Import Data

Strater allows you to import data from various data sources. You can maintain your data in other applications, such as a database, and import the tables you need into Strater to create boreholes. Any changes made to the data in the original application can be updated in Strater with the Data | Reload | Data or Data | Reload | All commands. Data imported into Strater can be edited and transformed. When changes are made to data in Strater the original data external to Strater is not changed.

Open Data into a New Table

To open data into a new table:

Click the File | Open command, click the button, or press CTRL+O on the keyboard.
In the Open dialog, select a data file and click Open.
Set the information in the dialogs that follow. Specify options in each of the dialogs and click OK:
1. For .XLS, .XLSX, .SLK, .CSV, .TXT, .DAT, .DBF, .DB, .BNA, and .BLN files set the information in the dialogs Specify Worksheet Column Definitions and Specify Data Type and Column Positions.
2. For ACCDB and .MDB files first select the specific table or query in the Database Tables and Fields dialog. Then set the information in the dialogs Specify Worksheet Column Definitions and Specify Data Type and Column Positions.
3. For .LAS files use the LAS Import Options dialog to set the LAS-specific (Log ASCII Standard) importing options.
4. For Data Link Source (use the Load Database button in the Open dialog to use this function) set the information in the dialogs Data Link Properties, Database Tables and Fields, and Specify Data Type and Column Positions.
After the data importing process is complete, a new table is created. The new table becomes the active window in the borehole view.

Import Data into an Existing Table

To import data into an existing table:

Select the tab for the desired data table. You can import data only into the currently active data table.
Click the File | Import Data command or right-click inside the data table and select the Import command.
In the Import Data dialog, select the appropriate data file and click Open.

These options are available only when importing a data file.

Set the information in the dialogs that follow. Strater imports the data for the columns already existing in the current table and optionally adds new columns specified in the Import Data Into Current Table dialog. The dialogs that appear are dependent upon the type of file you selected for importing:
1. For .XLS, .XLSX .SLK, .CSV, .TXT, .DAT, .BNA, and .BLN files set the information in the dialogs Specify Worksheet Column Definitions and Import Into Current Table. The latter dialog maps column data in the source data table to the correct column in the Strater data table.
2. For multisheet .XLS and .XLSX files, the Multisheet Export Selection dialog will appear. Select all sheets to import.
3. For database files ( ACCDB, .MDB, .DBF, and .DB) files first select the specific table or query in the Database Tables and Fields dialog. Set the dialogs Specify Worksheet Column Definitions and Import Into Current Table.
4. For LAS files (.LAS) set the options in the LAS Import Options dialog.
5. For Data Link Source (use the Load Database button to open this function) set the information in the dialogs Data Link Properties, Database Tables and Fields, and Specify Data Type and Column Positions.
When data is imported into an existing table it is automatically the active table in the borehole view.

Note About Importing Data Into an Existing Table

Data are imported into a current table when that data table is selected in the workspace. If you import data during log item creation, the data are always imported into a new table. For more information see Import Data Into Current Table.

Loading a Database

Click the Load Database button in the Open or Import Data dialogs to open the data linking function. Data linking provides a method to link to virtually any database supported by Microsoft via an OLE DB Provider, ODBC, or some other supported format. Set the database information in the dialogs Data Link Properties, Database Tables and Fields, and Specify Data Type and Column Positions.