.CSV on iPad

[iPilot]

Hi Guys, new to the forum and im considering purchasing an ipad to replace my netbook.

However before I part with my cash I need to know if the iPad can do the following:

Im an Airline pilot (a real one, not an actor for an apple advert) and we legally need to keep a log of all our flights. I do this through a website which has lots of useful functions to make this often time consuming task relatively quick, and means you can update your logbook where ever in the world you maybe.

The iPad can do the above fine, however the problems come when I need to print the log for a hard copy. The website allows you to create a back up of your log, this is then displayed as TEXT on a webpage but in CSV format, so on my laptop i just copy this text then save it as a .CSV file. I then import this into Excel and create a spreadsheet to display the information I need. (its not a simple case of just displaying all the data contained in the CSV file, certain countries (im a UK pilot) require different data, different formats, and presented in different ways and excel allows me complete flexibility and allows me to add personal touches.)

Is there a way the iPad or an app can create the .csv file and then export it into iworks etc. to give me the same outcome? It maybe possible for the website to create the .csv file directly for a download, if so, would this be easier for use on an iPad?

I know there are pilot logbook apps on itunes availible for an ipad, however I dont want to purchase any of these as ive looked at them all and they are either massively overpriced or lacking certain features.

Thanks for the help!

 

[deckyon]

I would use Documents to Go Premium combined with Dropbox and just save the file with a .xls extension rather than .csv. It is $16 for DocsToGo (which will do all office docs and other files as well) or $10 each for the iWorks (Numbers is $10 on its own) with no support for cloud doc services like Dropbox.

 

[iPilot]

Basically I have a spreadsheet, which at the moment is excel but it could easily be iworks numbers, google spreadsheet or documents to go. This is what I use to display and store the data in a recognizable format.
To enter and update the data I use a website, this website then saves the data to .csv file format. With windows I just save this onto the hard drive, then use excels 'data connections' to import the new data and update the old stuff.

Not sure if I explained well enough first time, as saving the data as a .xls file would mean creating a new spreadsheet everytime which I cant do.

Does Numbers have the same Data connection functions as excel? an App such as goodreader can download the .csv file, and will let me email it to myself, can Numbers then use this .csv file and import the data?
The spreadsheet I currently use does this by having a worksheet full of the raw data thats imported from the .csv file. And a second worksheet using formulas to grab the data and display it in a meaningful way.

Thanks

 

[xune]

I would use Documents to Go Premium combined with Dropbox and just save the file with a .xls extension rather than .csv. It is $16 for DocsToGo (which will do all office docs and other files as well) or $10 each for the iWorks (Numbers is $10 on its own) with no support for cloud doc services like Dropbox.

DropDAV supports linking of data between iWork and Dropbox. DropDAV - access your Dropbox via the WebDAV standard

iPilot- i would recommend the following link from Apple's website for definitive answers to your questions:

http://help.apple.com/iwork/1.3/mobile/interface/index.html#tan727163ed

 

[Laure]

thanks for the link

many thanks, that was not obvious at all.

 

[kc2ped]

I am finding Numbers on the iPad severely hobbled compared to the same program on the Mac
I don't believe it will ingest a .CSV file
And printing from the iPad really isn't there yet
So for the time being I would not dump the laptop
And you will need it to activate the iPad and sync it anyway

 

[sch]

@iPilot,

I just tried using Dropbox to open a CSV file in Numbers and it does indeed open it fine. (Don't get too excited just yet though...)

I also tried Doc to Go Premium, but CSV files don't even show up in the file manager, nor does Dropbox show DTG as a choice.

QuickOffice appears as a choice to open with from Dropbox, and the file appears in the file manager in QO, but the file does not load (show an empty window).

It looks as if Numbers may be the only choice just based on this alone... but Numbers simply brings each line of the CSV file into the "A" column. There's no parsing routine, and no choice to specify a parsing at the commas! The Apple link given above does indeed state that CSV files can be transferred but makes no mention of the parsing issue.

I'd sure want to try this fully before doing anything mission-critical. IMHO, none of the Excel apps (or Word etc, for that matter, although writing on the iPad is easier) are ready for prime time. They all lack way too many features for anything other than the simplest of spreadsheets, and then for viewing primarily. Even your application, which should be exceptionally straightforward, cannot be done (to my knowledge). I would also add that however much I like the UI, I find trying to do any work within a spreadsheet without cursor keys to be just plain painful!

Hope this helps, but I'd stick with the netbook for now.

Cheers,

 

[sch]

I would use Documents to Go Premium combined with Dropbox and just save the file with a .xls extension rather than .csv. It is $16 for DocsToGo (which will do all office docs and other files as well) or $10 each for the iWorks (Numbers is $10 on its own) with no support for cloud doc services like Dropbox.

BTW, renaming the file with an xls extension doesn't work. Dropbox (at the receive side) says it is not a valid file, as does Docs to Go.

Cheers,

 

[kc2ped]

@iPilot,

I just tried using Dropbox to open a CSV file in Numbers and it does indeed open it fine. (Don't get too excited just yet though...)

...

It looks as if Numbers may be the only choice just based on this alone... but Numbers simply brings each line of the CSV file into the "A" column. There's no parsing routine, and no choice to specify a parsing at the commas!

I am surprised that it even opened the file but not at all surprised that it didn't know what to do with it. I have a Numbers Hands-On workshop booked at the Apple store next month so will have to see if they can shed any light.

I'd sure want to try this fully before doing anything mission-critical. IMHO, none of the Excel apps (or Word etc, for that matter, although writing on the iPad is easier) are ready for prime time. They all lack way too many features for anything other than the simplest of spreadsheets, and then for viewing primarily. Even your application, which should be exceptionally straightforward, cannot be done (to my knowledge). I would also add that however much I like the UI, I find trying to do any work within a spreadsheet without cursor keys to be just plain painful!

It is very frustrating trying to do on the iPad what you can so easily do in Numbers on the Mac and even more easily in Excel. I find iWorks to be more about appearance than substance. But of what use is a pretty spreadsheet if you can't make it do what you need it to do. And if you use the advanced features of Numbers on the Mac they get stripped out when the file is transferred to the iPad so you can't even display it properly there.

I did solve the moving around the spreadsheet issue with a ZAGGmate with Bluetooth keyboard.