Export to Text File#

The Export to Text File task exports datasets or other data structures to a text file.

The Export to Text File task is divided into two tabs:

the Options Tab (please refer to the page Export Overview for further information).
the Export Options Tab, whose characteristics and description will be explained in the next section.

The Options tab#

As mentioned in the Export Overview page, the Options tab contains:

the Location Controller, whose description is provided in the Export Overview page.
the File options, which contains all the same options for all export tasks, except for the File basename, whose details are provided below.

In the File basename pane, users will be able to set and configure the following options:

File basename: in this edit box, users can enter a name for the name that will be given to their exported file.
Character encoding for output files: from the drop-down list, users can choose between UTF-8 and ASCII.
Add current date and time as prefix: if selected, the date and timestamp will be added to the start of the file basename as a prefix.
Add current date and time as suffix: if selected, the date and timestamp will be added to the start of the file basename as a suffix.
Append a sheet to a file if exists: if selected, a sheet will be appended to the file, if a file corresponding to the specified basename already exists.

Tip

UTF-8: writes the text file in UTF-8 coding.
ASCII: exports a file with plain text (without BOM at the start of the file). This may be the preferred option when the files include a procedure to execute, as it does not contain the three unprintable characters (BOM) at the start of the file.

The Export Options tab is divided into two panes: the Dataset Structure pane and the Rules pane.

Within this pane, users can set and configure the following option:

Data separator: users can select the data separator which delimits the values of the data to be exported in the output text file. They can choose between comma, tabbing, semicolon, space or by specifying another separator.
File extension: from the drop-down list, users can choose the extension type they require for their exported file. They can choose between: tab, csv, txt, and data.
String for missing values:
Text delimiter: through the drop-down list, users can select the desired symbol used to identify strings.
Put names in line (0 means ‘no names’): users need to choose the line where to put the attributes’ names. By default, the line is line n.1.
Put types in line (o means ‘no types): users need to choose the line where to put the attributes’ types. By default, the line is ‘0’, which means that no types will be included in the dataset.

Within this pane, users can set and configure the following options:

Write covering statistics: if selected covering statistics for rules will be added to the exported text file.
Write error statistics: if selected error statistics for rules will be added to the exported text file.
Write condition covering statistics: if selected covering statistics for conditions will be added to the exported text file.
Write condition error statistics: if selected error statistics for conditions will be added to the exported text file.
Rule format: users can select whether they want the rule data to be expressed as If-then, Matrix, or Multisheet.

Drag an Export to Text File task onto the stage and link it to the task containing the data to export to it. Configure the selected task as explained in the sections above.
Please check that the dataset has been properly saved in the selected folder with the correct name.
According to the selected Text file, your Export to Text File task should look like the example provided below.