Import a CSV file into specific cells

Question

Hello,
I have created a simple Numbers template and I want to import a csv file with its values entering specific cells in an automated way.
I think the best way to automate this process would be an AppleScript that does the following:
Selects the csv file;
Parses the values inserting them into the the Numbers template i.e. value1 to cell B2, value2 to cell B3 etc.
Unfortunately I know very little about AppleScript, does anyone have any experience in this area that they could pass on?
My idea would be to place the csv values in an array, and loop through the array entering the values in B2, B3 etc.
Many thanks in advance!
Dougie

Answer 1

Here is a script doing the full job in a single call.
--{code}
--[SCRIPT csv-to-selected-cell]
Enregistrer le script en tant que Script : csv-to-selected-cell.scpt
déplacer le fichier ainsi créé dans le dossier
<VolumeDeDémarrage>:Utilisateurs:<votreCompte>:Bibliothèque:Scripts:Applications :Numbers:
Il vous faudra peut-être créer le dossier Numbers et peut-être même le dossier Applications.
Sélectionner la première cellule du bloc où vous souhaitez insérer les valeurs extraites d'un fichier CSV.
Aller au menu Scripts , choisir Numbers puis choisir “csv-to-selected-cell”
Le script demande de naviquer jusqu’au fichier CSV.
Il en lit le contenu,
remplace les séparateurs (";" ou ",") par des TABs
copie les données dans le presse-papiers
colle dans la table.
--=====
L’aide du Finder explique:
L’Utilitaire AppleScript permet d’activer le Menu des scripts :
Ouvrez l’Utilitaire AppleScript situé dans le dossier Applications/AppleScript.
Cochez la case “Afficher le menu des scripts dans la barre de menus”.
Sous 10.6.x,
aller dans le panneau “Général” du dialogue Préférences de l’Éditeur Applescript
puis cocher la case “Afficher le menu des scripts dans la barre des menus”.
--=====
Save the script as a Script: csv-to-selected-cell.scpt
Move the newly created file into the folder:
<startup Volume>:Users:<yourAccount>:Library:Scripts:Applications:Numbers:
Maybe you would have to create the folder Numbers and even the folder Applications by yourself.
Select the first cell of the block where values extracted from a CSV file must be inserted.
Go to the Scripts Menu, choose Numbers, then choose “csv-to-selected-cell”
The script urge you to navigate to the CSV file.
It read its contents,
replace the delimiters (";" or ",") by TAB  chars
copy the datas in the clipboard
paste in the table.
--=====
The Finder’s Help explains:
To make the Script menu appear:
Open the AppleScript utility located in Applications/AppleScript.
Select the “Show Script Menu in menu bar” checkbox.
Under 10.6.x,
go to the General panel of AppleScript Editor’s Preferences dialog box
and check the “Show Script menu in menu bar” option.
--=====
Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France)
2012/01/18
--=====
on run
          local dName, sName, tName, rowNum1, colNum1, rowNum2, colNum2, lesValeurs
          my activateGUIscripting()
Extract parameters describing the target cell *)
          set {dName, sName, tName, rowNum1, colNum1, rowNum2, colNum2} to my get_SelParams()
Choose the source CSV file *)
  choose file of type {"csv"}
Get the file’s contents *)
          set lesValeurs to read result
Grab the delimiter in use *)
          if lesValeurs contains ";" then
          else
          end if
Replace the delimiter in use by TAB *)
          my remplace(lesValeurs, result, tab)
Move the 'normalized' datas to the clipboard *)
  set the clipboard to result
Reset the target cell in case something changed *)
          tell application "Numbers" to tell document dName to tell sheet sName to tell table tName
                    set selection range to range (name of cell colNum1 of row rowNum1)
          end tell
Paste matching style *)
          my raccourci("Numbers", "v", "cas")
end run
--=====
set { dName, sName, tName,  rowNum1, colNum1, rowNum2, colNum2} to my get_SelParams()
tell application "Numbers" to tell document dName to tell sheet sName to tell table tName
on get_SelParams()
          local d_Name, s_Name, t_Name, row_Num1, col_Num1, row_Num2, col_Num2
          tell application "Numbers" to tell document 1
                    set d_Name to its name
                    set s_Name to ""
                    repeat with i from 1 to the count of sheets
                              tell sheet i to set maybe to the count of (tables whose selection range is not missing value)
                              if maybe is not 0 then
                                        set s_Name to name of sheet i
                                        exit repeat
                              end if -- maybe is not 0
                    end repeat
                    if s_Name is "" then
                              if my parleAnglais() then
                                        error "No sheet has a selected table embedding at least one selected cell !"
                              else
                                        error "Aucune feuille ne contient une table ayant au moins une cellule sélectionnée !"
                              end if
                    end if
                    tell sheet s_Name to tell (first table where selection range is not missing value)
                              tell selection range
                                        set {top_left, bottom_right} to {name of first cell, name of last cell}
                              end tell
                              set t_Name to its name
                              tell cell top_left to set {row_Num1, col_Num1} to {address of its row, address of its column}
