Here is exactly my input data pasted below that I am using this script for. It chokes when in the first cell (if you were to import the whole data into excel) when it has more than the form <filed1> | <filed2> | <field3> | <field4> all this is one annotation in one CELL.Look at the code 1 below which is the actual data in the form I need to only have <filed1> | <filed2> of this cell but still retain the rest of the values in other cells. look at code 2 thats the form I intend to have. The previous one line code U sent does strip and put the data in the format I am desiring but takes away all the other data in my table which is not intended. Looking at the 2 examples pasted here as code(tab file) I am sure you will understand what I am asking

ARRAYS    V1.4HFChip-1    V1.4HFChip-10    V1.4HFChip-100    V1.4HFChi
+p-11    V1.4HFChip-12    V1.4HFChip-13
37133 | Tula virus | Bunyaviridae | V1.3_110017:22.1    0.539026    0.
+357762    0.801409    0.315076    0.207579    0.946322
263532 | Possum enterovirus W6 | Picornaviridae | V1.3_116027:82.1    
+0.242743    0.712059    0.474686    0.738211    0.26494    0.529945
271479 | Papaya leaf curl Guandong virus | Geminiviridae | V1.3_105649
+:75.8    0.291412    0.726736    0.277159    0.893388    0.24579    0
+.904211
12202 | Lettuce mosaic virus | Potyviridae | V1.3_118815:65.4    0.391
+46    0.567612    0.771404    0.671439    0.427434    0.855816
116056 | Pelargonium zonate spot virus | Bromoviridae | V1_111931:65.5
+    0.704965    0.750921    0.66365    0.835392    0.654149    0.0426
+2
45709 | Sabia virus | Arenaviridae | V1_112261:16.8    0.392471    0.7
+40175    0.584603    0.861441    0.434677    0.758832
130556 | Culex nigripalpus NPV | Baculoviridae | V1_112047:15.8    0.3
+15955    0.882084    0.551393    0.909915    0.088346    0.745482
312349 | Procyon lotor papillomavirus type 1 | Papillomaviridae | V1.3
+_113827:83.8    0.652409    0.200222    0.65569    0.239118    0.5376
+55    0.889673
243550 | Calicivirus isolate TCG | Caliciviridae | V1.3_115411:78.6   
+ 0.324359    0.820308    0.238306    0.88163    0.311354    0.741035
150285 | Garlic virus E | Flexiviridae | V1.3_103783:90.0    0.267302 
+   0.809609    0.55432    0.908932    0.193653    0.718928
[download]

ARRAYS    V1.4HFChip-1    V1.4HFChip-10    V1.4HFChip-100    V1.4HFChi
+p-11    V1.4HFChip-12    V1.4HFChip-13
37133 | Tula virus     0.539026    0.357762    0.801409    0.315076   
+ 0.207579    0.946322
263532 | Possum enterovirus W6     0.242743    0.712059    0.474686   
+ 0.738211    0.26494    0.529945
271479 | Papaya leaf curl Guandong virus     0.291412    0.726736    0
+.277159    0.893388    0.24579    0.904211
12202 | Lettuce mosaic virus     0.39146    0.567612    0.771404    0.
+671439    0.427434    0.855816
116056 | Pelargonium zonate spot virus     0.704965    0.750921    0.6
+6365    0.835392    0.654149    0.04262
45709 | Sabia virus     0.392471    0.740175    0.584603    0.861441  
+  0.434677    0.758832
130556 | Culex nigripalpus NPV     0.315955    0.882084    0.551393   
+ 0.909915    0.088346    0.745482
312349 | Procyon lotor papillomavirus type 1     0.652409    0.200222 
+   0.65569    0.239118    0.537655    0.889673
243550 | Calicivirus isolate TCG     0.324359    0.820308    0.238306 
+   0.88163    0.311354    0.741035
150285 | Garlic virus E     0.267302    0.809609    0.55432    0.90893
+2    0.193653    0.718928
[download]

Hope this makes my question clear. I restate that I just want the curation to happen in the first cell but retain all the values and just for information I have several thousands of cells like this