
CSV import
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PortaBase can import rows of data from CSV (Comma-Separated Value)
files.  This allows you to import data exported from a spreadsheet or
another database program.  To do this:

1. Open the PortaBase file you want to import the data into.  If
   you wish to import the data into a new file, create a new file and
   define a column structure that matches that of the data to be
   imported.

2. From the "File" menu in the *data viewer*, select "Import".  A
   file dialog will open which allows you pick the CSV file you want
   to import from.  The CSV file must have the same number of columns
   as the open database file, and the values in those columns must be
   appropriate for the specified column types.  You may specify the
   encoding of the text file in order to import non-ASCII characters
   correctly; the default is UTF-8 (which supports text in many
   languages), but you may also choose Latin-1 (which is used by most
   software configured for use primarily with Western European
   languages).

3. The rows in the imported file are added to the database.  Rows
   from other files can be added by repeating this process, or another
   copy of the same rows can be added by importing the same file
   again.

Notes:

* Boolean fields must have a value of either 0 or 1.

* Date fields may be formated as YYYYMMDD, YYYY/MM/DD, YYYY-MM-DD,
  or YYYY.MM.DD.

* Time fields may be formated as HH:MM:SS, HH:MM:SS AM, HH:MM, HH:MM
  AM, or the number of seconds past midnight.  Blank or -1 values are
  interpreted as "None".

* Calculation fields may be left as 0 or whatever; the actual values
  will be calculated during import.

* Image fields should contain either nothing (for no image loaded)
  or the relative or absolute path to a suitable image file.
