SigmaPlot data import and decimal signs/data delimiters

Decimal signs/delimiters in SigmaPlot

Data in the SigmaPlot worksheet can be text, numbers, or dates. Text is left-justified in the cell, numbers are right-justified.

SigmaPlot works with decimal points . or decimal commas , depending on the settings in your Windows Control Panel > Regional and Language Options. Once a file has been imported, SigmaPlot “knows” the data format and displays it correctly. For importing, however, the decimal sign format of the text file and of SigmaPlot must match.

If they do not, there are two options:

1. Set SigmaPlot to the settings which match those of the import file: close SigmaPlot, change the decimal settings in Windows and reopen SigmaPlot.
2. Change the decimal sign in the text file to be imported.
   1. You can do this in Notepad or any other editor (select all, replace).
   2. Or you use one of the small utilities we have on our website (see below: 3. Utilities for decimal sign conversion).

Background

SigmaPlot reads and applies the settings for decimal and list separators each time when it starts.
There are two valid combinations: "point decimal" and "comma decimal".

Either

• decimal separator = point
• list separator = comma

or

• decimal separator = comma
• list separator = semicolon

Windows Settings

• Windows 7: Control Panel > Region and Language > Formats > Additional settings > Numbers.
• Windows 10: Control Panel (left-click Windows button bottom-left and type control panel) > Change date, time and number formats > Additional settings (button bottom).

This affects typing data into the worksheet, importing from text files, transforms language, and fit equation syntax.