What is a text file in excel

Text files are a common source for storing and transporting information.

This topic will address access, key functions and ways to import and export this data with VBA.

VBA Open

To perform tasks with a text file in VBA you must first access it. We will do this through instruction Open.

Open requires parameters for:

• O pathname (directory or folder, and drive)
• O mode of access (Append, Binary, Input, Output, or Random)
• A filenumber of access (represented by a unique number per file)

    Open PathName For Mode As #FileNumber.

Each of these parameters will be detailed below.

File’s Path

You can assign the path name in two ways:

    PathName = "C:testdatabase.txt" 'Directly through folders path

    PathName = Application.GetOpenFilename() 'Through a dialog box selecting the file

The first form is used when the path does not change constantly. The second gives freedom, at each execution, to choose a different path.

Both of these forms will result in PathName associated with a String of the file location.

Mode

The mode must be one of the following commands:

Output — Used to write Excel content to the text file

Input — Used to read the file

Append — Used to add content to a file

Binary — Used to read and write data in a byte format

Random — Used to place characters of defined size

The focus of this tutorial will be only on: Input (import) and Output (export).

File Number

Each open file must contain a numbering, a number between 1 and 511 preceded by a hashtag #. Normally the numbering starts at #1 and follows successively #2…

Use the FreeFile statement to get the next available file number. If none is in use, FreeFile() will return 1.

Testing Open Instruction

The following code will access the file you selected with Application.GetOpenFilename()

Sub OpenTeste()

    Dim PathName As String

    PathName = Application.GetOpenFilename()
    'Opens the dialog box to select the file

    'Notice that PathName will be a path String E.g. "C:..."

    Dim FileNumber As Integer

    FileNumber  = FreeFile() 'Assigns the first available file number (E.g.: #1)

    Open PathName For Input As #FileNumber

    Close #FileNumber  'Closes the file (the number in FileNumber can be reused)
End Sub

Despite access, no information was imported or exported. To carry out these actions, we will need the help of the functions Input and Output respectively.

Import Text File

To import content from a text file into Excel we will use an example file called «database.txt» and the function Input:

Sub SimpleImport()

    Dim PathName As String

    PathName = Application.GetOpenFilename()
    'Opens the dialog box to select the file

    'Notice that PathName will be a path String E.g. "C:...database.txt"

    Dim FileNumber As Integer

    Open PathName For Input As #1 'File will be associated with the #1

    FirstCharacter = Input(1, #1) 'Collect 1 character from file # 1
    SecondCharacter = Input(1, #1) 'Collect 1 more character, this being the next one (the 2nd in this case)

    MsgBox FirstCharacter
    MsgBox SecondCharacter

    Close #1 'Close the file (number #1 to be reused)
End Sub

To collect all the characters at once we can use the LOF function:

Sub LOFimport()

    Dim PathName As String

    PathName = Application.GetOpenFilename()
    'Opens the dialog box to select the file

    'Notice that PathName will be a path String E.g. "C:...database.txt"

    Dim FileNumber As Integer

    Open PathName For Input As #1 'File will be associated with the #1

    MsgBox LOF(1)  'Total number of characters in file # 1

    Allcharacters = Input(LOF(1), #1) 'Collect all characters from file # 1

    MsgBox Allcharacters

    Close #1 'Close the file (number #1 to be reused)
End Sub

LOF returns the number of bytes of the file opened with Open. Because this is a text file, each byte is one character. Thus, the number of bytes will equal the number of characters.

To import the data into spreadsheet we can use the following code:

Sub TextImport ()
    Dim PathName As String
    Dim FileNumber As Integer
    Dim Textdata As String
    Dim BreakingLine as Variant
    Dim Lastline as Integer
    Dim Firstline as Integer

    'Opens the dialog box to select the file
    PathName = Application.GetOpenFilename()
    'Or enter a path with PathName = "C:FILE_LOCATIONdatabase.txt"

    FileNumber = FreeFile() 'Assigns the first available file number (E.g.: #1)

    Open PathName For Input As #FileNumber 'Open file in read mode

    'Copy the contents to Worksheet ---
    Textdata = Input(LOF(FileNumber), FileNumber) 'Loads all file contents into variable
    BreakingLine = Split(Textdata, vbCrLf) 'Creates a vector with each line of the file 
    Lastline = UBound(BreakingLine) 'Determines the last line of the vector
    Firstline = LBound(BreakingLine) 'Determines the first line of the vector
    'Transpose the vectors into the worksheet
    Range("A1").Resize((Lastline) - (Firstline) + 1).Value = Application.Transpose(BreakingLine)
    '----------------------------------
    Close #FileNumber 'Closes the file (the number in FileNumber can be reused)
End Sub

vbCrLf is a non-visible character CrLf indicates a line break in the file.

Main Functions Related to Open

    'Collect one by one
    Characters = Input(1, #1) 'Collect 1 character from file # 1
    Characters = Characters & Input(1, #1) 'Collect 1 more character, this being the next
    Characters = Characters & Input(1, #1) 'Collect 1 more character, this being the next
    '...

