# 9.1.2 Single ASCII

## Summary

The Data: Import from File: Single ASCII menu allows you to automatically import a single ASCII file where the data columns are delimited orderly and it consists of few header lines (maybe just a short description for the file and then names and units for the columns).

Minimum Origin Version Required: Origin 8.0 SR6

## What you will learn

This tutorial will show you how to Import ASCII files.

## Steps

Using Windows Explorer, browse to the \Samples\Import and Export subfolder of the Origin program folder (by default installed in the Program Files folder). Open the file S15-125-03.dat in Windows Notepad. You can see that this file includes header lines and data lines. For Single ASCII files, Origin can auto detect file header/subheader and extract this information to the worksheet headers, such as Long Name, Units, etc.

Note: Header lines are lines of text that are not part of the data and do not share the same delimiter formatting as the data. Subheader lines also are not part of the data, but share the same delimiter formatting and therefore correspond to particular columns of data.

To Import this file

1. Select Data: Import from File: Single ASCII from the menu to open the File Import dialog. Browse to the \Samples\Import and Export subfolder of the Origin program folder. Highlight the file S15-125-03.dat.

2. If you double-click this file or click the Open button, Origin will import the file automatically. To view the settings for how Origin will import the file, check the Show Options Dialog checkbox at the bottom of the dialog and then click Open. This will bring up the impASC X-Function dialog.

3. Expand the Import Options: Header Lines tree node.

By default, Origin auto detects the subheader, and data will be imported from subheader. In this example, Origin automatically set the first line,
Time Delta Temperature Magnetic Field Position
as the worksheet column Long Name and the second line,
(sec) (K) (Oe) (mm)
as Units.

4. Click OK to accept these settings and import data into worksheet.