2.1.12 - Menus - File - Import Statements from Excel by Row
Imports statements from a spreadsheet currently open in Microsoft Excel into the current model.
The information in the spreadsheet is arranged by row, as described below.
In Excel, columns are represented by letters and rows are represented by numbers.
Individual cells in a spreadsheet are represented by a letter/number pair, indicating the column and row.
For example, A1 refers to the cell in the top left-hand corner of the spreadsheet. A2 is the cell below A1, etc.
The following picture shows a section of an empty spreadsheet:
This command requires that the data in the spreadsheet follow a specific format.
The following picture shows a section of a spreadsheet in the correct format.
Each row in the spreadsheet (1, 2, 3, etc.) contains a valid MindModel statement.
A valid MindModel statement is based on a valid MindModel statement type.
The statement type of the statement in Row 1 is "person <is a member of> collection".
NOTE: The brackets ("<>") do not appear in the spreadsheet or anywhere else in MindModel. We use them here to make the verbs easier to identify in example statements.
The statement type of the statement in Row 2 is "person <speaks the language> language".
How Do I Find a Valid Statement Type?
There are a number of different ways to find a valid MindModel statement type:
1) Use the "File Menu: Export Statements in the Statement List to Excel" command to export some sample statements.
All of the exported statements will have valid statement types.
2) You can use the "Help with Statement Types" command in MindModel's Help Menu to view a list of all valid statement types.
3) You can use the Add/Edit Statement Wizard to find out which verbs and object types are valid for which subject nouns. Click here for a tutorial on using the Add/Edit Statement Wizard.
Why Do I Have to Bother with Statement Types?
We realize that dealing with standard MindModel noun types, verbs, and statement types may be difficult or annoying at first.
To make a long story short, requiring standard types makes MindModel much easier to use.
Once you have learned the basics of working with MindModel, you can create any number of relational databases on any topic. We know of no easier way to give you this power.
And now, back to our story...
What Goes in Which Column?
Each row in the spreadsheet contains one statement. Each column in the row contains part of that statement.
Let's look through the spreadsheet column-by-column to understand the format.
A = Subject Noun Type
Column A contains subject noun types.
These are the noun types for the subjects of the statements.
In our example, all of the subject noun types are "person", but this does not have to be the case. Each row in the spreadsheet could contain a different subject noun type, as long as the row represented a valid MindModel statement.
B = Subject Noun Name
Column B contains subject noun names.
These are the subjects of the statements.
C = Verb
Column C contains verbs.
D = Object Noun Type
Column D contains object noun types.
These are the noun types of the object nouns, which are in Column E.
E = Object Noun Name
Column E contains object noun names.
These are the objects of the statements.
Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases are optional in MindModel.
They allow you to add additional information to statements, indicating things such as when, where or why.
As you can see, Row 8 in the picture above contains a statement with a prepositional phrase.
When a statement contains a prepositional phrase, the columns are as follows:
F = Preposition Type
Column F contains the preposition type, such as: about, after, as, at, by, etc.
In Row 8 of our example spreadsheet, the preposition type is "as".
G = Object of Preposition Noun Type
Column G contains the object of preposition noun type, i.e. the noun type of the object of preposition noun.
In Row 8 of our example spreadsheet, the object of preposition noun type is "job title".
H = Object of Preposition Noun
Column H contains the object of preposition noun.
In Row 8 of our example spreadsheet, the object of preposition noun is "personnel".
An easy way to find valid preposition phrase types is to experiment with the "Add/Edit Statement Wizard". The "Prepositions" tab of this dialog guides you through the process of creating prepositional phrases.
And Now for the Moment of Truth...
So to finally import your spreadsheet into MindModel, simply follow these steps:
1) Leave Excel open. Leave the spreadsheet open in Excel.
It's a good idea to select an empty cell before you click back to MindModel. MindModel may have trouble reading from a cell if Excel thinks you're still editing that cell.
2) Click back to MindModel.
3) Choose "Import Statements from Excel by Row" from MindModel's File Menu.
MindModel will import the statements.
If This Explanation Doesn't Make Perfect Sense, Ask Us for Help
We want you to get as much benefit as possible from our products. If this or any other MindModel feature does not make perfect sense, please feel free to contact us.
Uses for This Command
This command can be very useful for moving large numbers of statements from one model to another.
First, fill the Statements List with the statements you want to move.
You may want to use the commands that Mark and Unmark Statements to help you with this step.
Next, use the "File Menu: Export Statements in the Statements List to Excel" command to export the statements you want to move to an Excel spreadsheet.
Leave the spreadsheet open in Excel. Leave Excel open. Click over to MindModel.
Open the model where you want to store the statements in the spreadsheet.
Use this command ("Import Statements from Excel by Row") to import the statements from the spreadsheet to the model.
If you need to move a smaller number of statements, you can use these two commands:
Statements Menu: Copy Statements in the List to the Clipboard
Statements Menu: Paste Statements from the Clipboard to the List
If you need help with these or any other MindModel commands, please feel free to contact us.