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Chloe_Sunshine
Known Participant
March 25, 2024
Question

Importing .csv files into ID table

  • March 25, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 854 views

I cannot import the .csv file directly. Best I have been able to do is change the extension to .txt, then place the file in ID. Which works fine. And I can then Convert Text to Table with no issues. EXCEPT - the data is multi page. When I place the document I hold down the SHIFT key which places the data over multiple pages.

 

My problem arises in that the table format takes up more space than the .cvs and I end up with outflow text, which I am unable to get to flow to another page.

 

I'm on a Mac and do not have Excel. If I bring the .cvs file into Number and export as Excel file, then try to place that in ID I get an error message: Cannot place this file. No filter found for requested operation.

 

I'm looking for some way to make tables from these .csv file. If anyone has any insight it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

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    1 reply

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Legend
    March 25, 2024

    CSV file is just plain text - it won't spontaneously convert into a Table.

     

    Then, it depends how your CSV has been saved - sometimes the delimiter is "," or it can be TABulator.

     

    Then, your "fields" can be surrounded by "".

     

    Can you show a screenshot of the raw contents of your CSV file? From Notepad or something like that -- or just import it as plain text into InDesign, turn ON Show Hidden Characters.

     

    And the fact, that it's a long file isn't a problem - you can just hit CMD+A, Table -> Convert Text To Table, select Column and Row separators and optionally select TableStyle.

     

    C
    Chloe_SunshineAuthor
    Known Participant
    March 25, 2024

    Thank you for the response. I have no problem placing the text in ID. For instance, this particular .cvs file takes about 2.75 pages. When I hit CMD+A, then Table -> Convert Text to Table, it converts the table, no problem. The problem is that with all the lines and the table spacing, the table exceeds the space that the .csv file occupied. So I have text in the outport. Why doesn't ID automatically extend the number of pages to accommodate the table?

     

    When I originally wrote this, I was having problems with the outport text. I just tried it again and it works as expected. But I had to manually place the overflow. Why doesn't ID automatically add pages? The .csv file takes about 2.75 pages; once converted to a table, it is about 4.5 pages. 

     

    My .cvs file is just regular comma delimited. First few lines:

     

    Alpine Church,324056,0865025,Pletcher
    Antioch Church,324153,0862939,Marbury
    Antioch Methodist Church,324401,0864621,Pletcher
    Archies Chapel,330034,0863847,Ozan

     

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Legend
    March 25, 2024

    @Chloe_Sunshine 

     

    You can turn on Smart Text Reflow:

     

    But I would rather reflow text manually - like you've done, with Shift.

     

    I don't remember the thread now - so attaching only screenshots - but someone had some problems with its "smartness"...

     

    You would get this:

     

    Instead of this:

     

    when new text has been added to the Stories.

     

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