[SOLVED] Quick way to convert spaces in text file to tabs to copy to spreadsheet?

linustalman · 08-16-2019, 04:11 AM

Hi.

I have a file with dates and then weights (kg). They are separated by a space.

i.e.:
2019-08-01 68.7

I'd like to copy this long list to a spreadsheet once in a while to show a graph of my weight and other peoples weights. Is there a quick method to do this?

Thanks.

syg00 · 08-16-2019, 04:15 AM

tr, sed, awk, perl, python, ...

Start with the manpage for tr.

pan64 · 08-16-2019, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linustalman

Is there a quick method to do this?

The answer is: yes. You can also implement it easily in bash.
But from your side: Which language/tool do you prefer? What did you try so far? Where did you stuck?

EmaRsk · 08-16-2019, 06:38 AM

Code:

tr " " "\t" <original_file >converted_file

or

Code:

sed "s/ /\t/" original_file >converted_file

michaelk · 08-16-2019, 06:55 AM

Depends on spreadsheet app. Excel and libreoffice as far as I know have the capability to select the delimiter i.e as a space, tab or comma etc or fixed width so conversion is probably not necessary.

syg00 · 08-16-2019, 07:14 AM

So if the OP had made some effort .... :shrug:

rtmistler · 08-16-2019, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelk

Depends on spreadsheet app. Excel and libreoffice as far as I know have the capability to select the delimiter i.e as a space, tab or comma etc or fixed width so conversion is probably not necessary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

So if the OP had made some effort .... :shrug:

Agree and concur.

Not so proficient with the Linux varieties of spreadsheets, but I know that one can import data and many times there's a preview of that data which shows, and allows you to change you delimiter so that you can get it right, while viewing the previews.

So just try this, and I would prefer to stay away from a bunch of text processing tools. I do not feel they are necessary.

Or, to be kinder about it. Have you already tried this, and found it to be flawed in some manner?

mjolnir · 08-16-2019, 09:12 AM

Calc will import the file fine checking 'space' as a delimiter.
Off Topic: I understand the rationale for asking someone who just joined what they have tried but IMO grilling a Contributing Member who has 3500+ posts is unnecessary. Just my 2 cents.

linustalman · 08-16-2019, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmaRsk

Code:

cat original_file | tr " " "\t" >converted_file

or

Code:

sed "s/ /\t/" original_file >converted_file

Hi EmaRsk. Thank you very much. Those are perfect!

linustalman · 08-16-2019, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

The answer is: yes. You can also implement it easily in bash.
But from your side: Which language/tool do you prefer? What did you try so far? Where did you stuck?

Hi pan64. I'm not too fussed on the language. It's solved now anyway. Thanks.

linustalman · 08-16-2019, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjolnir

Calc will import the file fine checking 'space' as a delimiter.
Off Topic: I understand the rationale for asking someone who just joined what they have tried but IMO grilling a Contributing Member who has 3500+ posts is unnecessary. Just my 2 cents.

Hi mjolnir. Yes, that's ideal. Thank you.

jmccue · 08-16-2019, 03:19 PM

I would use unexpand(1). It should already be on your distro

pan64 · 08-17-2019, 01:29 AM

hm. I have never heard about expand/unexpand, both can be implemented easily in awk/perl/python/whatever, still interesting that we have a ready-made tool for this.
something to learn again.

linustalman · 08-17-2019, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

tr, sed, awk, perl, python, ...

Start with the manpage for tr.

So basically a slightly helpful rtfm then, right?

linustalman · 08-17-2019, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

So if the OP had made some effort .... :shrug:

Not very helpful at all.