INFORMIX SOFTWARE, INC., LENEXA, KS
                            Wingz Technical Support Bulletin Number 008
        
        
       Title:    Parsing an ACSII file
       Date:     January 15, 1991
        
        
       The following example script allows you to parse an ASCII file.  The 
       script steps through the worksheet row by row, parsing each row into 
       columns. To use this script, open the ASCII file to a Wingz worksheet. 
       With that worksheet as the current window, execute this script from 
       the script menu. 
        
       Sample Text:
            "Text",12345.00,"January 12, 1991","12:12:12","555-55-5555"
            "Text One",1111.11,"01/01/87","01:01:01","111-11-1111"
        
       Example Script:
        
       { ***this is only an example with no implied warrantees***
         ***use at your own risk, make a backup, etc.*** }
        
       define len,matched,left_side,right_side,row,last_row
        
       repaint off
       repaint selections off
        
       select last cell                        { find the last cell on sheet 
       }            
       last_row=row()                     { set last_row to row of the last 
       cell }
       select range a1                         { select cell a1 }
       len=length(indirect (makecell(col(),row()))) { length of string in 
       current cell }
       matched=match(indirect (makecell(col(),row())),",",1)  
                      { finds where to separate first and second columns }
       for row=1 to last_row                   { loop thru all rows }
        while matched<>0                  { a space or comma was found }
            left_side=left(indirect(makecell(col(),row())),matched-1)
                                          { left of comma }
            if match(left(left_side,1),"""",1) { first character is a quote }
                 matched=match(indirect(makecell(col(),row())),"""",2)
                      { find the end quote to match beginning quote }
                 left_side=mid(left(indirect(makecell(col(),row())),
                           matched-1),1,matched-2)
                      { left_side is everything between the two quotes }
                 
       right_side=right(indirect(makecell(col(),row())),len-matched-1)
                      { right_side is to the right of the end quote and comma 
       }
            else                          { no quote at beginning of string }
                 left_side=is_num(left(left_side,1))
                                          { is left_side a number }
                 
       right_side=right(indirect(makecell(col(),row())),len-matched)
                                          { right side of comma }
            end if
            put left_side into makecell(col(),row())          { put left into 
       current cell }
            put right_side into makecell(col()+1,row())       
                                          { everything else in next column }
            select range makecell(col()+1,row())         { select next column 
       }
            len=length(indirect (makecell(col(),row()))) 
                                          { length of string in current cell 
       }
            matched=match(indirect (makecell(col(),row())),",",1) 
                                { find where to break into separate columns }
        end while                    { exit the while loop once it has 
       reached }
        left_side=indirect(makecell(col(),row()))   { contents of last cell 
       on row }
        
       left_side=if(match(left(left_side,1),"""",1),mid(left_side,1,length(le 
       ft_side)-2),
                      is_num(left(left_side,1)))              
                 { if there are quotes, it's text, else check for value }
        put left_side into makecell(col(),row())              { put left_side 
       into cell }
        select range makecell(1,row()+1)            { select next row, first 
       column }
        len=length(indirect (makecell(col(),row())))     { length of string 
       in that cell }
        matched=match(indirect (makecell(col(),row())),",",1) 
                                          { find where to separate columns }
       end for                            { repeat until no more rows of data 
       }
       repaint selections on
       repaint on
       repaint window
        
       function is_num(num)
        if (num>=char(48) and num<=char(57))             
                      { checks the ASCII value for num }                
            and  exact(upper(left_side),lower(left_side))
                      { compare upper and lower case of left_side }
            and (contains(left_side,"-") = 0)       { does not have '-' in it 
       }    
            and (contains(left_side,"/") = 0)       { does not have '/' in it 
       }    
            and (contains(left_side,":") = 0)       { does not have ':' in it 
       }              return value(left_side)    { it is a number return the 
       value of the left_side }
         else return left_side                 { not a number, return the 
       string }
         end if                           { end of check }
       end function                       { end of function is_num }