The output I would be looking for would be one row for each data file with columns for each variable, so using a .csv example with a few variables would be: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- File_name,date_written,program_ver,data_file_ver,bin_width 20080911.013115.007.17.txt, 20081121.145730,3.7,3.6,7.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My plan is to create a table with all the data files listed. This would allow me to find mean/min/max values for different variables,sort by a certain variable, etc. I am not limiting myself to R, I have seen awk mentioned before, so that sounds like it is worth looking at to prep the data.
Hope that helps. jholtman wrote: > > It would be helpful if you could show what the output would be for the > example given. Exactly what are 'values' and what would be the > 'headings'. As mentioned before, you can use readLines and then parse > the data you want, but something like Perl might be easier, but it is > hard to tell from the mail. > > On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 2:37 PM, Titan8883 <jpla...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Hi all, >> >> I am a new graduate student who is also new to R. I am ok with the >> basics, >> but the problem I am having right now seems beyond what I can do..so I am >> looking for advice. I am trying to pull data from flat ASCII files, but >> they >> do not have a "nice" structure so a simple "read.table" doesn't work. An >> example first half of a data file is below: >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> 19 c:/data/WF-100/2008/20080911/trk/20080911.013115.007.17.txt >> 10 s name of program that wrote this file trkplt name of program that >> wrote this file >> 10 GORDON machine that generated this file machine that generated >> this >> file >> 10 3.7 version of program >> 10 3.6 version of this data file >> 10 5.81 version of Universal Library >> 10 20081121.145730 when this file was written >> 10 Windows_XP operating system used operating system used >> * >> * radar characteristics >> 11 WF-100 >> 11 20000000 A/D rate, samples/second >> 11 7.5 bin width, m >> 11 800 nominal PRF, Hz >> 11 0.25 nominal pulse width, microsec >> 11 0 tuning, volts >> 11 3.19779 nominal wave length, cm >> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> ..the file goes on from there... >> >> How would I go about getting this data into some kind of useful format? >> This >> is one of about 1000 files I will need to go through. I would ideally >> like >> to get these into a format with each data file as a row with columns for >> the >> various values with the description text removed(version of program, file >> version, tuning volts, etc...). >> >> I'm not looking for a cut and paste answer, but perhaps some direction on >> where I should start. I have only done basic .csv, table, and line inputs >> up >> until now. >> >> Thanks for any advice >> -- >> View this message in context: >> http://www.nabble.com/Trouble-pulling-data-from-a-messy-ASCII-file...-tp21059239p21059239.html >> Sent from the R help mailing list archive at Nabble.com. >> >> ______________________________________________ >> R-help@r-project.org mailing list >> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help >> PLEASE do read the posting guide >> http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html >> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. >> > > > > -- > Jim Holtman > Cincinnati, OH > +1 513 646 9390 > > What is the problem that you are trying to solve? > > ______________________________________________ > R-help@r-project.org mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide > http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. > > -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Trouble-pulling-data-from-a-messy-ASCII-file...-tp21059239p21060639.html Sent from the R help mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ______________________________________________ R-help@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
