LSDL to XML and back for schedules

[GiantYankee]

I successfully converted at LSDL schedule to XML so that I could edit through excel. I made some changes to that an exported schedule would look similar to college/hs feeder schedule. The problem is that I can't convert the xml file back to lsdl. I changed the file back by changing the extension back to LSDL and even txt. No luck. Can anyone help explain. I did a search and saw some talk about changing in DOS but have no idea what to do with that. Wish editing and creating schedules was easier to do. Any help would be so appreciated.

[blade813]

if you save an xml file with the .lsdl extension it should be ok ... however, you need to validate that the xml formatting is still good. what kind of error are you getting ?

[Bigrod]

I'm not familiar with excel..quit using it years ago..I use open office. All I do is change the lsdl to txt load it, edit it and then save it as a text file using "space" as the delimeter and then rename the txt extension to lsdl. That's it. If you can do the same in excel, you should be all set. If not, then save your edited file as a text file comma delimited. Then open it in notepad and replace all commas with a space. Save it and rename .txt to .lsdl. That's it. If your unsure how to do it, attach your completed schedule here and I'll look at it for ya.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by GiantYankee

I successfully converted at LSDL schedule to XML so that I could edit through excel.

You can actually open up directly the .lsdl schedule files in Excel as it will recognize it as a XML format file. (At least, you can as of Excel 2007.)

Originally Posted by GiantYankee

I made some changes to that an exported schedule would look similar to college/hs feeder schedule. The problem is that I can't convert the xml file back to lsdl. I changed the file back by changing the extension back to LSDL and even txt. No luck.

If you can't export it directly you can do so indirectly: copy the schedule data from Excel into Notepad, then save the Notepad file with the .txt extension. You can then rename that file in Windows to the .lsdl extension and it should import fine into OOTP.

[GiantYankee]

Originally Posted by blade813

if you save an xml file with the .lsdl extension it should be ok ... however, you need to validate that the xml formatting is still good. what kind of error are you getting ?

XML parsing error syntax at line 1. I'm not sure if this is because of an error in the changes that I made or an issue with converting back to lsdl,

Originally Posted by Bigrod

I'm not familiar with excel..quit using it years ago..I use open office. All I do is change the lsdl to txt load it, edit it and then save it as a text file using "space" as the delimeter and then rename the txt extension to lsdl. That's it. If you can do the same in excel, you should be all set. If not, then save your edited file as a text file comma delimited. Then open it in notepad and replace all commas with a space. Save it and rename .txt to .lsdl. That's it. If your unsure how to do it, attach your completed schedule here and I'll look at it for ya.

I will have to re-download open office and try. I want to give it a shot before posting for your help. At some point I'm gonna need to figure it out too. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

You can actually open up directly the .lsdl schedule files in Excel as it will recognize it as a XML format file. (At least, you can as of Excel 2007.)

If you can't export it directly you can do so indirectly: copy the schedule data from Excel into Notepad, then save the Notepad file with the .txt extension. You can then rename that file in Windows to the .lsdl extension and it should import fine into OOTP.

Will try this also.

Thanks guys for your help!

[GiantYankee]

Originally Posted by Bigrod

I'm not familiar with excel..quit using it years ago..I use open office. All I do is change the lsdl to txt load it, edit it and then save it as a text file using "space" as the delimeter and then rename the txt extension to lsdl. That's it. If you can do the same in excel, you should be all set. If not, then save your edited file as a text file comma delimited. Then open it in notepad and replace all commas with a space. Save it and rename .txt to .lsdl. That's it. If your unsure how to do it, attach your completed schedule here and I'll look at it for ya.

Am I using Text Document, spreadsheet, or other within OpenOffice?

[Bigrod]

Give me a bit and I'll run it so I get the settings right..my memory sucks..
Ok,, First. Find the schedule you want to edit, make a copy of it and change the .lsdl to txt. Start Open office and Select spreadsheet. Then click file and select open. Browse to your schedule with the .txt extension and click on it and it will open and you get an open office screen with your text import options. In the import options secton, set "Character set" to Western Europe (ISO-8859-1). Leave the other 2 settings at default.

Under separator options, select "space" (make sure it has checkmark) and clear all other checkmarks in this section if there are any. You only want a checkmark next to "space" in this section.

In the "Other Options" section, make sure "Quoted field as text" is checkmarked. This keeps text in quotes together and ignores the spaces.

Now click ok and the file should load.

