete button.

How to import text file schemes

  1. Select Options>Import Text Schemes/Seismic Survey Formats.
  2. Browse to the xml file containing the Text Schemes you want to import and select Open.
  3. If the file contains Text Schemes that already exist, you will be asked whether or not to overwrite your current scheme with the imported version.
  4. If a Text Scheme does not already exist, it will simply be imported.

How to export text file schemes

  1. Select Options>Export Text Schemes/Seismic Survey Formats.
  2. Select the scheme or schemes that you want to export.
  3. Browse to the desired location in which to create the file containing the exported text schemes, and enter the desired name.
  4. Click Save. This will generate an output xml file containing the selected text schemes.