Page Icon How To Merge Rows in a CSV File

   

To Merge Rows in a CSV File

Step 1: Open your file with a dedicated CSV Editor - Rons Data Edit

    First things first, make sure you use the correct application to edit your CSV files; you can download Rons Data Edit, for free, right here: Download.

    Your CSV file can be opened using the 'Open Document' File menu, or 'Open Document' link on the Start Page of the application.

Step 2: Open the Toolbox and go to the 'Merge Rows' Tool

    Merge Rows Part 1

    Merge Rows Part 2

    In the ribbon bar, at the top of the main window, go to the 'Rows' tab, and click on the 'Row Tools' button. This action opens the 'Row Tool' pannel. From the available tools displayed, select 'Merge Rows'.

Step 3: Set the appropriate 'Merge Rows' options

    See below for the listing of the settings and their explanation.

    In this example above (see pictures), the user would like to merge rows in order to group the data per states. The goal is to group the data and to create one row per state.

    Therefore, the "State" column has been highlighted in "Source Column" and transfered to the "Selected Column" area by clicking on the ">" arrow. The "Merge Separator" has been selected in this case as "Line Break" and finally this action is requested for the "Whole Document". 

    Please note that the colour of the fonts of the rows that contain multiple lines will be blue. To see more than one line, the viewing can be changed to "Multi Line" under the "View" tab in the ribbon bar.

Step 4: Apply the changes

    Click the 'Merge Rows' button to apply the changes.

Step 5: Save the File

    When satisfied with the changes, make sure to save the document by clicking on the 'Save' button the top left corner of the main window or by clicking the 'Save' button on the 'Home' tab of the ribbon bar.

    Note: any action can easily be reverted by clicking on the 'Undo' button on the menu on the top left corner of the main window.

The Merge Rows Tool Settings

    Description

    Options

    Explanation

    Tools Available Several tools are displayed. 'Merge Rows' should be selected.
    Source Columns In the 'Source Colums' section all the columns of the document are listed and can be selected and transfered by clicking on the arrows to the next section ('Selected Columns').
    Selected Columns

    The 'Selected Columns' section displays the columns that are going to be merged together. The two Up and Down arrows on the left side allow to move the columns and give accordingly the proper merging order of the data.

    Options

    Merge Separator

    Specific

    If checked the cell text for any rows merged will be separated by the text in the textbox below (for example a comma, a space, a dash etc.).

    Tab

    If checked the cell text for any rows merged will be separated by a Tab.

    Line Break

    If checked the cell text for any rows merged will be separated by a line break.

    Note: that under the 'Single Line' viewing mode only one line will be displayed but the blue font colour indicates that there are more lines in the cell. To be able to see all the lines change the View mode to 'Multi Line' under the View tab in the ribbon bar.

    Apply to

    Whole Document

    Changes will be applied to the entirety of the current document.

    Selection

    Changes will be applied to the selected cells in the current document.

    Match Case If checked the case of the text will be used when comparing rows, otherwise case will be ignored.
    Ignore space and symbols If checked non-text characters will be ignored when comparing rows.

Finally

Do you have a question, or some feedback? We'd love to hear from you! Send us, Rons Place Software, a message using our Contact Form and we will get back to you shortly.


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