Cleaning Data with OpenRefine: Installation
A guide to using the OpenRefine program to organize messy datasets
Installation
- Visit openrefine.org
- Choose your operating system and click Download.
- Navigate to your Downloads folder and locate the OpenRefine folder icon. Right-click on the icon and select Extract All. This should create a new, unzipped folder in the same location.
- Double-click through this new folder twice until you see a list of file types. Click on the OpenRefine application.
- The program will open in your web browser.
- A second command prompt window will also open. Leave this running in the background. It is part of the application.
Core Features
- No internet connection is needed, and none of the data or commands you enter in OpenRefine are sent to a remote server.
- Files are saved locally. If you are working on two computers, you can export/import files/projects.
- Projects are autosaved every five minutes and when OpenRefine is properly shut down.
- OpenRefine does not modify the original source file; it creates a separate project file.
- Easy Undo/Redo function means mistakes are always reversible.
- OpenRefine displays data in rows and columns.
- Functions are accessed through dropdown menus in column headers.
- There are several levels of application:
- Cell - affects only the individual cell
- Column - affects all cells in that column
- All Columns - affects all cells