Import text file 

When you want to import data from other applications than Lotus123 or DBase, use the formatted text or 

delimited text file format.  In a text file, one text line contains data on one case, and every text line ends 

with a carriage return character (ASCII code 13). 

In a formatted text file, the different fields (variables) are separated by spaces so that, when the file is 

opened with a text editor (such as Notepad), the variables appear as distinct columns, e.g. 

 LENGTH WEIGHT 

 171 

66 

 174  61.5 

 182 

82 

 172 

80 

 179  72.0 

 177  78.50 

In a delimited text file, the data are separated by commas, and text is placed between single or double 

quotation marks, e.g. 

 LENGTH , WEIGHT  

171,66 

174,61.5 

182,82 

172,80 

179,72.0 

177,78.50

To read such a file select the Text file type in the dialog box and next you select the file name.  The 

program will now check the text file to determine whether it is a formatted or delimited text file.  The result 

is displayed in a new dialog box.  

You must confirm the file type by clicking the 

OK

 button.  If the program would have selected the wrong file 

format, you can choose the correct file format by selecting the corresponding button.  Next select the 

OK

button to proceed.  If you select 

C

ANCEL

, the Import text file procedure will be abandoned. 

Finally, you will have to select the fields or variables to be imported in the Select variables dialog box (see 

Import SPSS file).  If no name is available for a particular variable in the text file, then MedCalc will give the 

name FIELDxx to the variables, where xx is the number of the field (or variable) in the file. 

Export 

Shortcut: F10 

The Export command is used to export the contents of the top window.  The top window can either be the 

spreadsheet data window and then the data can be exported as a plain text file.   

If the top window is a statistics results window, these results can be exported as a text file.  Finally, when 

the top window is a graph window, the graph can be exported as a Windows metafile.  

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