Large columnar text file editor

• US 8,407,588 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Hu, Weigang, Williams, Charles Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries, Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mills, Frank D
• Application Number:
  US12/603,908
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 715/256
• US Class Current: 715/256
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

The different advantageous embodiments provide a method for loading and editing text files. A text file is identified as input. A determination is made as to whether the text file is a columnar text file. If the text file is columnar, data information is retrieved for the text file. Pre-defined cache settings are identified. A determination is made as to whether the data information retrieved fits within the pre-defined cache settings. If the data information retrieved fits within the pre-defined cache settings, a determination is made as to whether the first row of the text file is a header row in a view. If the first row of the text file is not a header row, the text file is normalized. A view mode is selected for load and edit operations of the text file.

Claims

1. A method for loading and editing text files, the method comprising:

identifying a text file as input;

determining whether the text file is a columnar text file;

responsive to a determination that the text file is columnar, retrieving data information for the text file;

identifying pre-defined cache settings having a defined number of cached pages and a maximum number of rows per cached page and a maximum number of columns per cached page; and

determining whether the data information retrieved fits within the pre-defined cache settings;

responsive to a determination that the data information retrieved fits within the pre-defined cache settings, determining whether the first row of the text file is a header row in a view;

responsive to a determination that the first row of the text file is not a header row, normalizing the text file; and

selecting a view mode for load and edit operations of the text file, wherein selecting further includes;

identifying a total number of rows from the text file; and

determining whether the total number of rows is greater than a product of the defined number of cached pages multiplied by the maximum number of rows per cached page.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the data information retrieved does not fit within the pre-defined cache settings, generating an error message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the first row of the text file is a header row, configuring the first row of the text file as the header row;

decreasing the total number of rows in the data information by one;

normalizing the text file; and

selecting the view mode for load and edit operations of the text file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein normalizing the text file further comprises:

replacing unreadable characters in the text file with readable characters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein normalizing the text file further comprises:

deleting unreadable characters in the text file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein normalizing the text file further comprises:

validating a number of delimiting characters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the text file has a size that is larger than an available memory on a data processing system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the total number of rows is greater than the product of the defined number of cached pages multiplied by the maximum number of rows per cached page, selecting a virtual mode;

applying a cached page data load and display process;

applying a cached page data change and save process; and

saving data changes back to the text file.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the total number of rows is not greater than the product of the number of cached pages multiplied by the maximum number of rows per cached page, selecting a real mode;

loading data from the text file into a spreadsheet view;

performing data operations directly in the spreadsheet view; and

saving data changes directly from the spreadsheet view to the text file.

10. A system for loading and editing text files, the system comprising:

a number of text files;

a processor;

a bus connected to the processor;

a memory connected to the bus, the memory storing computer program code configured to execute, using the processor, an editor to identify a text file as input;

determine whether the text file is a columnar text file;

responsive to a determination that the text file is columnar, retrieve data information for the text file;

identify pre-defined cache settings;

determine whether the data information retrieved fits within the pre-defined cache settings;

responsive to a determination that the data information retrieved fits within the pre-defined cache settings, determine whether the first row of the text file is a header row in a spreadsheet view;

responsive to a determination that the first row of the text file is not a header row, normalize the text file; and

select a mode for load and edit operations of the text file by identifying a total number of rows from the text file; and

determining whether the total number of rows is greater than a product of the defined number of cached pages multiplied by the maximum number of rows per cached page.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the program code is further configured to execute the editor to, responsive to a determination that the data information retrieved does not fit within the pre-defined cache settings, generate an error message.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the program code is further configured to execute the editor to, responsive to a determination that the first row of the text file is a header row, configure the first row of the text file as the header row;

decrease the total number of rows in the data information by one;

normalize the text file; and

select a mode for load and edit operations of the text file.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the program code is further configured to execute the editor to normalize the text file by replacing unreadable characters in the text file with readable characters.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the program code is further configured to execute the editor to normalize the text file by deleting unreadable characters in the text file.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the program code is further configured to execute the editor to normalize the text file by validating a number of delimiting characters for each line of data in the text file.