I have DX DY DZ coordinates for a pipeline in an Excel spreadsheet and want to import it into Caesar. I decided to use the Data Matrix Interface as it looked the simplest (other suggestions are welcome) and have generated a file with the format shown in the technical reference manual. My problem is I can't seem to get Caesar to import it. What file extension should it be given (.txt??) and where should it be saved (Caesar root directory?)?

Is there a better way to import geometry data from a spreadsheet?

For this interface, CAESAR II doesn't expect any particular suffix. Put the file in your current data directory, start the interface, and type the full file name into the edit box.

Items to watch out for are:
- Make sure you exported the data as a flat text file, with spaces separating the values, not tabs.
- Make sure all values are "real", that is have a decimal point.

If you have problems, e-mail us the file you're trying to work with.

Thanks Richard, I've got it working now.

I've now decided that inputing supports every 10m for an 8km above ground pipeline is not going to be fun, so am looking at setting up the supports in a file along with the geometry data and importing the lot into Caesar.

Unfortunately the Data Matrix Interface doesn't support restraints - what interface format would you recommend using to get geometry, bend and restraint data into Caesar (the Caesar II neutral file format looks a bit painful when going from Excel)?

There isn't an import facility setup to do what you want. The "CAESAR II neutral file (.cii)" would work, but you would need a secondary program to massage the data from Excel's export into the CII format.

If your supports are uniformly spaced, I wouldn't import anything. Why not just use the input processor in CAESAR II to define a single long element, then use the break option? This will also allow you to duplicate a restraint configuration. I believe this will get you where you want to go.

If you can download THIS zip file and have a little knowledge of MS Access 2000 then you can accomplish the task by following these steps. This will generate Caesar neutral file which can be imported in Caesar by Caesar II Neutral File Interface
1- Extract the file in a temporary folder.
2- Open your excel file and arrange your data in the following format
Element No: A sequential No
From Node
To Node
DX, DY, DZ
Pipe Ends: This is the end type of To Node. Allowed entries are Pipe, Elbow or Tee
Pipe Support: Type of Support at To Node. Allowed entries are "+Y", "Guide", "Line Stop" or keep it blank if no support at To Node
3- Select the excel data and Copy it by Edit-->Copy
4- Open the extracted file Dwg 2 CII.mde in Access 2000. A form will appear
5- Click the button "Open Table" in the form
6- Select the first row of the opened table by clicking the Row Selecting Arrow and paste the copied data by Edit-->Paste. Your Excel data should now be in the table
7- Click the form "Import Route". The same form will appear again.
8- Click button "Make Neutral File"
9- Give a temporary name for the neutral file to be generated. Include the suffix .Cii in the file name
10- Import the generated neutral file in Caesar by Caesar II Neutral File Interface

11- Caesar File will contain following
Dx, Dy, Dz as specified
Type 1 Bends at specified node
Type 3 Tees at specified nodes
+Y, Guide or Line Stop with COF 0.3 at specified nodes
Remaining data will have to be input manually

Dear Tanveer Mukhtar,
I have almost the same problem with importing data into cii. I tried to save down your zip file, but the user doesn´t exist anymore. Maybe you can help me, I would like to test your helping tool. My adress: pnmail@web.de
Regards, Peter

There was a problem with the link that is resolved

Hi.

I'm trying to use this interface to import geometry into CAESAR, but I'm having some troubles on that. Can anyone send me an example os a simple Data Matrix File?

Tks.

Hi,
Most of time we are doing offsite / offplot pipelines. We do have the excel format of co ordinates.

I want to transfer the geometry in excel to caesar-ii input.
I exported one of the file to *.*mdb format, saved as new file , edited my entries and tried to import it via caesar-II data matrix.

Please guide me how Can I convert this *.*mdb to caesar input file.

Thanks & Regards.

You can't do this. There is no facility, other than the two neutral file formats, to import raw data into CAESAR II.

Hi,

Anyone has a data matrix file example. I can´t make my file goes on this interface.

B. Regards

Here is a small example.