[Lexicog] Excel file to Shoebox file conversion

[Vincent `Bentong` S. Isles]

Claire thanks for this information!

I never figured out it could be that simple ;)

--Bentong Isles

--- In lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com, Claire Bowern <bowern at r...> 
wrote:
>
> > 
> > I have been compiling a dictionary of Cebuano, the most widely-
spoken 
> > language of the Philippines, with help from some friends who are 
in the 
> > business of publishing magazines in said language. We used Excel 
> > before, but now that we have the ShoeBox program, we are planning 
to 
> > convert our dictionary "database" which is in Excel.
> > 
> 
> It depends how your excel file is set up. If each column is a 
different 
> piece of information (e.g. one for the headword, one for the part 
of 
> speech, etc) it's easy.
> 
> Backup the file first and do this on a copy.
> 
> Start by inserting blank columns between each column with 
information.
> Then work out the shoebox backslash code for the type of 
informataion in 
> each column (e.g. for the headwork it'll be \lx, for the part of 
speech, 
> \ps, for the English gloss, \ge, for Tagalog (if you're using a 
field 
> for this) \gn, etc
> 
> type the backslash code at the top of the blank column before the 
> information. So, if your headwords were all in the A column before 
you 
> started, you will have inserted a blank column to the left. Now 
there's 
> a blank column in A and the headwords in B.
> 
> Now, fill down the blank columns (Ctrl-D) so that the backslash 
code 
> appears before all the entries. Do that for each column.
> 
> Now save the file as .txt
> 
> Open it in Word. You'll see a tab-delimited file which'll have 
entries 
> that look something like this:
> 
> \lx 	aarli	\ps	n	\ge	fish
> 
> You need to do two find-and-replace operations.
> First, find
> 
> ^t\
> 
> and replace it with
> 
> ^p\
> 
> That'll put each of the fields on a new line, starting with the 
> backslash code.
> 
> Then, find
> 
> ^t
> 
> and replace it with a space. Shoebox can't read tab characters.
> 
> Save the file (still in text format).
> 
> Now, go to Shoebox and open the file. It'll ask you what sort of 
> database it is. Choose mdf 4.0
> 
> Bob's your uncle!
> 
> Claire
>






------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page
http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/HKE4lB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/