Batch Operations on Multiple Files¶

Writing scripts that act on multiple files is largely the same as writing scripts that act on a single file: the interactions with columns, codes, and cells are the same. The scripting API includes commands that can load and save Datavyu spreadsheets. After a spreadsheet is loaded, the script can execute commands on the spreadsheet (e.g., export data, change or add columns), then open the next spreadsheet, execute commands, and so on.

This tutorial loads the spreadsheet files in a folder called datafiles that is located on the Desktop, accesses the “id”, “trial” and “foot” columns, and then sets up a loop to export the data, following the process in Use Scripts to Export Data from Datavyu.

1. Create the output data file that you will be exporting the spreadsheet data to:

   out_file = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/DataOutput.txt")
   out = File.new(out_file,'w')
   

2. Identify the folder that contains the spreadsheets whose data you want to export, and create a list object called filenames that lists the files in that folder:

   out_file = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/DataOutput.txt")
   out = File.new(out_file,'w')
   
   # Locate the files in the datafiles folder on the Desktop
   # and assign the list of file names to the filenames Ruby
   # object.
   filedir = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/datafiles/")
   filenames = Dir.new(filedir).entries
   

3. Iterate through each file in filenames to see if it contains data and is a .opf Datavyu spreadsheet file. If so, load the spreadsheet data into Datavyu, and print “SUCCESSFULLY LOADED” when complete:

   out_file = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/DataOutput.txt")
   out = File.new(out_file,'w')
   filedir = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/datafiles/")
   filenames = Dir.new(filedir).entries
   
   # Iterate through each filename in the "filenames" list
   for file in filenames
      if file.include?(".opf") and file[0].chr != '.'
   
      puts "LOADING DATABASE: " + filedir+file
      $db,proj = load_db(filedir+file)
      puts "SUCCESSFULLY LOADED"
   

4. Get the columns you are going to export using getColumn():

   out_file = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/DataOutput.txt")
   out = File.new(out_file,'w')
   filedir = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/datafiles/")
   filenames = Dir.new(filedir).entries
   
   for file in filenames
      if file.include?(".opf") and file[0].chr != '.'
   
      puts "LOADING DATABASE: " + filedir+file
      $db,proj = load_db(filedir+file)
      puts "SUCCESSFULLY LOADED"
   
      # Retrieve "id", "trial", and "foot" columns
   
      id = getColumn("id")
      trial = getColumn("trial")
      foot = getColumn("foot")
   

5. Set up a series of for loops to iterate over each cell in the relevant columns, and then use an if to export nested cells, following the steps in Use Scripts to Export Data from Datavyu:

   out_file = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/DataOutput.txt")
   out = File.new(out_file,'w')
   filedir = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/datafiles/")
   filenames = Dir.new(filedir).entries
   
   for file in filenames
      if file.include?(".opf") and file[0].chr != '.'
   
      puts "LOADING DATABASE: " + filedir+file
      $db,proj = load_db(filedir+file)
      puts "SUCCESSFULLY LOADED"
   
      id = getColumn("id")
      trial = getColumn("trial")
      foot = getColumn("foot")
   
      # Export Data
   
      for idcell in id.cells
         for tcell in trial.cells
            for fcell in foot.cells
               if fcell.onset >= tcell.onset && fcell.offset <= tcell.offset
                  # Write the cells' codes to the output file, separated by tabs - the "\t"
                  # You must include a newline indicated, "\n" so that the next cells' codes
                  # will be output on a new line, giving them their own row.
                  out.write(idcell.idnum + "\t" + tcell.onset.to_s + "\t" +
                      tcell.offset.to_s + "\t" + tcell.trial + "\t" +
                      fcell.ordinal.to_s + "\t" + fcell.onset.to_s + "\t" +
                      fcell.offset.to_s + "\t" + fcell.side + "\n")
                  # End the if clause, and the for loops, as well as the script
               end
            end
         end
      end
   

6. Close the filename for loop and if statement and print “FINISHED” when the script has finished exporting all the spreadsheet files’ data to the output file:

   require 'Datavyu_API.rb'
    begin
   
      out_file = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/DataOutput.txt")
      out = File.new(out_file,'w')
      filedir = File.expand_path("~/Desktop/datafiles/")
      filenames = Dir.new(filedir).entries
   
      for file in filenames
         if file.include?(".opf") and file[0].chr != '.'
   
         puts "LOADING DATABASE: " + filedir+file
         $db,proj = load_db(filedir+file)
         puts "SUCCESSFULLY LOADED"
   
         id = getColumn("id")
         trial = getColumn("trial")
         foot = getColumn("foot")
   
         # Export Data
   
         for idcell in id.cells
            for tcell in trial.cells
               for fcell in foot.cells
                  if fcell.onset >= tcell.onset && fcell.offset <= tcell.offset
   
                     # Write the cells' codes to the output file, separated by tabs - the "\t"
                     # You must include a newline indicated, "\n" so that the next cells' codes
                     # will be output on a new line, giving them their own row.
                     out.write(idcell.idnum + "\t" + tcell.onset.to_s + "\t" +
                         tcell.offset.to_s + "\t" + tcell.trial + "\t" +
                         fcell.ordinal.to_s + "\t" + fcell.onset.to_s + "\t" +
                         fcell.offset.to_s + "\t" + fcell.side + "\n")
                     # End the if clause, and the for loops, as well as the script
                     end
                  end
               end
            end
   
         end
      end
   
      puts "FINISHED!"
   
      end
   
   # End the script
   end