CSV files

[Cool Papa Bell]

Had not purchased since V8, so have a question on .csv files. What are their purpose in OOTPX if the roster import and export is done using text files? Can you modify CSV files and import them? I though you could in past versions.

Also, the Lahman database is too big for excel to use to edit without truncating the file. Is there a way to edit it in partial files and use those until you get to a certain year? Or is there another way to edit the Lahman CSV files not using excel?

Thanks in advance!
CPB

[TribeFanInNC]

I'll try to answer some of that. No, to my knowledge you can't import csv files back into OOTP. You can use them to do some outside statistics or analysis on your own that the game does not provide. For instance, Neags has written a Development Tracker program that uses these files. But there isn't really a game purpose for them.

I'm not a database guy, but I would imagine you could use MS Access or another database program to work on the Lahman. Also, I think Excel 2007 expanded the max number of cells that can be used, so maybe that might do the trick if you have access to this version.

[Spritze]

Many if not all OOTP text files are actually CSV files with the extension changed to .TXT from .CSV

How do you like them apples!

[Cool Papa Bell]

Thanks guys! Gave me some great ideas and here's what seemed to work. I opened the .txt roster export file in Excel using , delineated and text rather than general format to each column. I then did my editing and saved it as a .csv file. I then opened that .csv file in notepad and the ,'s were back. I had to clean up a few headers by cutting and pasting from the original .txt export file, but seemed to import into the game just fine.

I don't have Access, does anyone know if there is another database program that would work?

One other thing I noticed when I originally exported the roster file and edited the .txt file using notepad. When I imported the .txt file, all of the players on the rosters were now on the Reserve Roster and not the Active Roster. Maybe because I did that during Spring Training? Does any editing to roster files have to be done in the off-season?

[TribeFanInNC]

I would imagine the Open Office equivalent of Access would work. It's free and downloadable.

[Cool Papa Bell]

Appreciate it, I'll check it out. By the way, it doesn't seem to be hurting anything, but when you export the roster files, the header says CONTACT VL, but CONTRACT VR.