Import Script Example

The following example shows how to import data from a text file. The dataset "dusttrak_20120920.txt" contains the measurements of fine particulate matter in the air, obtained during the visit of a cafe. The device to measure the dust (DustTrak DRX Aerosol Monitor, TSI Inc.) is an optical particle counter which is able to discriminate different particulate sizes. The device stores the data in a simple proprietary text format which contains various general informations in a header followed by the measured data. The length of the header may be varying, depending on the settings of the instrument and the notes added by the operator.

The data blocks starts two lines after a trigger line (indicated by red color in the sample text below). Each data point is stored in a separate line and contains the date and time of the measurement and five values for different fractions of the sampled particulate matter. All values in a line are separated by commas.

TrakPro Version 4.30 ASCII Data File
Model: DustTrak DRX
Model Number: 8534
Serial Number: 8534100401
Test ID: 001
Test Abbreviation: MANUAL_001
Start Date: 20.09.2012
Start Time: 11:56:48
Duration (dd:hh:mm:ss): 0:02:48:00
Log Interval (mm:ss): 00:30
Number of points: 337
Notes:

Statistics Channel: PM1 PM2.5 RESP PM10 TOTAL
 Units: mg/m³ mg/m³ mg/m³ mg/m³ mg/m³
 Average: 0.050 0.050 0.051 0.054 0.064
 Minimum: 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004
 Time of Minimum: 12:00:18 12:00:18 12:00:48 12:00:48 12:00:48
 Date of Minimum: 20.09.2012 20.09.2012 20.09.2012 20.09.2012 20.09.2012
 Maximum: 0.154 0.155 0.156 0.169 0.367
 Time of Maximum: 12:31:18 12:31:18 12:31:18 12:31:18 14:14:48
 Date of Maximum: 20.09.2012 20.09.2012 20.09.2012 20.09.2012 20.09.2012

Calibration Sensor: AEROSOL
 Cal. date 28.06.2012

Date,Time,PM1,PM2.5,RESP,PM10,TOTAL
dd.MM.yyyy,hh:mm:ss,mg/m³,mg/m³,mg/m³,mg/m³,mg/m³
20.09.2012,11:57:18,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.006,0.010
20.09.2012,11:57:48,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.006
20.09.2012,11:58:18,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.006,0.011
20.09.2012,11:58:48,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.009
20.09.2012,11:59:18,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.006,0.009
20.09.2012,11:59:48,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.011
20.09.2012,12:00:18,0.004,0.004,0.005,0.005,0.007
20.09.2012,12:00:48,0.004,0.004,0.004,0.004,0.004
20.09.2012,12:01:18,0.004,0.005,0.005,0.005,0.005
.....
.....
.....

In order to scan the dataset one first has to search for the trigger line, then skip the next line and start the analysis of the following lines. These data lines are analysed line by line using the following data extraction script:

pos(1)
scandatetime ('dd.MM.yyyy,HH:mm:ss', DATE)
emit (C1=DATE)
copyuntil(',',DATESTR)
emit(RowName=DATESTR);
copyuntil(',',TIMESTR)
assign(SEP='  ')
emit(AppendRowName=SEP);
emit(AppendRowName=TIMESTR);
copyuntil(',',VALUE)
emit (C2=VALUE)
copyuntil(',',VALUE)
emit (C3=VALUE)
copyuntil(',',VALUE)
emit (C4=VALUE)
copyuntil(',',VALUE)
emit (C5=VALUE)
copyuntil(',',VALUE)
emit (C6=VALUE)