Multiple Blank Lines in File

[Joe Berry]

I am working on a report and have it pretty much whipped, but would like to make it more readable. In processing the report I have eliminated several lines that are not pertinant to the receipient and have created something with as many as six blank lines between lines with data. I would like to remove all but one blank line between records. I have a text editor that will delete duplicate blank lines, but would love to do all processing using one program for simplicity and for automation. Any ideas on how I might accomplish this?
Here is a summary of the data:

Data1
Blank
Data2
Data3
Data4
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Data5
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Data6

[Grant Perkins]

Joe,

Not sure about your specific sitaution but I think I would be inclined to filter out ALL blank lines and then attempt to use output formatting to insert the lines you do require at the appropriate points.

There are more obvious controls available for Summary Exports than table exports. Are you exporting from the report, the table or a summary?



Grant

[Joe Berry]

Thanks for the prompt response.

I am exporting from a table. The report I am using is an ill formed PDF report where I must do alot of slicing and dicing to get it in the desired format. In addition, many of the data records (lines) are informational and are not part of the desired output.

I thought about filtering all of the blank lines and attempting to define "logical" form feeds; however, the data is medical transcription and therefore has alot of freeform text with no standard "anchors" with which to define a form feed.

I am currently testing a multiple step solution that may get me where I want to be. If not, I am going to use the editor and attempt to us a batch file and macro to automate the process.

Again, thanks for the interest.

[Grant Perkins]

Just thinking aloud here but I was wondering if you could export as it is to a new 'report' and then re-read it into Monarch using a simple model that, maybe, grabs multi-line blanks as a single field but display that in limited form in the new table and then make it a single line on an export from there.

Or something like that.

Alternatively could the entire table, empty lines filtered, go to a Summary where there are more controls available?

Grant

[Joe Berry]

Grant,

Thanks for your help.

I have spent alot of time on this and came up with a better solution than an editor. In a multi-step process, I create one export to include a formula to look at the current line and the line above it to determine if they are both blank. If so, the current line is marked so that I can filter it out in the next step.

I wanted to get rid of the need for the editor because it would require a license for the users that would use this process. Excel is included for all users, so this solves the problem.

Joe