<html><head><title>Importing and Exporting Data in Text Format</title><meta name="filename" content="text/common/guide/data_dbase2office"/><help:css-file-link xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><!--The CSS style header method for setting styles--><style type="text/css">
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<p class="P1"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="38" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="databases; importing" tag="kw68131_1" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="databases; exporting" tag="kw68131_7" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="databases; text formats" tag="kw68131_6" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="text formats; databases" tag="kw68131_5" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="csv text format; databases" tag="kw68131_4" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="importing; tables in text format" tag="kw68131_3" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="exporting; tables in text format" tag="kw68131_2" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/></p>
<p class="Head1"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="55" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:to-be-embedded Eid="data_dbase2office" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:link Id="68131">Importing and Exporting Data in Text Format</help:link></help:to-be-embedded></p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="54" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>If you want to exchange data with a database that does not have an ODBC link and does not allow dBase import and export, you can use a common text format.</p>
<p class="Head2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="41" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Importing Data Into <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname></p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="40" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>To exchange data in a text format use the <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> Calc import/export filter.</p>
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<p class="P2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="42" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Export the desired data from the source database in a text format. The CSV text format is recommended. This format separates data fields by using delimiters such as commas or semi-colons, and separates records by inserting line breaks.</p>
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<p class="P2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="43" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Choose <span class="T1">File - </span><help:link Id="65703" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><span class="T1">Open</span></help:link> and select "Text CSV" from the <span class="T1">File type</span> combo box. Select the file and click <span class="T1">Open</span>.</p>
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<p class="P2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="44" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>The <help:link Id="65608" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><span class="T1">Text Import</span></help:link> dialog appears. Decide which data to include from the text document.</p>
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<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="45" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Once the data is in a <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> Calc spreadsheet, you can edit it as needed. You have two ways of saving the data as a <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> data source:</p>
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<p class="P3"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="56" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Save the current <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> Calc spreadsheet in dBase format in the folder of a dBase database. To do this, choose <span class="T1">File - Save As</span>, then select the <span class="T1">File type</span> "dBase" and the folder of the dBase database.</p>
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<p class="P3"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="57" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Select the data range in the <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> Calc spreadsheet and drag the range to a table container in the data source view. The table container is the "Tables" line (see illustration) in the database explorer. An <help:link Id="66193" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">AutoPilot</help:link> starts automatically.</p>
<p class="Head2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="58" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Exporting in CSV Text Format</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="59" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>You can export the current <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> spreadsheet in a text format which can be read by many other applications.</p>
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<p class="P4"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="60" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Choose <span class="T1">File - Save as</span>.</p>
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<p class="P4"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="61" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>In <span class="T1">File type</span> select the filter "Text CSV". Enter a file name and click <span class="T1">Save</span>.</p>
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<p class="P4"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="62" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>This opens the <help:link Id="65617" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><span class="T1">dBase Export</span></help:link> dialog, in which you can select the character set, field delimiter and text delimiter. Click <span class="T1">OK</span>. A warning informs you that only the active sheet was saved.</p>