I was suggesting that you record a macro when you used File|Open, not
Data|Import external data. I'm still suggesting that you record a macro when
you do this and you'll be pretty close. But post back if you have questions.

But you may want to try just deleting this line:

Workbooks.OpenText Filename:=myFileName

if you want to keep the query.



donnie darko wrote:

Thanks! I'm on my way, and sorry for being a noob with regard to
macros--here is what I have so far. I'm getting hung up in the
transition from Dave's suggested opening (to get the file) and the code
after that (With ActiveSheet.QueryTables.Add....) Is there something
wrong with my syntax here, or did I make an illogical jump?

Sub ImportFixedWidth()
'
' ImportFixedWidth Macro
'

'

Dim myFileName As Variant

myFileName = Application.GetOpenFilename(filefilter:="List Files,
*.LST", _
Title:="Pick a File")

If myFileName = False Then
MsgBox "Ok, try later" 'user hit cancel
Exit Sub
End If

Workbooks.OpenText Filename:=myFileName
With ActiveSheet.QueryTables.Add(Connection:=myFileName ,
Destination:=Range("A1"))
.FieldNames = True
.RowNumbers = False
.FillAdjacentFormulas = False
.PreserveFormatting = True
.RefreshOnFileOpen = False
.RefreshStyle = xlInsertDeleteCells
.SavePassword = False
.SaveData = True
.AdjustColumnWidth = True
.RefreshPeriod = 0
.TextFilePromptOnRefresh = False
.TextFilePlatform = 437
.TextFileStartRow = 1
.TextFileParseType = xlFixedWidth
.TextFileTextQualifier = xlTextQualifierDoubleQuote
.TextFileConsecutiveDelimiter = False
.TextFileTabDelimiter = True
.TextFileSemicolonDelimiter = False
.TextFileCommaDelimiter = False
.TextFileSpaceDelimiter = False
.TextFileColumnDataTypes = Array(2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2,
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, _
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2,
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 _
, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2,
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, _
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2,
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 _
, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2,
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2)
.TextFileFixedColumnWidths = Array(8, 17, 8, 1, 5, 6, 1, 1, 1,
1, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 _
, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, _
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 _
, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, _
1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 26, 2, 4, 4, 63, 65, 2, 2, 2, 10, 2, 2, 2, 6,
1, 3, 1, 9, 3, 8, 7, 4, 6, 1, 3, 6, 8, 6, 8, 1)
.TextFileTrailingMinusNumbers = True
.Refresh BackgroundQuery:=False
End With
End Sub

Dave Peterson wrote:
I like to create a dedicated macro workbook that contains the code. And then I
put a big button from the Forms toolbar on the only worksheet in that workbook.
I'll add a few instructions to that sheet, too.

I'd tweak the code to get the name of the file to open from the user and then
include code that adds some more stuff--like formatting, filters, subtotals,
page setup (headers/footers/rows to repeat at top/etc).

Then it actually becomes a tool that makes life a lot easier.

My tweaked code could look a little like:

Option Explicit
Sub Testme01()

Dim myFileName As Variant

myFileName = Application.GetOpenFilename(filefilter:="Text Files, *.TXT", _
Title:="Pick a File")

If myFileName = False Then
MsgBox "Ok, try later" 'user hit cancel
Exit Sub
End If

Workbooks.OpenText Filename:=myFileName '....rest of recorded code here!

End Sub

donnie darko wrote:

I work with a system which gives me a fixed width dump of data for each
file I request. This must then be imported into Excel, and the columns
have to be lined up with the import wizard every time (about 50
columns)! The columns will always be the same width. How can I save
or automate the column widths to easily import the data after setting
up the columns just once?

--

Dave Peterson

--

Dave Peterson