Now that my Selected Commodity Service file is on the screen, what do I do?

This depends on what kind of file you have. There are two basic types of data files you'll download from this site: a REPORT FORMAT or an ASCII DELIMITED FILE.

REPORT FORMAT:

This is an electronic version of what you might otherwise get on paper. You can print the file from your browser by selecting PRINT from the toolbar or from the FILE menu. You could also save the file to your hard drive and print it from your word processor.


• Save the file to your hard drive. Select FILE : SAVE AS...
• Change the file type to PLAIN TEXT.
• Make sure the file has a name and click SAVE.
• Open your word processor.
• Open the file you just saved from your browser.
• If the columns don't line up, reformat the file.
• Select FILE : PRINT



ASCII DELIMITED FILE:

This file is formatted so that you can import it into a spreadsheet or database. Double quotes (") encase the text and either spaces or commas (,) seperate each column. For instructions on importing it into a spreadsheet, see the question Importing ASCII delimited files into a spreadsheet: How do I do it?

DB FAQ #0001