Data Format -- Nominating Myself for the "Golden Duh" Award

[ekpolk]

. . . or just call me "Mr. Attention to Detail," and don't be alarmed that out there driving on the same highways you are! As most of you probably know, and I just noticed (

), this rule appears at the top of the UOA forum: "Please type data. No outside links for data." Does this mean I should not be linking to an image of my Blackstone report (as I've done twice)? Or is it referring to something more complex and sinister? If typing in is the only acceptable way to post data, can someone please tell me how to do it so that the columns end up lined up so that they make sense.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

ek,

I've found the easiest way is to import everything into Microsoft Excel, export it to a certain type of text file on your C: drive. Then open that file up in NotePad (yes, the old and venerable notepad) Select All then Copy. Then come here to BIOG use the CODE tag, then inside the CODE area, paste what you copied from Notepad, then use the end of CODE tag.

I wish there was a way to increase the font size of code as it's just too small by default.

 

[XS650]

Ed, one easy way to to find a UOA in the same order you use, like another typed in Blackstone report that is already on the board.

Then edit out their numbers and comments and edit in yours.

Use the "code" function TNS suggested. It makes text files appear with the same spacing you typed.

If TNS also has away to put a Blackstone pdf file into Excel so that things come out in the right order, several of us dummys that aren't smart enough to do that are all ears.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

XS, I've found there's differnent PDF formatting techniques. If you create a PDF with the typical Adobe tools, the entire center grid is actually an embedded picture object. So extracting data out of there in a useable fashion is darn near impossible.

I did fine an interesting side note. If you have a Mac running OS X, you have the option to "save as PDF" from the print functions. Saving any text or Excel doc as a PDF from this PDF creator, allows for useable data extraction.

Perhaps Blackstone can just send the data to us in a PDF and plain-jane text file format?

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by ToyotaNSaturn:


Perhaps Blackstone can just send the data to us in a PDF and plain-jane text file format?

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Well Doh! That would be too simple.

I will email them tonight and see what they say. Thanks for the suggestion. I will post their response when I get it.

Blackstone pdf files do have text in them. Unfortunately, the columns all come out as one long column when you use the text copy tool. Not in the order you might expect either.

 

[XS650]

Well bleeping double Doh! TNS. My dumb.

I was just going to email Blackstone and noticed that their email attachment says that they can send the report in Word format if you request it. I think the answer is to request it in Word format and then cut the text over to BITOG using code.

How many of us have been fussing with that problem how long without noticing the Word option?

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

quote:

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Originally posted by XS650:
they can send the report in Word format if you request it.

How many of us have been fussing with that problem how long without noticing the Word option?

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Triple DOH! I guess sometimes the solution is right in front of our eyes!

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by ToyotaNSaturn:
.Triple DOH! I guess sometimes the solution is right in front of our eyes!

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If it was a snake, we both woulda been bit.

 

[Jay]

quote:

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Originally posted by ToyotaNSaturn:

...I wish there was a way to increase the font size of code as it's just too small by default.

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I also wish the default code font was larger. Moderators?

 

[sxg6]

whats the reasoning behind this rule? if its a link from your own webspace, its not pulling any extra transfer from bitog. the only reason i could think of is to make the site more user friendly so dial up users along with broadband users can view the material

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by sxg6:
whats the reasoning behind this rule? if its a link from your own webspace, its not pulling any extra transfer from bitog. the only reason i could think of is to make the site more user friendly so dial up users along with broadband users can view the material

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Another good reason is that a high percentage of links to individual web pages go dead within a year. I like it myself, it makes the forum a good long term archive of UOA reports.

 

[labman]

Several times I have posted what I think is a simple easy way to do this. If somebody favored me with a link to a Blackstone PDF. I will check it and if it works, post the results here along with an excating description of how I did it.

If it doesn't work, I will post a reply admiting it.

 

[sxg6]

good point i never considered xs650.

 

[tom slick]

When Bob ran this board i got dinged for this. the reason for no outside links is that he didn't like a reply to a post only containing a link and no data actually entered in the post.
He also didn't like links to other websites and forums unless they were a sponsor.
I'm not a moderator but i don't think anyone would complain if you were linking to your blackstone report.
59vetteman is doing a great job with this board and has eased up a couple of rules that make it easier to disseminate information from the web.