CSV and TXT Import in ATLAS#
Prerequisites#
- Your licence must include CSV/ASCII Import.
- The source file must use a supported extension, such as
csvortxt. - The file must be in a delimited text format that ATLAS can describe with the available settings.
Configure a CSV or TXT format#
Open the ATLAS configuration/settings area and go to:
General > Text Session Format
This page maintains the text-file definitions, which is saved to:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\McLaren Applied Technologies\ATLAS 10\SQL Race\DataProviders.xml
Add a new file type#
- Click New.
- Enter the file extension without the leading dot.
Example: usecsv, not.csv. - Fill in the format details for that file type.
- Click Set Definition to save the definition.
ATLAS only allows one definition per extension, so csv and CSV are treated as the same extension.
Meaning of each format field#
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Extension | File extension to match, for example csv or txt. |
| Total Header Lines | Total number of non-data lines at the top of the file. |
| Parameter Line | Line number containing parameter/channel names. |
| Group Line | Line number containing group names. Use 0 if the file does not have one. |
| Date Exists | Whether the file includes date information. |
| Time Format | One of DateTime, Milliseconds, Seconds, or Time. |
| Delimiter | One of Tab, Space, Comma, or Semicolon. |
| Unit | Line number containing units. Use 0 if units are not present. |
| Lap Marker | Marker text used for lap markers in the file. |
Load the file in ATLAS#
After the format definition is in place:
- Open Session Browser.
- Switch to the Files tab.
- Navigate to the folder that contains the CSV or TXT file.
- Double-click the file/session name to load it.
If you use the same location frequently, you can add the folder to indexed sources or shortcuts from the Files tab context menu.
Typical example#
For a comma-separated file with two header rows:
| Field | Example value |
|---|---|
| Extension | csv |
| Total Header Lines | 2 |
| Parameter Line | 1 |
| Group Line | 0 |
| Date Exists | True or False, depending on the file |
| Time Format | Milliseconds |
| Delimiter | Comma |
| Unit | 2 if units are on the second header row, otherwise 0 |
| Lap Marker | % or whatever marker your file uses |
Troubleshooting
The file does not appear or does not load
- Is the licence correct? Confirm that CSV/ASCII Import is included in your licence.
- Does the extension match? The file extension must exactly match a definition in Text Session Format.
- Was the dot omitted? The extension must be entered without a leading dot —
csv, not.csv. - Are you in the right tab? The folder must be opened from Session Browser > Files.
Channels, units, or groups are wrong
- Are the header line numbers correct? Re-check Total Header Lines, Parameter Line, and Group Line.
- Is the delimiter right? Confirm the delimiter matches the one used in your file.
- Is the time format right? Confirm the chosen Time Format matches the data.
- Are optional lines set to zero? Use
0for any header line that does not exist in the file.
Save fails in Text Session Format
Each extension can only have one definition. Remove or rename any duplicate entries in the list before saving.