                              if top_left is bottom_right then
                                        set {row_Num2, col_Num2} to {row_Num1, col_Num1}
                              else
                                        tell cell bottom_right to set {row_Num2, col_Num2} to {address of its row, address of its column}
                              end if
                    end tell -- sheet…
                    return {d_Name, s_Name, t_Name, row_Num1, col_Num1, row_Num2, col_Num2}
          end tell -- Numbers
end get_SelParams
--=====
on parleAnglais()
          local z
          try
                    tell application "Numbers" to set z to localized string "Cancel"
          on error
                    set z to "Cancel"
          end try
          return (z is not "Annuler")
end parleAnglais
--=====
on decoupe(t, d)
          local oTIDs, l
          set oTIDs to AppleScript's text item delimiters
          set AppleScript's text item delimiters to d
          set l to text items of t
          set AppleScript's text item delimiters to oTIDs
          return l
end decoupe
--=====
replaces every occurences of d1 by d2 in the text t
on remplace(t, d1, d2)
          local oTIDs, l
          set oTIDs to AppleScript's text item delimiters
          set AppleScript's text item delimiters to d1
          set l to text items of t
          set AppleScript's text item delimiters to d2
          set t to "" & l
          set AppleScript's text item delimiters to oTIDs
          return t
end remplace
--=====
on activateGUIscripting()
  (* to be sure than GUI scripting will be active *)
          tell application "System Events"
                    if not (UI elements enabled) then set (UI elements enabled) to true
          end tell
end activateGUIscripting
--=====
==== Uses GUIscripting ====
This handler may be used to 'type' text, invisible characters if the third parameter is an empty string.
It may be used to 'type' keyboard raccourcis if the third parameter describe the required modifier keys.
I changed its name « shortcut » to « raccourci » to get rid of a name conflict in Smile.
on raccourci(a, t, d)
          local k
  activate application a
          tell application "System Events" to tell application process a
                    set frontmost to true
                    try
                              t * 1
                              if d is "" then
  key code t
                              else if d is "c" then
  key code t using {command down}
                              else if d is "a" then
  key code t using {option down}
                              else if d is "k" then
  key code t using {control down}
                              else if d is "s" then
  key code t using {shift down}
                              else if d is in {"ac", "ca"} then
  key code t using {command down, option down}
                              else if d is in {"as", "sa"} then
  key code t using {shift down, option down}
                              else if d is in {"sc", "cs"} then
  key code t using {command down, shift down}
                              else if d is in {"kc", "ck"} then
  key code t using {command down, control down}
                              else if d is in {"ks", "sk"} then
  key code t using {shift down, control down}
                              else if (d contains "c") and (d contains "s") and d contains "k" then
  key code t using {command down, shift down, control down}
                              else if (d contains "c") and (d contains "s") and d contains "a" then
  key code t using {command down, shift down, option down}
                              end if
                    on error
                              repeat with k in t
                                        if d is "" then
  keystroke (k as text)
                                        else if d is "c" then
  keystroke (k as text) using {command down}
                                        else if d is "a" then
  keystroke k using {option down}
                                        else if d is "k" then
  keystroke (k as text) using {control down}
                                        else if d is "s" then
  keystroke k using {shift down}
                                        else if d is in {"ac", "ca"} then
  keystroke (k as text) using {command down, option down}
                                        else if d is in {"as", "sa"} then
  keystroke (k as text) using {shift down, option down}
                                        else if d is in {"sc", "cs"} then
  keystroke (k as text) using {command down, shift down}
                                        else if d is in {"kc", "ck"} then
  keystroke (k as text) using {command down, control down}
                                        else if d is in {"ks", "sk"} then
  keystroke (k as text) using {shift down, control down}
                                        else if (d contains "c") and (d contains "s") and d contains "k" then
  keystroke (k as text) using {command down, shift down, control down}
                                        else if (d contains "c") and (d contains "s") and d contains "a" then
  keystroke (k as text) using {command down, shift down, option down}
                                        end if
                              end repeat
                    end try
          end tell
end raccourci
--=====
--[/SCRIPT]
--{code}
Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) mercredi 18 janvier 2012
iMac 21”5, i7, 2.8 GHz, 12 Gbytes, 1 Tbytes, mac OS X 10.6.8 and 10.7.2
My Box account  is : http://www.box.com/s/00qnssoyeq2xvc22ra4k
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