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Use the ASCII file together with | Microsoft Excel | Microsoft Word | GMAP

The contents of the result table from the PALEOPOLE QUERY can be transferred to the user's own computer in the form of an ASCII text file. This is done via a link placed at the top of the Paleopole Query's result table. The file can then be loaded directly into local computer applications for further processing. The palaeogeographic reconstruction program GMAP of Torsvik and Smethurst has been modified to read the ASCII files directly. A copy of the modified GMAP program can be downloaded free of charge.

The text file contains the following information:

1. The date, time and details of the query. This information occupies the first few lines of the file.
   
   The file looks like this...
   /Query date: 29.10.97
   /Query time: 09:27:24
   /User IP address: [Smethurst]
   /Authors: [Smethurst]
   /Year: >=1920
   /Rock age range: 0 to 4000
   /Demagnetisation procedure: >=0
   
2. Headings for columns of data in the file. Individual headings are separated by the TAB character. The file contains more database fields than are displayed in the result table.
   
   The file looks like this...

   /ROCKUNIT RLAT RLONG COMPONENT LOMAGAGE HIMAGAGE DEC INC N KD ED95 PLAT PLONG DP DM AUTHORS YEAR

   The headings correspond to...
   ROCK UNIT NAME ,
   ROCKUNIT LATITUDE,
   ROCKUNIT LONGITUDE,
   REMANENCE COMPONENT NAME (if any),
   LOW MAGNETISATION AGE,
   HIGH MAGNETISATION AGE,
   REMANENCE DECLINATION,
   REMANENCE INCLINATION,
   NUMBER OF OBSERVATIONS
   FISHER'S PRECISION PARAMETER K,
   95% ERROR LIMIT,
   POLE LATITUDE,
   POLE LONGITUDE,
   POLE ERROR LIMIT DP,
   POLE ERROR LIMIT DM,
   AUTHORS,
   PUBLICATION YEAR
   

3. The data, one palaeomagnetic pole per line in the file. Values and text strings are separated by the TAB character.
   
   The file looks like this...

   Honningsvag Complex 71 26 Low Temperature 208 245 30 58 33 26.5 15.1 54 164 16 22 Torsvik,T.H., Olesen,O., Trench,A., Andersen,T.B., Walderhaug,H.J., Smethurst,M.A. 1992

   Devonian Sediments 48.7 26 I Component 250 320 205.7 -19.6 172 95.3 3 45.8 168.2 1.6 3.1 Smethurst,M.A., Khramov,A.N. 1992

   and so on...

To load the file into Microsoft Excel:

1. Download the ASCII file
2. Start Excel
3. Open the ASCII text file obtained from this web site
4. The import wizard will ask for information about the file. Indicate that the data are character delimited and that the character is TAB.

To load the file into Microsoft Word and create a Table:

1. Download the ASCII file
2. Start Word
3. Open the ASCII text file obtained from this web site.
4. Using the mouse, select the text to be inserted into the table. START AT (AND INCLUDE) THE WORD "ROCKUNIT" AND END AT (AND INCLUDE) THE LAST PUBLICATION YEAR. When selected, the text will be highlighted.
5. From the "Table" menu, select "Convert text to table...". The "Convert text to table..." dialog box will appear.
6. The dialog box should already contain the correct number of columns for the table (17) and the correct number of rows (the number of poles plus 1). Also, the radio button "Separate text at Tabs" should already be selected. Press "OK" to create the Table.
7. Adjust column widths

To load the file into the GMAP palaeogeographic reconstruction program:

1. Download the ASCII file
2. Download GMAP
3. Install GMAP on your PC
4. Start GMAP
5. From the "VGP" menu, select "Open VGP" and select the ASCII text file