Builder Data Sources and Files

Builder can begin with a new blank table or load an existing table from a local file, Google Sheets, Recent Files, or Darty's Data tab. After editing, you can save the table to disk, overwrite its local source, or send the current table to Data without creating a file first.

Loading a different source replaces the table currently open in Builder. Save any changes you want to keep before loading another table.

Open the Load Table Dialog

Select Load in the Builder toolbar. The Load Table dialog provides four source choices.

After a source loads, Builder normalizes it into the minimum Darty table structure and displays its four header rows above the data records. See Builder Table Anatomy.

Import from File

Select Load > Import from File, then choose a table from your computer.

Builder's file picker accepts:

• Excel workbooks: .xlsx, .xls, and .xlsm
• Delimited tables: .csv, .tsv, and .txt
• Google Drive spreadsheet shortcuts: .gsheet

The imported file becomes Builder's current local source. Its path appears in the source display, and Save Table can write changes back to that path after you confirm the overwrite.

A .gsheet file is a shortcut to a Google Sheet, not a workbook that Builder can update remotely. After loading one, use Save As to create a local .xlsx copy instead of overwriting the shortcut.

Import a Google Sheet

Select Load > Import Google Sheet to open the Google Sheets importer.

Enter the sheet URL and import it, or choose one of the recent remote sources shown in the importer. Public sheets can be loaded from a shared URL. Private sheets require Google Sheets access to be configured in Darty.

The Google Sheet is copied into Builder for editing. Builder does not write changes back to Google Sheets. Select Save Table to save the edited table as a local .xlsx file, or use Load Into Data to use it directly in Darty.

For sharing and private-access setup, see Darty-Ai with Google Sheets.

Import From Recent

Select Load > Import From Recent to open Darty's recent data-source list. Choose one entry to load it into Builder.

Recent entries can represent local files or remote Google Sheets. Builder uses the entry's original source type:

• A local entry is loaded from its saved file path.
• A remote entry is loaded again as a Google Sheets source.

If a local file was moved, renamed, or deleted, its recent entry can remain in the list but cannot be loaded from the old path. See Recent Files for the list controls.

Edit the Table Loaded in Data

Select Load > Edit Loaded Table to copy Darty's current Data-tab table into Builder. The Data table must already contain data for this choice to be available.

Builder removes Data's interface-only row-number column and opens the underlying Darty table. Edits in Builder do not immediately change the Data tab. Use Load Into Data when you are ready to replace Data's current table with the edited version.

Opening a Data-tab table does not create a local file target. Select Save Table if you want a reusable .xlsx copy.

See Data Tab for the preview and data-source controls outside Builder.

Current Source

The source display below Create / Edit Darty-Ai Sheet identifies what Builder is currently editing.

The source label is descriptive. Editing the table does not automatically update the original file, Google Sheet, or Data tab.

Reset and Clear

Reset Table to Current Source and Clear Table have different results.

Use Load again when you need to re-read the current external source. Use Undo for ordinary cell, row, or method-block edits that you may want to reverse without discarding the entire working session.

Save Table

Select Save Table to write Builder's four Darty header rows and data records to disk. Builder-only group headers, controls, selection state, warnings, and inherited-value displays are not saved.

Save a New or Remote Table

If the table does not have a local save target, Builder opens a Save dialog. Choose a name and location; Builder saves the table as an .xlsx workbook.

This applies to:

• New blank tables
• Imported Google Sheets
• Tables copied from Data
• Other sources without a writable local target

Save an Imported Local File

When a local file is the current source, Save Table offers to overwrite that source. The confirmation dialog also provides Save As when you want to keep the original.

When overwriting:

• .csv files remain comma-delimited tables.
• .tsv and .txt files remain tab-delimited tables.
• Workbook output rewrites the edited worksheet as raw table data.
• Additional workbook sheets are preserved when possible.
• Formulas in the edited worksheet are lost.

Save As creates a new .xlsx file.

Saving writes the current table to disk, but it does not send the table to Data or run any Darty methods.

Load Into Data

Select Load Into Data when the edited table is ready for Darty's preview and export workflows.

• If Data is empty, Builder loads the table immediately.
• If Data already contains a table, Builder asks you to confirm that it will be replaced.
• The table uses an internal Builder source in Data until you save it to a file.
• Loading into Data does not save the table or update its original source.

You can continue editing the Builder copy after loading it into Data, but later Builder changes are not synchronized automatically. Select Load Into Data again to replace Data with the newer version.

Recommended Source Workflow

1. Select Load and choose the source you want to edit, or begin with the new blank table.
2. Make the required method-block and data-row changes.
3. Select Save Table or Save As to create a recoverable file copy.
4. Select Load Into Data to use the edited table for preview or export.
5. If the external source changes later, select Load and import it again rather than using Reset.

Related Documentation

• Builder Overview
• Builder Table Anatomy
• Builder Method Blocks
• Builder Rows, Cells, and Navigation
• Google Sheets
• Recent Files
• Data Tab