import csv file into palm

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I got a ball club’s team schedule from their website. It is in the .csv format, which I think is for Outlook (which I don’t use). I want to import this to my palm (treo 650, 5 OS) using the palm desktop software.
I can’t figure out how to do this.
any ideas?

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CSV
Comma-Separated Variable
(C-S-V)

A file format used primarily to transfer basic data between databases and spreadsheets. Each line (up to the carriage return) is considered a record. Fields within each record are divided by a comma. Each line must have the same number of fields (commas). If a comma or leading and/or trailing blanks appear in any field value the field must be enclosed by quotes (“) to indicate the information is data and not a field divider.

Import it to some spread sheet on your computer that you can then export to your Palm

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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Following from DaveA’s explanation of what a CSV is, Rick, first you need to decide which Palm app you want to import it into – the Calendar, or something else? I don’t have whole lot of experience with the Palm DT; in a quick look I found Palm DT File Link which mentions import of CSV data, but I didn’t look into it further.

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And I’m gonna jump in also, following on Dave’s and John’s posts, Rick. I have not checked out that File Link URL yet to see if there’s something I can learn from it, but I must tell you that I’ve recently tried to “import” a few things into the Palm Desktop in CSV format and not had much luck. First, I had a list of email addresses that I exported from another program in CSV format and imported them into the Palm Desktop Contacts list and it was crap. The initial import screen showed all the email addresses, one under the other, but when I completed the import, all I got in Contacts was ONE entry with only the first name. I also tried to import a user document into the Memos app and the same kind of thing happened. I was trying to import a document for an app I already have on my Palm and it just wouldn’t work correctly. There may be some things I’m not doing correctly, but I just wanted to alert you.

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Thanks.
I find it curious that this problem hasn’t been solved. I don’t know what all is involved, but converting formats is something done with computers rather frequently, so I don’t know why this is so difficult. Especially since most people use Outlook (I don’t) and the .csv format is common.

Unless Palm wants to ultimately become the apple of PDA’s, I think it would be wise to do everything to keep me from just switching to Outlook, because the next step is to go with a Pocket PC.

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Don’t know whether this is of any help but I have successfully imported CSV data into older versions of the Palm Desktop without any problems. As long as the data is in a consistent arrangement, e.g.
Flintstone, Fred, fred@bedrock.com, 555-1234
Rubble, Barney, barney@bedrock.com, 555-2468
Flintstone, Wilma,,555-1234
etc
then simply choosing the database you want to import into, presumably the Address Book, you pick File-Import from the menu, pick .CSV as the file format, navigate to the CSV file of choice and then you get presented with a dialog box that allows you to map the data fields to the Address Book fields (see screenshot). Drag the fields up/down until they match and then all should be well. Note that your data must be arranged so that each line in the CSV file contains the data for an individual. It will not work if your source file was columnar (i.e. first line contains all surnames, next line has all first names, etc). Also, this is a simple import function, you cannot use it to add data to existing Address Book records as far as I know.

Now it may be that the current version of the Palm Desktop has been “improved” over what I’ve used in the past, but it would seem strange that they’ve trashed what used to be a perfectly good system in the past.

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Thanks for the info. I really need to find a way to import the file into the calendar.
I appreciate everyone’s thoughts.

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OK, so I didn’t read your post at all well. Your problem is that the import function only handles .dba format and you have csv. Although I have not done this myself, it is possible to use Yahoo calendar to import csv data and export .dba format. You will need to download and install the Yahoo version of Intellisync

You’ll need to get your source data in a CSV file format that conforms to the format used by Outlook, i.e., the column headings of the CSV file must be:
“Subject”,”Start Date”,”Start Time”,”End Date”,”End Time”,”All day event”,etc
So you might need to first use Excel to adjust the order of the columns in the CSV file (and possibly add any “missing” columns). Once you’ve got your Yahoo account (free) and installed Intellisync, the remaining steps are:
Import your .csv file to Yahoo calendar
Export a .dba file from Yahoo calendar
Import the .dba file to your Palm
And all of this in slightly less time than it will take you to research and buy a Windows CE device.

This does raise a question for me – do you particularly *not* want to hotsync your Palm device with Outlook? The Palm desktop is a fine, simple application but using Outlook does have some advantages and, apart from some glitches in the early days, I have trouble-free syncing between the handheld and Outlook (versions 2000, XP and 2003).

There is also this link http://linkesoft.com/dimex/%5B/url%5D to a program that claims to export and import from the Palm Desktop calendar to CSV format. The trial version lets you do 10 records at a time

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Thanks for the help.
To answer your question on Outlook…I don’t have a strong reason, just that I do most of my scheduling on my palm and have always used outlook express for my email. Once you get going in a direction, changing can be a hassle.
What would you say is the biggest advantage to switch, other than solving my csv problem?

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Hard to answer as it sounds like you mostly need the desktop connection to act as a backup for the Palm. What you say about “going in a direction…” is probably the main reason I’ve stuck with Outlook. Early in the piece I purchased DesktopToGo which was a conduit for hotsyncing the Palm to Outlook (this was back in the dim and distant past when the Palm-supplied software only hotsynced with the Palm desktop) and habit has kept me using it despite Outlook’s security issues etc.

I’ve found it useful to have all of my Contact information in the Palm (including email addresses) and syncing with Outlook means my email addresses are automatically available there. On occasion I’ve used the Palm for emails when away from home and having the email addresses in the device is handy. Although no longer in this situation, it was very useful when I was working in a group which used Outlook to schedule meetings – meeting requests sent to me would automatically end up in my Palm datebook at the next hotsync.

Paradoxically, the reasons that I first bought a Palm were its clean user interface, speed and ease of use – and those are all features of the Palm Desktop!! If the Palm Desktop did email I’d probably use it instead. Bottom line is that I’m neither a fan nor a power user of Outlook so I cannot extol its virtues. No doubt there are others in the Lounge who could quote you chapter and verse on its many good points but I cannot offer you a compelling reason to switch.

Thanks for giving me pause for thought!

Ian

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Then you need to visit the Outlook Forum! We can make you an Outlook power user and commiserate over Outlook’s strange peculiarities and omissions.

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…not sure there are enough hours in the day to make me a power user of Outlook but, hey, if the folks in that forum need a new challenge…

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This is kind of a technically intense route, but have you looked at any tools that will allow you to convert straight to the Palm OS PDA, rather than through the Palm DT? See PDB Format and for example:
PDBConverter
PDB2Txt
ISILO
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