Other readers of this list may have better suggestions for how to read in 
data with interspersed header rows, but here's a work-around to do 
specifically what you requested ...

# find the rows where "Loan" is in the Date column
sel <- grep("Loan", dat$Date)

# create a new vector with these row numbers as IDs
ID <- rep(NA, dim(dat)[1])
ID[sel] <- sel

# use the na.locf() function from the zoo package to 
# replace each missing ID with the most recent non-missing ID prior to it
library(zoo)
IDlong <- na.locf(ID, na.rm=FALSE)

# use these filled in row numbers to assign values to 
# the Loan.. and Account.Name columns
dat$Loan.. <- dat$Action[IDlong]
dat$Account.Name <- dat$Disbursed[IDlong]

Jean



arum <arumkone@wrdf.org> wrote on 11/29/2012 02:25:06 PM:
> 
> Hello, this is my first post. I have a large CSV file where I need to 
fill in
> the 1st and 2nd column with a Loan # and Account name that would be 
found in
> a line of text : like this: ,,Loan #:,ML-113-07,Account Name:, Quilting
> Boutique,,,,,,,,,,,
> I would like to place the Loan #: ML-113-07 in the first column and the
> account name quilting boutique in the second column. If possible I would
> also like to copy these details all the way down until the end of the
> record.  But I would just be happy to know the best way to script the
> conditional logic that says something like if column 3 = "Loan #" then
> Column 1 eq Column 4 and Column 2 eq column 6.  Here is a snap shot of 
the
> CSV file I am working with.  Thanks
> Loan #,Account
> 
Name,Date,Action,Amount,Disbursed,Capitalized,Interest,Fees,Insurance,Principal,Interest,Fees,Insurance,Writeoff,Recovery,Balance
> ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Page #: 11
> 
,,Date,Action,Amount,Disbursed,Capitalized,Interest,Fees,Insurance,Principal,Interest,Fees,Insurance,Writeoff,Recovery,Balance
> ,,Loan #:,ML-123-07,Account Name:, Quilting Shop,,,,,,,,,,,
> ,,11/30/2009,Interest,2.36,0,0,2.36,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1767.76
> ,,12/24/2009,Payment: 
Regular,161,0,0,11.33,0,0,147.31,13.69,0,0,0,0,1620.45
> ,,12/31/2009,Interest,3.03,0,0,3.03,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1620.45
> ,,01/26/2010,Fee: Late,10,0,0,0,10,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1620.45
> ,,01/31/2010,Interest,13.42,0,0,13.42,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1620.45
> ,,02/09/2010,Payment: 
Regular,180,0,0,3.9,0,0,149.65,20.35,10,0,0,0,1470.8
> ,,02/25/2010,Payment: 
Regular,170,0,0,6.29,0,0,163.71,6.29,0,0,0,0,1307.09
> ,,02/28/2010,Interest,1.05,0,0,1.05,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1307.09
> ,,03/25/2010,Payment: 
Regular,180,0,0,8.73,0,0,170.22,9.78,0,0,0,0,1136.87
> ,,03/31/2010,Interest,1.82,0,0,1.82,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1136.87
> ,,04/26/2010,Fee: Late,10,0,0,0,10,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1136.87
> ,,04/26/2010,Payment: 
Regular,165,0,0,7.9,0,0,145.28,9.72,10,0,0,0,991.59
> ,,04/30/2010,Interest,1.06,0,0,1.06,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,991.59
> ,,05/27/2010,Payment: Regular,999.8,0,0,7.15,0,0,991.59,8.21,0,0,0,0,0
> ,,,Loan Totals,,5000,0,795.58,172,0,5000,795.58,172,0,0,0,0
> ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Page #: 12
> 
,,Date,Action,Amount,Disbursed,Capitalized,Interest,Fees,Insurance,Principal,Interest,Fees,Insurance,Writeoff,Recovery,Balance
> ,,Loan #:,ML-124-07,Account Name:,Tata Bird Farm,,,,,,,,,,,
> ,,10/26/2007,Commitment,5000,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
> ,,10/26/2007,Advance: Principal,5000,5000,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,5000
> ,,10/26/2007,Fee: Admin,50,0,0,0,50,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,5000
> ,,10/26/2007,Payment: Customized,50,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,50,0,0,0,5000

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