Snap-Plus soil test import file format specification. 10/7/2004

The format is a comma delimited text file, with text strings enclosed by optional double quotes. Double quotes are not required when the text does not contain commas, spaces or other special characters.

 

You can include optional comments anywhere in the file as long as each comment is a separate line starting with two forward slashes, ie //. Completely empty lines will also be ignored by SnapPlus.

 

SnapPlus expects that each import file will be for a single farm, but with as many different crop fields and samples as necessary.

 

There is one line per soil sample results. No averaged data is included. The first six columns (LabID through FieldName) require a value, except that FSAFarm can be missing if the customer has not supplied one. The remaining columns (7-23) can be empty, that is there are no characters between delineating commas (see first sample in the example file). SnapPlus will interpret zeros as real values. -99 can be used for decimal missing values instead of leaving them empty if you prefer.

 

The first line is an optional header of column names. It must start with "LabID" in order for SnapPlus to recognize it as the header. The rest of the column names can be whatever is convenient for you, as long as there are 23 of them total. You can copy the header included in the example file if you desire. The header is not required for SnapPlus, but is helpful for customers who might want to import this format into some other program such as a spreadsheet.

 

The data column definitions are as follows. SnapPlus expects data to be in this order in the import file.

"LabID" - An identifier of your lab; String no more than 50 characters long, must be quoted if it contains commas.

"LabSmplID" - Test ID string used by your lab; No more than 20 characters, must be quoted if it contains commas.

"SmplDate" - Sample date in mm/dd/yyyy format, unquoted.

"FarmName" - String of no more than 50 characters from the customer's test request form. Must be quoted if it contains commas.

"FSAFarm" - String of no more than 50 characters from the customer's test request form. Must be quoted if it contains commas.

"FieldName" - String of no more than 50 characters from the customer's test request form. Must be quoted if it contains commas.

"Size" - Unquoted decimal number of acres for the sample field from the customer's test request form.

"PlowDepth" - Unquoted decimal number of inches for the sample field.

"SoilSmplID" - Customer's sample ID as written on the request form, must be quoted if it contains commas.

"PH" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"OM" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"P" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"K" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"Ca" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"Mg" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"CEC" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"B" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"Mn" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"Zn" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"S" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"Cu" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"Fe" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.

"BpH" - Unquoted decimal value for the sample.