Import A TXT File Where The Separator Is Missing In A Column To Excel

Problem description & analysis:

We have a comma-separated txt file that has a total of 10 columns. As certain values of the 3rd column do not have separators, that column is missing and the corresponding rows only have 9 columns, as shown in the last rows:

01-0104-0133,MAYO, RONIE #2,202403,2024-03-21 22:51:43.000,1449.49,0.00,0.00,08,6CC6BDAC7E45 17-1782-0203,DANIELES, ESTELA # 3,202403,2024-03-21 22:04:16.000,2379.40,0.00,0.00,08,7C4D66134652 17-1782-0297,DANIELES, ESTELA # 2,202403,2024-03-21 22:33:34.000,886.61,0.00,0.00,08,C93BF124DE14 04-0408-0500,DE LA CENA, JOSE JR.,202403,2024-03-21 21:18:04.000,3125.80,0.00,0.00,08,136E4D2959BA 17-1741-0521,SEVERINO, JOSE JR.,202403,2024-03-21 21:10:48.000,1694.19,0.00,0.00,08,BB1F0814A58F 17-1744-0310,FUENTES, FERNANDO SR.,202403,2024-03-21 15:00:49.000,1828.77,0.00,0.00,08,310EAE3D6DBB 15-1522-0095,LUCERNA, JAIME SR.,202403,2024-03-21 08:21:23.000,2195.88,0.00,0.00,08,79D83EC0F51D 01-0120-0137,THE CORNERSTONE BIBLE BAPTIST,,202403,2024-03-21 20:36:25.000,225.07,0.00,0.00,08,B6D7B504AE79 14-1403-0361,PALAWAN PAWNSHOP,202403,2024-03-21 08:59:51.000,4601.33,0.00,0.00,08,9BD6BD131E9C 03-0302-0481,M. LHULLIER PAWNSHOP,202403,2024-03-21 13:22:17.000,4236.66,0.00,0.00,08,6DB91200E2E6

We need to import the txt file to an Excel file. If the 3^rd column is missing, use space to fill it and then sort rows by the 1^st column:

Solution:

Use SPL XLL to enter the following formula:

=spl("=file(?).import@cw().(if(~.len()==9,~.insert(3,null),~)).sort(~(1))","d:/data.txt")

As shown in the picture below:

Explanation:

import()function reads the text file; @c option enables using commas as the separator and @w option reads data as a sequence of sequences. ~ represents the current row. insert() function inserts a member at a specified position.

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SPL download address: esProc Desktop Download

Plugin Installation Method: SPL XLL Installation and Configuration

References to other rich Excel operation cases: Desktop and Excel Data Processing Cases

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