Spreadsheet formats

Genstat supports a wide range of data file formats including several spreadsheet file formats. These can be used for loading or saving spreadsheets. They can also be used for loading data directly into Genstat using the Data item on the menu bar. However, not all formats are available for exporting data to.

Genstat Spreadsheet GSH Format

Single Genstat spreadsheets can be saved as GSH spreadsheet files. These are in a special format that stores the spreadsheet type, column names and attributes, as well as the data. For table spreadsheets information about the factors classifying the rows and columns is also stored.

Genstat Book GWB Format

Genstat spreadsheets in multi-paged books can be saved using the GWB format. This stores the spreadsheets on each of the tab pages and their associated attributes.

dBase DBF Format

Genstat can load or save DBF version 3 files, but will not convert MEMO fields which access a secondary file for strings longer than 255 chars.

Lotus WK1 Format

Genstat will load any WK1 file, evaluating formulae as they are loaded. It will ignore blank rows at the top and bottom of the sheet and blank columns. If the first non-blank row contains only text values, these will be used for variable names, otherwise default names will be used. Default names will also be used in place of missing column headers if the first row contains some blank fields.

Quattro WQ1, WB1, WB2, WB3 Formats

Genstat will load any WQ1, WB1, WB2 or WB3 file, evaluating formulae as they are loaded. It will ignore blank rows at the top and bottom of the sheet and blank columns. If the first non-blank row contains only text values, these will be used for variable names, otherwise default names will be used. Default names will also be used in place of missing column headers if the first row contains some blank fields.

Files in WB1, WB2 and WB3 formats may contain multiple worksheets, in which case you will be prompted to select the sheet you wish to load.

Paradox DB Format

Genstat will load Paradox version 3/4/5 DB format files.

Microsoft Excel XLS and XLSX Formats

Genstat will load worksheets from XLS files and Office 2007-2010 XLSX files, evaluating formulae as they are loaded. It will ignore empty rows at the top and bottom of the sheet and empty columns. If the first non-empty row contains only text values, these will be used for variable names, otherwise default names will be used. Default names will also be used in place of missing column headers if the first row contains some blank fields.

Files in XLS format may contain multiple worksheets, in which case you will be prompted to select the sheets you wish to load.

Opening .XLS files produced by Genstat into Excel 2010

Excel 2010 or later always generates a warning on opening a .XLS file (the Excel 95-2003 file format) that was not saved by Excel. You will get a warning saying:

‘Office has detected a problem with this file. Editing it may harm your computer. Click for more details.’

If you click the Edit Anyway button on this warning the file will open as expected. To prevent this warning occurring in the future save the file within Excel. When Excel 2010 or later is used, it is always preferable to save data using the .XLSX file format.

Open Office ODS and SXC Spreadsheets

Genstat will load worksheets from Open Office version 1 (.SXC) and 2 (.ODS) files using the same method as with Excel files.

Minitab MTW and Portable Formats

Genstat can load Minitab 9-16 worksheet files (not projects).

SAS SSD, SD2, SAS7BDAT and Transport Formats

Genstat can load SAS datasets, DOS/Windows versions 6.03-6.11. Genstat can also import SAS Windows data sets version 7-9.

Other Statistics Packages

Genstat can load files for a range of other statistics packages including SPSS, R, S+, SysStat, MStat, InStat, Stata, Epi-Info, Statistica, Matlab, Gauss, Weka, SigmaPlot, StatGraphics and Cornell Ecology programs (TwinSpan, Decorana and Canoco).

Image files

Genstat can load image files (BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, TIF, EMF, PSD and TGA formats) with a value for each pixel representing the colour of the pixel.

MapQTL files

MapQTL files: location, map and quantitative data formats are supported. Map files are read in conjunction with location files and are not read in on their own. If opening a location file from the File | Open menu, then if a the map file has the same name apart from the extension .map, then this will be read in conjunction with the .loc file automatically, otherwise you will be prompted for a .map file. Giving no map file for the .loc file is also an option, in which case the Chromosome and Position columns will be empty.

CSPro files

If opening a .DCF file from the File | Open menu, then you will prompted to select the level, records and items that you require from the CSPro survey file. The Select Records dialog lets you specify the level within the survey, and the records within that level, and then the Select Items dialog lets you select the items within the selected records, and how you want them read into Genstat.

GRIB2 meteorological data files

If opening a .GRB or GRIB file from the File | Open menu, then you will prompted to select the records and format you require using the Select records from GRIB2 meteorological data file dialog. If you do not have the required WGrib2.exe software installed, then the Download WGrib software dialog will first appear to allow you to download the software from the internet.