    'Loop with EOF support
    Characters = ""
    Do While Not EOF(1)
        Characters = Characters & Input(1, #1)
    Loop

    'Loop with BOF support
    Do While BOF(1)
        Characters = Characters & Input(1, #1)
    Loop

Export Text File

To export worksheet content to a text file:

Sub TextExport()

    Dim LastRow As Long
    Dim LastColumn As Long
    Dim NewFile As String
    Dim FileNumber As Integer
    Dim CellData As Variant

    FileNumber = FreeFile ' Assigns the first available file number (E.g.: #1)

    'Determines the last row of the worksheet with data
    LastRow = Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row

    'Determines the last column of the worksheet with data
    LastColumn = Cells(1, Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column
    NewFile = "C:TestExport.txt" 'Use an existing folder

    'Exports the data from the worksheet to the created file
    Open NewFile For Output As #FileNumber 
    For i = 1 To LastRow
        For j = 1 To LastColumn
            If j = LastColumn Then
                CellData = CellData & Cells(i, j).Value
            Else
                CellData = CellData & Cells(i, j).Value & " "
            End If
        Next j
        Print #FileNumber, CellData
        CellData = ""
    Next i
    Close #FileNumber 'Saves and closes the text file with the data
End Sub

An error will occur if the folder you are saving the file does not already exist.

CSV File

A .csv file (Comma Separated Values) is, as the name suggests, a text file in which the items in each row are separated by commas, delimiting what should go in each column.

It is a very common type of file, and since each line refers several times to multiple columns, it may require a treatment with loops and functions, such as BOF and EOF.

Import CSV File

For ease of import, the Line Input instruction (which works line by line), rather than just Input (which works character by character).

Sub OpenTextToCSV()
    Dim PathName As String
    Dim FileNumber As Integer
    Dim FileRow As String
    Dim RowItem As Variant
    Dim LastRow As Long

    'Opens the dialog box to select the file
    PathName = Application.GetOpenFilename()
    'Or enter a path Ex: PathName = "C:testdatabase.txt"

    FileNumber = FreeFile ' Assigns the first available file number (Ex: #1)

    Open PathName For Input As #FileNumber 'Opens the file in read mode

    Do Until EOF(FileNumber)
        Line Input #FileNumber, FileRow
            RowItem = Split(FileRow, ", ")
            i = i + 1
            LastRow = UBound(RowItem)
            For j = 1 To LastRow + 1
                Cells(i, j).Value = RowItem(j - 1)
            Next
    Loop

    Close #FileNumber
End Sub

Export CSV File

Similar to exporting text, however mandatory the use of «, « in the separation of elements.

Sub SaveTextToCSV()

    Dim LastRow As Long
    Dim LastColumn As Long
    Dim NewFile As String
    Dim FileNumber As Integer
    Dim CellData As Variant

    FileNumber = FreeFile ' Assigns the first available file number (Ex: #1)

    'Determines the last row of the worksheet with data
    LastRow = Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row

    'Determines the last column of the worksheet with data
    LastColumn = Cells(1, Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column
    NewFile = "C:TestExport.csv" 'Use an existing folder

    'Exports the data from the worksheet to the created file
    Open NewFile For Output As #FileNumber
        For i = 1 To LastRow
            For j = 1 To LastColumn
                If j = LastColumn Then
                    CellData = CellData & Cells(i, j).Value
                Else
                    CellData = CellData & Cells(i, j).Value & ", "
                End If
            Next j
            Print #FileNumber, CellData
            CellData = ""
        Next i
    Close #FileNumber 'Saves and closes the text file with the data
End Sub

An error will occur if the folder you are saving the file does not already exist.

Different applications generate data in different forms.

A SaaS application might generate a report in the form of a PDF, while another application might generate data in the form of a TXT or CSV file.

The challenge lies in consolidating the data into a single application that can work with all the data to produce the required results.

Microsoft Excel is one application that is frequently used for this, owing to its versatility in importing data from files with a wide variety of extensions.  

For example, if you have a list of items saved in a Text file (or in Notepad), Excel allows you to import this list so that you can process it further.

In this tutorial we will show you two ways to convert a text file to Excel:

• By using the Text Import Wizard
• By opening the file directly in Excel

What is a Text File?

A Text file is one that contains text with no special formatting (as in bold, italic, images, etc.).

These files are identified with the ‘.txt’ extension and can be opened in any text editor, like Notepad or word processor, like Microsoft Word.

But in many cases, you can have data in a text file that you need to open in Excel and analyze there.

Thankfully, you can easily open text files in Microsoft Excel and then further work on it.

Let’s see how to do that!

Let us look at two ways in which we can convert a Text file (.txt) to Excel.

Method 1: Using the Text Import Wizard to Convert a Text File to Excel

If you have a spreadsheet open in Excel and want to import the contents of a Text file at a specific area of your spreadsheet, the Text Import Wizard might be the best way to go.

This wizard scans your text file and ensures that the data in the file is imported the way you want.

