Copy and paste (import or export) tabular or Flextable data

Product(s): WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, HAMMER, SewerGEMS, SewerCAD, StormCAD, CivilStorm, PondPack
Version(s): 08.11.XX.XX and 10.00.00.XX
Area: Layout and Data Input

Problem

How can tabular data (such as from a Flextable) be copied between the OpenFlows product and another application, such as Excel?

Background

The Bentley OpenFlows applications contain tabular data in several places. Some examples are FlexTables, graphs (data tab), profiles (data tab), pump curves. The steps below are for moving data between Bentley hydraulic and hydrology applications and Microsoft Excel, however it can also be used for other applications.

Solution

To move tabular data (i.e. export) from a Bentley OpenFlows application to another application (e.g. Excel):

Option 1 - copy/paste from table

1. Select the data to be moved.

  • To select all columns, rows and headings:
    • Click the top left empty heading cell.
  • To select some of the data:
    • Click on a cell or heading and drag.
    • Click on a cell or heading, hold down the [Shift] key and click on another to select all in between.
    • Click on a  cell or heading, hold down the [Ctrl] key and select others individually.
  • To select one column, right-click on the column heading and click "Select Column".

2. Press [Ctrl + C] to copy the data.

(If you want to include column headings with the data, right-click the highlighted range and choose "Copy with Headers", or click on the Copy button above the table and choose "Copy with Headers").

3. Press [Ctrl + V] to paste into the destination program, or another method depending on the program. 


Option 2 - Export to CSV (Flextable)

1. In the Flextable, filter as needed and adjust the displayed columns using the yellow edit button, to determine the rows and columns that will be exported

2. Click the Export button in the upper-left corner

3. Choose CSV as the format and save.


Option 3 - Export to Excel

In the CONNECT Edition, click File > Export > Excel. Configure the options as needed and export to Excel.

To move tabular data (i.e. import) from another application (e.g. Excel) into a Bentley OpenFlows application:

1. Open the FlexTable (View menu > FlexTables).
2. Add the field(s) that will be used to sort the data if they aren't already in the FlexTable (Edit icon).
3. Right-click column header, select Sort, and select Ascending, Descending or Custom.
Note: The Custom sort option allows you to sort by more than one attribute. For example, you can sort by the X coordinate and then by the Y coordinate.

4. Sort the incoming data the same way in Excel  (Data tab > Sort).

Note: Excel also allows you to sort by more than one column.


5. Select the data in Excel and copy by pressing [Ctrl+C] or right-click and choose Copy.
6. In the Bentley OpenFlows application data table, click in the cell to paste the top left corner of the copied data, then press [Ctrl+V]. In a flextable, use the Paste button at the top as needed.

See Also

How can you export a profile into another format?

How to copy data from a profile or graph

Export data to an Excel spreadsheet

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