Please help: Automated Extraction and Validation of URLs for keeping RadioSure current

[eMzw7gJ2NjEdmoNkiR9B]

I have found this program to be invaluable in keeping RadioSure sources current: https://www.excelurlvalidator.com/

There is a free trial version that works with a finite number of URLs (I don't recall whether it is 10 or 100 at a time) and for $25 USD, the full feature version will process the entire RadioSure database in one run.

I used it extensively in 2018 and corrected 10s of thousands of stations.

The output is an Excel file with two tabs - one for active URLs and one for URLs with errors. Use the Excel "VLOOKUP" function to look up the station Title for the corresponding URL from the report.

[Jazzfan]

I tried the program. It looked promising. But could not get it to load the station file *.rsd, the program wanted a spreadsheet file. Not knowing which kind I tried saving a copy to Microsoft Excel, and also by merely renaming the .rsd extension. With no luck..

The first time I tried to install to the main system (in Program Files) and wasn't allowed. Likely Anti malware protection. Second time I installed it to a bootable flash drive, which when I tried to run the Validator, it hung the system..

Perhaps if you have used this program, perhaps a few pointers on it's usage? Thank you.

[Fonzy]

Just rename or add csv as extension, or try xls (msexcell), and you have your spreadsheet (fiels separated with TAB, records separated with Hrt characters (for the case you have to specify that)

[eMzw7gJ2NjEdmoNkiR9B]

I hadn't tried Fonzy's method. What I had done was launch MS Excel and then do a FILE, Open and select the *.rsd file. Excel will prompt to convert the file and taking the default values for the conversion works. Then it will be open in Excel.

I like to work on only the Source 1 column. Excel allow you to filter the data in any column or combination of columns. For example, maybe you only have time to check Greek language stations that are based ourside Greece? Use an Excel filter for that list, copy the resulting shorter list of Source 1 into a new XLS file, save it and run it through the validation to see if any have errors.

You can then paste in the error into the filter for the Source 1 column and find the entire station row. The Excel VLOOKUP function makes is more automated and there are many youtube videos to show you how to use it.

Have fun! Thanks to everyone for keeping the database in great shape!