Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 101154
Calc- Insert - Link to external Data with tab delimited text file: unable to import any data.
Last modified: 2017-05-20 09:52:58 UTC
This issue is present on all 2.x & 3.x release versions of calc on PC platform. The issue is present on both Linux (Ubuntu) & Windows XP. When trying to insert a link to external data which is a delimited text file, I am unable to import any data as there are no defined ranges. The text import window functions as one would expect. The External Data window does not display any Available tables/ Ranges. The Ok button remains greyed out. It would be extremely useful to be able to periodically import data from a text file. Many data RS232 based data loggers produce data in tab or comma delimited formats. Unfortunately I have to return to excel to perform this routine task. Many thanks & best regards Jim
Created attachment 61623 [details] Screenshot test import
Created attachment 61624 [details] Screnshot External Data
Created attachment 61625 [details] Tab delimitted text file for data source
double to Issue 1834 Use Menu Insert-Sheet from File and tag the Link option if you need it. Frank *** This issue has been marked as a duplicate of 1834 ***
closed double
Thanks for your quick response, however I do not believe that this issue should be closed as resolved as a duplicate of issue 1834. I have scanned the numerous postings on this issue, perhaps my report is better suited as a new feature request, as it appears the Link to external data route is functioning as intended. The suggested method of importing text files works fine if you wish to create a new sheet for the imported data. If however you wish to repeatedly import & refresh data from a text file, so that it always imports to the same sheet, starting at the same cell, this method does not work easily. You would have to write additional macros to cut and paste the data from the new sheet to the sheet you wish to work on. The equivalent functionality in Excel makes it very easy to import text data into a template spreadsheet for rapid processing. As an engineer dealing with large numbers of text based machine logs, this functionality is invaluable. I will upload an example excel spreadsheet & real data to demonstrate the utility of this approach to data import. This spread sheet will not open in OO due to incompatible macros. on opening the spreadsheet in excel (office XP) follow these steps: Don't update on the request to update linked data. Press the macro button Refresh Data. Select the text file Autopilot.txt Ignore the Export results Macro Button Statistical analysis & graph plotting have now been completed. If you are willing to reconsider the status of this report I would be very willing to clarify any points by phone. I may be contacted on +44 (0)1386 768050 Working hours 09:00 to 17:00 GMT+1 BST should this prove useful. Many thanks & best regards Jim Meech
Created attachment 61630 [details] Excel spreadsheet
Created attachment 61631 [details] Text file to import into Excel
Hi, it's definitely a double to Issue 1834. If you have to import such text files into the same document and the same sheet, just use the Link optionn in the Insert-Sheet from file dialog. This will ask you everytime you open the document to update the links in it. So all you need is there but works a little different compared to Excel. OOo isn't a MSOffice clone and will not be one. So you have to expect some differences. Nevertheless I re-assign this Issue to the User Experience group for clarifying. Frank
Duplicate bug. *** This issue has been marked as a duplicate of issue 97793 ***