INFORMIX SOFTWARE, INC., LENEXA, KS
                            Wingz Technical Support Bulletin Number 007
        
        
       Title:    Parsing a space delimited text file
       Date:     January 15, 1991
        
        
       The following example script allows you to parse a space delimited 
       text file.  The script steps through the worksheet row by row, parsing 
       each row into columns.  A new column begins each time a space is 
       found.  To use this script, open the text file to a Wingz worksheet. 
       With that worksheet as the current window, execute this script from 
       the script menu.  
        
       Sample Text:
        
       Text       Text2           Numeric  Text3           Numeric2 Date     
       Time                          
       Text       Text2           12345.00 Text3              67890 01/01/91 
       12:12:12  
       Text       Text2           12345.00 Text3              67890 01/01/91 
       12:12:12  
        
       Example Script:
        
       { ***this is only an example with no implied warrantees***
         ***use at your own risk, make a backup, etc.*** }
        
       define len,matched,left_side,right_side,
          s,row,first_char,last_row
        
       repaint off
       repaint selections off
        
       select last cell                        { find the last cell on sheet 
       }            
       last_row=row()                     { set last_row to row of the last 
       cell }
       select range a1                              { select cell a1 }
       put trim(indirect(makecell(1,row()))) into makecell(1,row())
                      { trim all leading,trailing and  extra spaces between 
       columns }
       len=length(indirect (makecell(col(),row()))) { length of string in 
       current cell }
       matched=match(indirect (makecell(col(),row()))," ",1) { finds where to 
       }
                                     { separate first and second columns }
       for row=1 to last_row              { loop thru all rows }
        while matched<>0             { a space was found }
            left_side=left(indirect(makecell(col(),row())),matched-1)   { 
       left of space }
            right_side=right(indirect(makecell(col(),row())),len-matched) 
                                          { right of space }
            first_char=left(left_side,1)       { first character of left_side 
       }
            left_side=is_num(first_char)       { check to see if it is a 
       number }
            put left_side into makecell(col(),row())          { put into 
       current cell }
            put right_side into makecell(col()+1,row())  
                                          { put into next column, current row 
       }
            select range makecell(col()+1,row())              { select next 
       column }
            len=length(indirect(makecell(col(),row())))       { get length of 
       string }
            matched=match(indirect(makecell(col(),row()))," ",1)   
                                     { find where to separate columns }
        end while                         { exit the while loop once it has 
       reached }
        
        
        select range makecell(1,row()+1)            { select next row, first 
       column }
        put trim(indirect(makecell(1,row()))) into makecell(1,row())
                 { trim all leading,trailing and  extra spaces between 
       columns }
        len=length(indirect (makecell(col(),row())))     { length of string 
       in that cell }
        matched=match(indirect (makecell(col(),row()))," ",1) 
                                     { find where to separate columns }
       end for                       { repeat until no more rows of data }
        
       repaint selections on
       repaint on
       repaint window
        
       function is_num(num)
        if (num>=char(48) and num<=char(57))  { checks the ASCII value for 
       num } 
         and exact(upper(left_side),lower(left_side))
                                { compare upper and lower case of left_side }
         and (contains(left_side,"-") = 0)               { does not have '-' 
       in it }
         and (contains(left_side,"/") = 0)               { does not have '/' 
       in it }   
         and (contains(left_side,":") = 0)               { does not have ':' 
       in it }             { ASCII value indicates it is a number }
            return value(left_side)       { so return the value of the 
       left_side }
         else return left_side                 { not a number, return the 
       string }
         end if                           { end of check }
       end function                       { end of function is_num }