GUI_DOWNLOAD with txt file?

I can succesfully upload a csv, comma delimited, file, and manipulate it with GUI_DOWNLOAD. This way....

DATA: BEGIN OF gt_coa_data_holder OCCURS 0,
         rec(200) TYPE c,
      END OF gt_coa_data_holder.

CALL FUNCTION 'GUI_UPLOAD'
         EXPORTING
              filename                = lv_filename
         TABLES
              data_tab                = gt_coa_data_holder
         
LOOP AT gt_coa_data_holder into <gs_coa_data_holder>.

    SPLIT <gs_coa_data_holder> AT ',' INT into wa-fields

But I discovered the file has commas in it so I need to do this with a text, space delimited file. When I use the new txt, space delimited file the space appears as a # in gt_coa_data_holder but as a /h/ in the work area. Thus I can not split up the records lines field by field properly. Even when I say

SPLIT <gs_coa_data_holder> AT '#' INT into wa-fields

or

SPLIT <gs_coa_data_holder> AT '/h/' INT into wa-fields

I tried using different parameters like "has field seperator" whos default is space.

Any suggestions?

Thank-You.