Detail

The “Import...” item appears in the Document sub-menu of AppleWorks Scripts menu.

Select “Import...”, then choose the text file to be opened. It will determine whether the file uses tabs or commas, returns or linefeeds. If you are using AppleWorks 6, the database option will also allow you to specify the line from which to grab the field names.

Requirements

Does not require any document to already be open.

On some versions of the Mac OS, reading the source file is more reliable (and faster) when used on a file stored locally, rather than on an AppleShare volume. So copy any source file locally before using “Import”.

This works with AppleWorks 6, and version 5.

Only registered users are permitted to use the supplied files after 14 days or edit them.

Advanced

“Import” takes care of any quotes around field values.

Scripting

In case you are curious, here are some snippets from the (run-only) script.

Parsing each line into a list of field values:

set inQuotes to false
repeat with charN from 1 to lineLength
    set thisChar to character charN in thisLine
    if thisChar is linefeed or thisChar is return then
       --skip
    else if thisChar is "\"" then
       set inQuotes to not inQuotes
    else if thisChar is "," and not inQuotes or charN is lineLength then
       set end in fieldList to thisField
       set thisField to ""
    else
       set thisField to thisField & thisChar
    end if
end repeat

Opening or inserting the converted data file into a spreadsheet or database:

if docType is "SS" then
    open file tabPath as document type spreadsheet document -- using translator "ASCII Text"
else if awV5 then
    open file tabPath as document type database document -- using translator "ASCII Text"
else
    make new document at front with properties {document kind:database document} with data fieldNames
    delete record 1 in database of front document
    insert file tabPath -- using translator "ASCII Text"
    activate
    select menu item "List" in menu "Layout" -- kills AppleWorks
end if

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