To use the Text Import Wizard, select the Data tab, followed by ‘From Text’ (which you will find under the ‘Get External Data’ group. 

After this, select the text file that you want to import.

Your Text Import Wizard should now open automatically. 

The Text Import Wizard guides you in providing the best settings to import your text file data through 3 steps:

Step 1 of 3

In this step you can provide the settings for the following:

• Original Data Type: Here you can choose how you want your data to be separated into columns. You have two options:
  • Delimited: Select this if your text file data is separated by tabs, colons, semicolons or other characters.
  • Fixed width: Select this if all items in each column of your data are the same width.
• Start import at row: Type or select the first row of your data from where you want to start importing.
• File origin: Select the character set that your text file uses, for example 437 (for the OEM United States character set). Usually, it’s fine to leave this at the default setting.
• My data has headers: Keep this field checked if your Text file’s dataset contains headers.

Step 2 of 3

If you had selected the ‘Delimited’ radio button in Step 1, then this step lets you specify the delimiters that your data contains (for example tabs, commas, semicolons, etc.) You can also specify if you want consecutive delimiters to be counted as one. 

Moreover, if your text values are enclosed in a special set of characters (for example in single or double quotes), then you can specify the character in this step.

These characters are known as ‘Text qualifiers’ and help specify if you want a set of values to be imported as one.

For example, “Scott, Steve” is imported as a single value, even though the words are separated by a comma delimiter.

At the bottom of the screen, you can see a preview of how your data will get affected in the spreadsheet after conversion.

If you had selected the ‘Fixed Width’ radio button in Step 1, on the other hand, then Step 2 lets you specify widths for each column.

You can introduce a new column break in the preview window by simply clicking at the appropriate point on the scale.

A line with an arrow should appear to represent the column break.

Place line breaks wherever you need to in the preview window.

If you want to move a line break, simply drag it across. If you want to remove a line, simply double-click on it.

Step 3 of 3

This lets you specify the data format for each column.

You can specify if you want a column to remain in the default format set by the Text Import Wizard or if you want to set the format to be General, Text, or Date. 

Simply select a column from the preview window and select the format you want.

If you want to remove a selected column, select the last radio button option (which says ‘Do not import column‘).

The Advanced button in this step opens the Advanced Text Import Settings dialog box. 

This dialog box lets you specify advanced formatting options.

For example, you can use the Advanced Text Import Settings to specify what decimal or thousands separators have been used in the text file, so that they can be made to match your computer’s regional settings.

Once you’re done providing all the settings for your imported text data, click on the Finish button.

This will open the Import Data dialog box.

In this box, you can select where you want your text file’s data imported.

If you want to import it into the existing worksheet, you can select or type in a reference to the cell where you want Excel to start displaying the imported data.

If you want to open it in a new worksheet, however, then select the radio button next to ‘New Worksheet’.

Click OK.

Your text file should now get imported to your selected location in Excel, with the format settings that you had specified in the Text Import Wizard.

Also read: How to Open XML Files in Excel?

Method 2: Opening a Text File Directly in Excel

You can also choose to simply open the text file directly in Excel.

While opening, Excel recognizes a text file and automatically converts it into a format that can be displayed in a spreadsheet. 

All you need to do is click on the File tab, select Open and then browse and select the text file that you want to open.

One issue that you are likely to face when trying to open a text file directly in Excel is trying to locate the file in the folder.

This is because Excel’s ‘Open File’ dialog box, by default, filters, and displays only Excel files like those with extensions ‘.xls’, ‘.xlsx’, etc.

It also displays CSV files, if your computer is set up to use Excel as the default application to open CSV files.

So if you don’t see your required text file in the folder when trying to open it in Excel, simply select ‘All Files’ from the ‘File Types’ drop-down, as shown below:

This will display the Text Import Wizard from where you can set up how you want your Text file’s data to be displayed in Excel (as shown in method 1).

You should now see your text file converted and displayed in Excel.  

Once the file opens, if you still find some of the columns (or individual cells) not converted to your required format, you can convert them manually.

While this method to open the Text file directly in Excel works well, the benefit of using the first method (using Text Import Wizard) allows you to make some adjustments even before getting the data in Excel.

In this tutorial, we showed you two ways to convert and open a Text file in Excel.

A third method could be by using online tools like Online2pdf, but we did not dwell too much on this because Excel’s Text Import Wizard provides much more flexibility, allowing you to adjust your data, and format them exactly how you want them.

We hope this tutorial was helpful for you.

Other Excel tutorials you may also like:

• How to Convert a CSV File to Excel?
• How to Open VCF File in Excel?
• How to Open Excel File [xls, xlsx] Online (for FREE)
• Why does Excel Open on Startup (and How to Stop it)
• How to Make Excel File Read Only
• How to Insert an Excel file into MS Word
• How to Save Selection in Excel as PDF (3 Easy Methods)
• How to Merge Two Excel Files?
• How to Convert PDF to Excel without Software?
• How to Open DAT Files in Excel?