Parsing a word document into a csv or other machine readable format

[dal2111]

Hi all,

I have a non-delimited text file of health data called "2014_data.txt". This text file doesn't have any structure to it and the only way to structure it into columns and rows is to use the specified fixed length positions for each variable as indicated by the data dictionary "UserGuide2014_sample.docx".

So basically I would like to transfer each variable's character fixed positions (e.g. variable MAGER is characters 75-76) into a csv or machine-readable format. All of the other information about the variable I don't really care.

I want "UserGuide2014_sample.docx" -> properly formatted csv (it's ok if it's not PERFECT, I can always do manually edits, but as long as it takes some of the work out of it, because I have many files like this)

Many thanks,
David

[Logit]

Is the following how you want the data in final presentation ?

[dal2111]

Hi Logit,

Thanks for your help. Not exactly - it has to be according to the position as indicated by the "User_Guide_2014_sample.docx‎". For example, the first 9 characters to 16 characters should be the variable "Birth Year" or 2014. Characters 13 to 14 should be the Birth Month. Characters 19 to 22 should be Time of Birth, etc...

Much appreciated