Trying to create delimited text file
Doug Kanter
quotes &
commas, for use in another app. Using ACT 2.0, this was simple. I
simply entered a line like the one below, adding my own quotes & commas,
and the result worked as expected. ACT 3.08's report designer, however,
is hobbling my efforts.
<85Start_Contact>
"<64First_Name>","<65Last_Name>","<0Company>","<5City>","<6State>","<7ZIP>"
<89End_Contact>
When I initially place the fields, they aren't wide enough to display
the data. So, a phone number displays as 800-555-1... Other fields are
affected the same way. This *should* be easy to fix, by simply widening
the fields, but in order to do so, I need to move fields which are to
the right, further to the right. When I do this, they run off the right
side of the screen and the report designer will not permit me to scroll
far enough to the right to see those fields and modify them.
Second, since I have no need for headers or footers in this text file,
I've removed those sections. This leaves a contact section which
contains 5-6 lines, resulting in a .txt file which are far larger than
it needs to be. I am unable to drag the grey contact icon upward to
remove the extra lines. Why is this? There are no fields or other
objects that should prevent me from performing this function.
Since the standard ACT delimited file produced by the export menu is
insufficient for my needs, I must find a solution to this problem. Any
help would be appreciated.
Doug Kanter
dka...@ibm.net
Jim Lee [Symantec]
Hi Doug,
I would use File > Data Exchange > Export. In the Export Wizard make
on screen 2 you have comma selected when you click the Options button.
When you get to the last screen you can remove any fields not needed.
When I tested the output it automatically placed quotes around the
data field and separated fields by a comma.
The ACT! 3.0 report generator would not work due to the limitation you
have already experienced.
Let us know if we can be of further help.
Jim Lee [Symantec Corp.]
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Doug Kanter
While your method certainly works, it doesn't do much insofar as helping
with one of my aims, which is to import the data into Winfax. As you
know, Winfax likes its Country Code and Area Code fields separate from
the actual fax number. ACT's export feature lumps them all together.
I'd access ACT as a Winfax phonebook, but ACT's load time is
unacceptably slow, just for sending one or two faxes (from another app).
> The ACT! 3.0 report generator would not work due to the limitation you
> have already experienced.
Is the symptom I described a "limitation" (i.e.: works as designed), or
a bug?
Doug Kanter
dka...@ibm.net
Jim Lee [Symantec]
>Jim:
>While your method certainly works, it doesn't do much insofar as helping
>with one of my aims, which is to import the data into Winfax. As you
>know, Winfax likes its Country Code and Area Code fields separate from
>the actual fax number. ACT's export feature lumps them all together.
>
Hi Doug,
The means I use to parse the phone number is to then open the
delimited file in Excel and manipulte it there. Expertise in the use
of macros can allow you to cut and paste the first three numbers out
of the phone field to a new column, at least that is what has been
posted. I have not worked with Excel macros enough to know how to do
it.
>I'd access ACT as a Winfax phonebook, but ACT's load time is
>unacceptably slow, just for sending one or two faxes (from another app).
>
>> The ACT! 3.0 report generator would not work due to the limitation you
>> have already experienced.
>
>Is the symptom I described a "limitation" (i.e.: works as designed), or
>a bug?
Officially worked as designed.
Doug Kanter
This problem is a candidate for the suggestion box for subsequent ACT
versions. Think about it: Not only does your advertising mention how
ACT and Winfax work as a team, but the trial version of Winfax is even
packaged on the ACT 3.0 CD! Ask your programmers to add just one more
format to the export options: "Winfax Phonebook".
Although Winfax will access ACT database files as phonebooks, there are
certain things you can't do via that method, such as create groups
within those phonebooks. In addition, Winfax starts ACT when it accesses
ACT dbf files, which entails extra time.
Doug Kanter
American Food Distributors
Jim Lee [Symantec]
>Jim:
>This problem is a candidate for the suggestion box for subsequent ACT
>versions. Think about it: Not only does your advertising mention how
>ACT and Winfax work as a team, but the trial version of Winfax is even
>packaged on the ACT 3.0 CD! Ask your programmers to add just one more
>format to the export options: "Winfax Phonebook".
>
>Although Winfax will access ACT database files as phonebooks, there are
>certain things you can't do via that method, such as create groups
>within those phonebooks. In addition, Winfax starts ACT when it accesses
>ACT dbf files, which entails extra time.
>
Hi Doug,
You are correct and it has been placed in our feature database with
emphasis by the support personnel as a must change item.