Data: Parse¶

Once data are ingested, they are available to H₂O, but are not yet in a format that H₂O can process. Converting the data to an H₂O usable format is called parsing.

Parser Behavior¶

The data type in each column must be consistent. For example, when data are alpha-coded categorical, all entries must be alpha or alpha numeric. If numeric entries are detected by the parser, the column will not be processed. It will register all entries as NA. This is also true when NA entries are included in columns consisting of numeric data. Columns of alpha coded categorical variables containing NA entries will register NA as a distinct factor level. When missing data are coded as periods or dots in the original data set those entries are converted to zero.

In general options can be left in default and the parser just works.

Parser Type: Drop down menu allows users to specify whether data are formatted as CSV, XLS, or SVMlight. This option is best left in default - the parser recognizes data formats with rare exception.
Separator: A list of common separators is given, however, this option is best left in default.
Header: Checkbox to be checked if the first line of the file being parsed is a header (includes column names or indices).
Header From File: Specify a file key if the header for the data to be parsed is found in another file that has already been imported to H2O.
Exclude: A comma separated list of columns to be omitted from parse.
Source Key: The file key associated with the imported data to be parsed.
Destination Key: An optional user specified name for the parsed data to be referenced later in modeling. If left in default a destination key will automatically be assigned to be “original file name.hex”.
Preview: Auto-generated preview of parsed data.
Delete on done: A checkbox indicating whether imported data should be deleted when parsed. In general, this option is recommended, as retaining data will take memory resources, but not aid in modeling because unparsed data can’t be acted on by H2O.