This article explains how to convert a Microsoft Excel (. XLS) file on a Windows PC to. DAT format. We start by converting the. XLS file into. CSV (Comma Separated Values) format, then we move on to converting the. DAT with the Notepad program.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Convert to. CSV
Step 1. Open Microsoft Excel
It is located within the group Microsoft Office in the section All programs from the Windows Start menu.
Step 2. Click on the File menu
It is located in the upper left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Click Open
Step 4. Click on the name of the file you want to convert
The file will open in Excel.
Step 5. Click on the File menu
Step 6. Click Save As
Step 7. Select the folder where you want to save the file
Step 8. Click on the "Save As" drop-down menu
A list of formats will appear.
Step 9. Select CSV (delimited by list separator) (*.cvs)
This command creates a file that you can convert to the. DAT format.
Step 10. Enter the name you want to give the file
The field to insert it in is "File Name". You can also accept the name the program suggests automatically and skip this step.
Step 11. Click the Save button
Two dialog boxes with format warnings will open.
Step 12. In both cases, confirm by clicking on the OK button
The. CSV file is saved and ready to be converted.
Part 2 of 2: Convert the. CSV file to. DAT
Step 1. Press the key combination ⊞ Win + E
This command opens the file manager.
Step 2. Select the folder where you saved your. CSV file
When you have opened the folder do not click on the file name, just bring it to the screen.
Step 3. Right click on the name of the file to convert
Step 4. Select Open With
A list of programs will appear.
Step 5. Click on Notepad
The file will open in Notepad.
Step 6. Click on the File menu
It is in the upper left corner of the screen.
Step 7. Click Save As…
Step 8. Click on the "Save As" drop-down menu
It is located under the "File Name" field. A list of formats will appear.
Step 9. Select All files (*. *)
Choosing this option allows you to specify the file extension.
Step 10. Rename the file by writing. DAT at the end, where the extension is
For example, if the "Filename" field contains Book1.txt, change it to Book1.dat.
The file name is not "case sensitive", so it does not matter whether it is uppercase or lowercase
Step 11. Click the Save button
The original file has now been saved in. DAT format.