Make your edits

To save it when your done.
1.Click file and select "save as" Once that screen pops up you'll see the name of your file. Change that extension from csv to .lsdl. If you think you're gonna need to edit it in notepad, set the extension to .txt instead and when your done editing it in notepad, change it to .lsdl
1.make sure "save as type"=Text CSV....don't worry about the csv it won't be when finished.
2.Now Select "edit filter settings" and make sure you see the checkmark and click save. When the box pops up, click on "keep current format". Another box will pop up and in this one,
1. Set "Character set" to Western Europe (ISO-8891-1).
2. Set "Field delimiter" to space.
3. Make sure "Text delimiter" is blank (just clear the " from it or you'll get double "" in your text).
4. Make sure "Save cell content as shown" is checked (should be default).
5. Make sure "Fixed column width" is unchecked (should be default).
6. Click ok and you should have a working schedule..
Don't forget that if you saved it with the .txt extension, it needs to be changed to .lsdl before the game can use it..
Good luck and if you need more help. PM me.

[GiantYankee]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

You can actually open up directly the .lsdl schedule files in Excel as it will recognize it as a XML format file. (At least, you can as of Excel 2007.)

I can open with Excel 07. I'm not sure how to save my changes so that it converts back to LSDL. I'm guessing I shouldn't save as type-excel workbook right? Should I save as type text-ms-dos? text-tab delimited? Than save as lsdl?

[GiantYankee]

Originally Posted by Bigrod

Give me a bit and I'll run it so I get the settings right..my memory sucks..

No prob. Thx.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by GiantYankee

I can open with Excel 07. I'm not sure how to save my changes so that it converts back to LSDL. I'm guessing I shouldn't save as type-excel workbook right? Should I save as type text-ms-dos? text-tab delimited? Than save as lsdl?

I've never tried it to export it directly. I just set up an Excel file which uses a few simple formulas that format the data in each cell to match how it is set up in the schedule files, then copy that out of Excel and paste it into Notepad.

[Bigrod]

See my post above for instructions as I just edited it.

[GiantYankee]

Originally Posted by Bigrod

Give me a bit and I'll run it so I get the settings right..my memory sucks..
Ok,, First. Find the schedule you want to edit, make a copy of it and change the .lsdl to txt. Start Open office and Select spreadsheet. Then click file and select open. Browse to your schedule with the .txt extension and click on it and it will open and you get an open office screen with your text import options. In the import options secton, set "Character set" to Western Europe (ISO-8859-1). Leave the other 2 settings at default.

Under separator options, select "space" (make sure it has checkmark) and clear all other checkmarks in this section if there are any. You only want a checkmark next to "space" in this section.

In the "Other Options" section, make sure "Quoted field as text" is checkmarked. This keeps text in quotes together and ignores the spaces.

Now click ok and the file should load.

Make your edits

To save it when your done.
1.Click file and select "save as" Once that screen pops up you'll see the name of your file. Change that extension from csv to .lsdl. If you think you're gonna need to edit it in notepad, set the extension to .txt instead and when your done editing it in notepad, change it to .lsdl
1.make sure "save as type"=Text CSV....don't worry about the csv it won't be when finished.
2.Now Select "edit filter settings" and make sure you see the checkmark and click save. When the box pops up, click on "keep current format". Another box will pop up and in this one,
1. Set "Character set" to Western Europe (ISO-8891-1).
2. Set "Field delimiter" to space.
3. Make sure "Text delimiter" is blank (just clear the " from it or you'll get double "" in your text).
4. Make sure "Save cell content as shown" is checked (should be default).
5. Make sure "Fixed column width" is unchecked (should be default).
6. Click ok and you should have a working schedule..
Don't forget that if you saved it with the .txt extension, it needs to be changed to .lsdl before the game can use it..
Good luck and if you need more help. PM me.

I will continue with PMing but it was easier for me to type with your info right in front of me. After changing file to .txt and opening within spreadsheet, open office writer opens the file. Did not open previously. I did not get the import options it just went straight to openoffice writer. Can I proceed?

[GiantYankee]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

I've never tried it to export it directly. I just set up an Excel file which uses a few simple formulas that format the data in each cell to match how it is set up in the schedule files, then copy that out of Excel and paste it into Notepad.

Are you able to share those formulas or are they too complicated?

[Bigrod]

Shoot, wasn't expecting that as I don't have writer installed. You might be able to change that in open office's options/preferences not sure though.
Anyway, there's always another way or 2 to skin a cat.... Start Open office, select spreadsheet and when the spreadsheet opens, just click on the first cell (A1) then click on "Insert" and select "Sheet from file". When the window pops up, navigate to your schedule.txt file you made and select it. Now you'll get the import options box.

