Importing and Exporting Data in Text Format
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.
Importing Data into Office
To exchange data in a text format use the Office Calc import/export filter.
-
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.
-
Choose File - Open and click the file to import.
-
Select "Text CSV" from the File type combo box. Click Open.
-
The Text Import dialogue box will appear. Decide which data to include from the text document.
Once the data is in a Office Calc spreadsheet, you can edit it as needed. Save the data as a Office data source:
- Save the current Office Calc spreadsheet in dBASE format in the folder of a dBASE database. To do this, choose File - Save As, then select the File type "dBASE" and the folder of the dBASE database.
Exporting to CSV Text Format
You can export the current Office spreadsheet in a text format which can be read by many other applications.
-
Choose File - Save as.
-
In File type select the filter "Text CSV". Enter a file name and click Save.
-
This opens the Export of text files dialogue box, in which you can select the character set, field delimiter and text delimiter. Click OK. A warning informs you that only the active sheet was saved.