Rons Data Edit - How To Merge and Split Columns in a CSV File

Combining and splitting columns in a CSV File is an easy task when using a dedicated CSV Editor application. We are going to explain below how to perform these tasks in Rons Data Edit.
Rons Data Edit can be downloaded, for free, right here: download.

To Merge Columns in a CSV File

1. Open the 'Column Merge' Tool

Your CSV file can be opened using the 'Open Document' File menu, or 'Open Document' link on the Start Page of the application.

In the ribbon bar, at the top of the main window, go to the 'Columns' tab, and click on the 'Column Tools' button. This action opens the 'Column Tool' panel. From the available tools displayed, select 'Merge Columns'.

2. Set the appropriate 'Merge Columns' options

See below for the listing of the settings and their explanation.

Description	Options	Explanation
Tools Available		Several tools are displayed. 'Merge Columns' should be selected.
Source Columns		In the 'Source Columns' section, all the columns of the document are listed and can be easily selected and transferred by clicking on the arrows to the next section ('Selected Columns').
Selected Columns		The 'Selected Columns' section displays the columns that are going to be merged together. The two Up and Down arrows on the left side allow to move the columns and give accordingly the proper merging order of the data.
Options
Merge Separator	Specific	If checked, type the desired separator in the field (for example a comma, a space, a dash etc.) between the two merged columns data.
	Tab	If checked, a Tabular space will separate the data of the two merged columns.
	Line Break	If checked, the data of the two merged columns will show on two different lines. Note that under the 'Single Line' viewing mode only one line will be displayed but the blue font colour indicates that there are more lines in the cell.To be able to see all the lines change the View mode to 'Multi Line' under the View tab in the ribbon bar.
	Delete source columns after merge	If checked, the columns that were selected to merge will be automatically deleted and only the merged column will show.
Merge to
	New Column	If checked, a new separate column will be created with the merged information. This new column can be (re)named just below this option in the dedicated field or left as is with <New Column> as the header name.
	Existing Column	If checked, and if one of the existing column is selected from the drop down menu just below this option, the merged data will overwrite the data of that selected column.

3. Apply the changes

Click the 'Merge Columns' button to apply the changes.
When satisfied with the changes, make sure to save the document.

Note: Any action can easily be reverted by clicking on the 'Undo' button on the menu on the top left corner of the main window.

To Split Columns in a CSV File

1. Open the 'Column Split' Tool

Your CSV file can be opened using the 'Open Document' File menu, or 'Open Document' link on the Start Page of the application.

2. Set the appropriate 'Split Columns' options

See below for the listing of the settings and their explanation.

Description	Options	Explanation
Tools Available		Several tools are displayed. 'Split Columns' should be selected.
Slip Source
Split Column	Column List	Select the column where the splitting of the data will result into the creation of the new column(s).
Split on	Text	When selected, the appropriate text can be typed in the dedicated field below. As a consequence the column will be split at the level of the typed in text when detected. That text won't be included in the new column(s).
	Regular Expression	When selected, the regular expression can be typed in the dedicated field below and it will determine the area where the split will occur.
	Tab	When selected, the row(s) will be split at the level of Tab separations.
	Line Break	When selected, the row(s) will be split at the level of Line Break separations.
Direction	Left to Right	When selected, the split within the column starts from the left to the right.
	Right to Left	When selected, the split within the column starts from the right to the left.
Source Columns		In the 'Source Columns' section all the columns of the document are listed and can be easily selected and transferred by clicking on the arrows to the next section ('Selected Columns').
	Column >	Clicking on Column > transfers the selected Column to the "Selected Columns" section.
	New >	Clicking on New > creates a new column and displays it in the "Selected Columns" section. Its name "New Column" can be overwritten to rename it.
	Remove -	Clicking on Remove - will remove any selected column displayed in the "Selected Columns" section.
Selected Columns		The 'Selected Columns' section displays the columns where the split data is going to be displayed.
Options
Skip Empty Value		This options allows eliminates empty values from the split.

3. Apply the changes

Click the 'Split Columns' button to apply the changes.
When satisfied with the changes, make sure to save the document.

Finally

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