Feature/ciatph 1

.env.example

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+EXCEL_FILENAME=somefile.xlsx

.gitignore

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 node_modules/
-.xls
-.xlsx
-.csv
-.zip
-.env
+.vscode
+*.xls
+*.xlsx
+*.csv
+*.zip
+*.json
+*.env

README.md

@@ -14,6 +14,84 @@ The following requirements were used for this project. Feel free to use other de
    - node v16.14.2
    - npm v8.5.0
 
+## Notes
+
+- The bullet list symbols: `●`, `•` and a dash `-` can be used interchangeably per main item group (same for a single cell, but can differ across rows and columns).
+- Expect the excel bullet text to be riddled with special characters (newlines, tabs and others).
+- The script should be able to handle and convert mixed cases of unconventional and regular bullet-list formatting in all excel cells to HTML tags.The bullet list (per excel cell) can contain formats:
+
+### Messy Format 1
+
+Sub item is in the same line as the main ordered item.
+
+```
+1. main item 1 ● sub item 1
+     ● sub item 2
+     ● sub item 3
+
+2. main item 2
+     ● sub item 1
+     ● sub item 2
+     ● sub item 3
+```
+
+### Messy Format 2
+
+Sub item is in the same line as the unordered main item.
+
+```
+● main item 1 ● main item 2
+● main item 3
+● main item 4
+```
+
+### Messy Format 3 (Uses a dash symbol)
+
+Sub item is in the same line as the unordered main item.
+
+```
+● main item 1
+   - sub item 1
+   - sub item 2
+   - sub item 3
+● main item 2
+   - sub item 1
+   - sub item 2
+● main item 3
+● main item 4
+```
+
+### Conventional Format 1 (Number and bullets)
+
+```
+1. main item 1
+     ● sub item 1
+     ● sub item 2
+     ● sub item 3
+```
+
+### Conventional Format 2 (All bullets)
+
+```
+● main item 1
+● main item 2
+● main item 3
+```
+
+### Conventional Format 3 (Number and bullets, starts with a bullet)
+
+```
+● main item
+     1. sub item 2
+     2. sub item 3
+
+● main item 2
+     1. sub item 1
+     2. sub item 2
+     3. sub item 3
+```
+
+
 ## Installation
 
 1. Clone this repository.<br>
@@ -22,6 +100,11 @@ The following requirements were used for this project. Feel free to use other de
 2. Install dependencies.<br>
 `npm install`
 
+3. Create a `.env` file from the `.env.example` file. Replace `EXCEL_FILENAME` with a target excel file's filename relative to the `/src/01_recommendations` directory.
+
+4. See the excel parser script's example usage on<br>
+`/src/01_recommendations/index.js`
+
 ## Available scripts
 
 ### `npm run lint`
@@ -32,5 +115,11 @@ Check source codes for lint errors.
 
 Fix lint errors.
 
+### `npm run parse`
+
+Normalize an unconventional, complex excel file into an array of simple JS objects with columns containing messy (ordered and unordered) bullet lists converted into organized HTML list tags.
+
+> **WARNING:** The script does not support `-` (dash) symbols.
+
 @ciatph<br>
 20221205