Table Export

General Description

Table Export is a web based utility that allows you to export the table data from a web page into a convenient format (like a tab delimited file). This utility solves the annoying 'cut and paste' problem that comes up when you have a web page with data arranged in a table that you want to put into a spreadsheet. Before, when you tried to simply copy and paste the data into your spreadsheet, you would loose all of the table's original formatting. This utility solves these problems in a convenient way.

The "table_export" package consists of HTML files and CGI scripts to allow users to export data from an HTML table.

To use it:
  1. Type in a URL into the space provided.
  2. Click on the 'Export' button.
  3. You are then asked to select which tables you want to export. To export all of them, click on the 'Export All Tables' button. To export only a few tables, click on the buttons next to those tables. At this point you should also select what file type you want the exported data to be in. The default setting for this is 'text'.
  4. Click on the 'Export' button.
NOTE: You can also add a Table Export button to your browser. This makes it easier to export data from HTML forms. Once you've added the button to your browser, you can simply click on the button whenever you want to export data!

Known Problems:
  1. You can not export table data from a web page that uses an authentication scheme other than the basic authentication. If, when trying to access a site, you are required to type a username and password (or any other kind of identification) into an HTML form (and not a pop-up dialog box), then Table Export will not work correctly.



Brought to you by the friendly folks in the IT-Lab at the Medical University of South Carolina.