When you first create a spreadsheet Genstat will add default column names such as C1, C2, etc. Promoting the first row of your data lets you convert your first row into column headers, overwriting the default names. This action may be useful after first creating a spreadsheet from an Excel file, or from the clipboard, where the first line of data was meant to be the column names.
The header row will contain the column names and can also include column descriptions.
- From the menu select Spread | Column | Promote First Row and select one of the two options:
- To Names – Uses the text in first data row of the spreadsheet as the column names. The first row is removed and the columns are all renamed. If all the remaining items in a text column can be read as numerical values, then these text columns are converted to variates.
- To Extra – Uses the text in first data row of the spreadsheet as the column extra or description. The first row is removed, and the columns have their descriptions changed to the values in the first cell of column. If all the remaining items in a text column can be read as numerical values, then these text columns are converted to variates.
The image below shows a spreadsheet with default names in the header.
After promoting the first row the default names are replaced and the columns with numerical values have been converted to variates.