If your adventurous, you can right click on the schedule.txt file you want to import and select "open with" and browse to your open office folder\basis\program and select scalc.exe that will take you right to the import options box. Set the options per above instructions, click ok and the spredsheet opens and loads the txt file automatically...actually this is the easiest way to do it as you only have to set this once. Then anytime you right click on your schedule.txt file you'll have the option to open it with the spreadsheet (scalc.exe is the spreadsheet)..

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by GiantYankee

Are you able to share those formulas or are they too complicated?

It's really nothing more than using the CONCATENATE function to combine the raw game day numbers, team ID numbers, and game start time numbers with the necessary text portions expected in the schedule file.

[themonk]

I use Notepad++. I simply load the .lsdl file, edit it, and save the edited .lsdl. No problems so far. As you can see, it's simply a straightforward process without any need for file conversions.

I used it for one of my leagues where I edited a league with an 82-game schedule. I changed the schedule so that teams played only 3X a week.

If you're interested you can download it for free at:

Notepad++ Home

[GiantYankee]

Originally Posted by Bigrod

Shoot, wasn't expecting that as I don't have writer installed. You might be able to change that in open office's options/preferences not sure though.
Anyway, there's always another way or 2 to skin a cat.... Start Open office, select spreadsheet and when the spreadsheet opens, just click on the first cell (A1) then click on "Insert" and select "Sheet from file". When the window pops up, navigate to your schedule.txt file you made and select it. Now you'll get the import options box.

I think it worked! I made a minor change and it showed up in game. I will make more changes and update. Thanks my man!!!

Originally Posted by themonk

I use Notepad++. I simply load the .lsdl file, edit it, and save the edited .lsdl. No problems so far. As you can see, it's simply a straightforward process without any need for file conversions.

I used it for one of my leagues where I edited a league with an 82-game schedule. I changed the schedule so that teams played only 3X a week.

If you're interested you can download it for free at:

Notepad++ Home

That's exactly what I want to do. Change a schedule so teams play 3X a week (feeder). My problem with notepad ++ is that I can't highlight a section and make changes just for that section. I can easily do that with excel and open office. I.e. I may want to change days 4,5,6 to 8,9,10----7,8,9 to 15,16, 17.
My problem is with notepad ++ I can't figure out how to prevent duplicate numbers from changing as I jeep changing days. Hope that made sense cause I might have confused myself lol.

[themonk]

Originally Posted by GiantYankee

That's exactly what I want to do. Change a schedule so teams play 3X a week (feeder). My problem with notepad ++ is that I can't highlight a section and make changes just for that section. I can easily do that with excel and open office. I.e. I may want to change days 4,5,6 to 8,9,10----7,8,9 to 15,16, 17.

My problem is with notepad ++ I can't figure out how to prevent duplicate numbers from changing as I jeep changing days. Hope that made sense cause I might have confused myself lol.

I see... I know exactly what you mean. I had the same difficulty initially - I kept on duplicating numbers when I was changing the days. What I did was put a blank line in between the sections to prevent duplicates.

Anyway, it's good to hear that you've been able to finally resolve your difficulty in editing schedules by using Excel & OpenOffice.

[GiantYankee]

Originally Posted by Bigrod

Shoot, wasn't expecting that as I don't have writer installed. You might be able to change that in open office's options/preferences not sure though.
Anyway, there's always another way or 2 to skin a cat.... Start Open office, select spreadsheet and when the spreadsheet opens, just click on the first cell (A1) then click on "Insert" and select "Sheet from file". When the window pops up, navigate to your schedule.txt file you made and select it. Now you'll get the import options box.

Thanks again Bigrod. Appreciate your help.

Originally Posted by themonk

I see... I know exactly what you mean. I had the same difficulty initially - I kept on duplicating numbers when I was changing the days. What I did was put a blank line in between the sections to prevent duplicates.

Anyway, it's good to hear that you've been able to finally resolve your difficulty in editing schedules by using Excel & OpenOffice.

Thanks again Monk. I figured out how to avoid the duplicate numbers. Using notepad++ is the easiest b/c I don't have to transfer the files over which I love since it does take awhile for me to change the schedules. I will also use your suggestion of putting a blank line between sections. Aprreciate all of the help!

[Afino]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

It's really nothing more than using the CONCATENATE function to combine the raw game day numbers, team ID numbers, and game start time numbers with the necessary text portions expected in the schedule file.

That's exactly what I've done in the past.

Takes a little Excel "know-how", but not too difficult if you're familiar with that function.