This section describes methods for accessing data files. Data files read and saved by STATLETS are assumed to be ASCII text files. The values in each row may be separated by blanks, tabs, or any other delimiter.
When running STATLETS over the Internet, files may only be read if they can be accessed via a standard URL. This is due to security restrictions in current implementations of Java and Web browsers. When running STATLETS locally as an application, files residing on a local disk may also be accessed.
When running STATLETS over the Internet, only files which have a standard URL may be read. When you select "Open Url" from the file menu, the following dialog box is displayed:
Enter the URL for the data file to be read, as in the above example.
A second dialog box will then be displayed:
Indicate:
Column names in first row - check this box if the first row of your file contains names for the columns. If not checked, default column names will be assigned to each column.
Delimiter - specify the delimiter character (tab, space, semicolon, comma, or a character which you specify).
Each row of the file will be read and data values placed into the STATLETS datasheet.
NOTE: This section is not applicable when executing STATLETS over the Internet or in a browser. Local files may only be accessed when running STATLETS locally as an application.
For an alternate method of accessing data, see the discussion of the data sheet cliparea.
Users running STATLETS as a local application under a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) may access data stored in ASCII files. If you select "Open" under the "File" menu, a standard file open dialog box will be displayed allowing you to select a file. The form of this dialog box will depend on your operating system. Users running Windows 95 will see a dialog box similar to that shown below:
Select the file to be opened. A second dialog box will then be displayed:
Indicate:
Column names in first row - check this box if the first row of your file contains names for the columns. If not checked, default column names will be assigned to each column.
Delimiter - specify the delimiter character (tab, space, semicolon, comma, or a character which you specify).
Each row of the file will be read and data values placed into the STATLETS datasheet.
The process of saving a file is the same as that shown above for opening a file. You select a file name and then a delimiter character.