Import list (csv)

Open Forum
1

Could you please tell me how to use “Import list (csv)” feature on LingQ?

It seems I have a problem creating this kind of files. Lately I created xls-document. It consists of two lines and three columns. I saved this file in CSV format. Then I clicked the link “Import list (csv)”, chose the file and press “import”. After that I saw the mistake “Incorrect file format: there must be three columns.”

I have never used this kind of feature, so maybe I have some problems figuring out how to created this csv-files.

What could I do? May be you can provide me with an example of a proper csv-file?

2

Hi mikola,

It sounds like you are doing the right thing. I don’t know why it isn’t working. It works fine for me.

Create a spreadsheet, put your terms in the first column, your hints in the second column and your phrases in the third column.

3

Actually, I just tried importing a file with no phrases in it and got the same error. It looks like you can’t import a file with empty fields in the Phrase column. This is a bug and we’ll get it fixed. In the meantime, you can put a placeholder like “phrase” in the phrase column and then enter proper phrases later or delete once they are uploaded.

4

Hi Mark,

Are there any restrictions on the length of the fields?

5

I’m sure there are. I don’t know what those are offhand. You may have to experiment if you want to add long hints or phrases.

6

I suppose that right now when you open “LingQ”-window for feeding a translation for a particular word and a sentence there is no restriction on these fields. It comes down to the next problems.

Sometimes when I feed to much data in the fields (which are supposed for a translation of the word and for a sentence), I get the “internal error”. Other times, I do not get any error message; however, the data do not save. I deem that it would be logical to restrict these fields, so a person couldn’t feed more data then the length of these fields.

7

I can try to find out what the maximum number of characters you can enter in these fields are but for now, I suggest you shorten them up if they aren’t saving.

8

Thank you in advance.
It would be useful information, since I am going to begin uploading LingQ’s.

9

Inspired by rjtrudel’s recent threads, I tried (once again) to import a csv file (a couple of hundred words). Without success. Nothing has happened for the past 10 minutes, just the “Processing” message… How long should it take?

Another thing, when I check the csv file, I can’t see any of the Russian words I pasted (just a string of question marks and other hieroglyphs).

10

I do remember when i first imported the first 400 words it was stuck on processing, but when i closed it out, the lingqs ended up showing up. The second time i did it, i remember it worked fairly quickly. It definately seems a little buggy.

11

The russian thing has something to do with the character encoding in russian. I’m going to check it out tomorrow, I’ll let you know if i can get it working.

12

Thanks in advance. I’m using Office 2000 at home (2002 at work), but in one of the threads regarding encoding issue, Mark (I think) mentioned Google spreadsheets, which however didn’t work either, at least not when I tried.

13

So far I managed to get an openoffice file of 200 words with two columns…one russian…one english. Its here… http://db.tt/pvqeNGn I don’t have Office (my trial version ran out) so I can’t help you there. By the way google translate is working directly with .ods files (openoffice). I am curious if i can upload it.

14

Forget the above link, i only had two columns so it wouldn’t work, i added a third column and it upload to 199 lingqs. Here’s a zip file with both the openoffice and the csv file. I used the cryllic iso 8859-5 encoding. I have no idea if this encoding is correct since i know nothing about russian. Here is a sample paste of the file, is the encoding correct? http://db.tt/pvqeNGn

в в in none
и и and none
на на on none
по по on none
с с with none
о о about none
не не not none
для для for none
а а and none
за за for none
что что that none
к к to none
федерации федерации Federation none
от от from none
России России Russia none
г г r none
области области area none
из из of none
российской российской Russian none
как как as none
новости новости News none
все все all none
года года Year none
ноября ноября November none
это это it none
у у y none
я я I none
об об about none
или или or none
при при at none
то то then none
но но but none
совета совета Board none
до до to none
интернет интернет Internet none
его его his none
РФ РФ RF none
область область Region none
мы мы we none
подробнее подробнее more none
выборы выборы election none
поиск поиск Search none
м м m none
будет будет will none
только только only none
вы вы you none
их их their none
также также also none
депутатов депутатов Deputies none
он он he none
во во in none
год год Year none
время время time none
информация информация Information none
Россия Россия Russia none
так так so none
если если if none
реклама реклама advertisement none
сегодня сегодня Today none
пресс пресс Press none
москва москва Moscow none
сайта сайта Site none
более более more none
государственной государственной State none
татары татары Tatars none
республики республики Republic none
же же same none
власти власти power none
д д q none
есть есть is none
году году year none
края края edge none
ч ч h none
сайт сайт Website none
СМИ СМИ Media none
деятельности деятельности activity none
купить купить buy none
может может may none
т т t none
работы работы work none
уже уже already none
федерального федерального Federal none
города города City none
было было was none
адрес адрес Address none
развития развития Development none
ул ул st none
со со with none
связи связи communication none
центр центр Center none
президента президента President none
е е e none
этом этом This none
том том that none
образования образования Education none
конкурс конкурс contest none
бизнес бизнес Business none
еще еще More none
н н n none
й й th none

15

And heres a link to what my vocabulary now shows on my ipad http://db.tt/yUXePLm

16

@jeff I updated my instructions here… you could try it with openoffice its free and it definately works…Would This Be Helping The Community? - Language Forum @ L...

17
18

I now tried Google doc once again (since I already use that service for other things) and it gave the best result so far, i.e. a javascript error (I forgot which, and can’t replicate it). But no LingQs. I don’t think I’ll install yet another program (such as OpenOffice) just to make the csv import thing work (tab limited plain text, anyone?). I’ve already upgraded to the latest browser version several times (despite being otherwise unstable and resource demanding), have had to try various browsers at work, and so on. It’s still a hassle to get things done.

Thanks for your time and effort.

19

I hear you!, no problem, maybe there should be way to share lingqs then i could create them for you and share them.

20

Yesterday and today I tried to import my Chinese vocab into LingQ.

There are some problems:

  1. If the hints in the second column exceed a length > 250 char., then the import fails without any further notice (like a timeout). If the 3rd column data length is > 250 then the system cuts the data automatically.
  2. The system normally rejects to import already existent items, but sometimes it creates a new (double) entry, which makes he whole import useless, because I have to delete everything manually and start from zero.
  3. My activity index is now very high, which gives a totally wrong picture of my activity.

I hope that can be fixed. In the moment I decided to delete all my Chinese LingQs and forget about importing.