CSV & Microsoft Excel

[Maffo +]

Does anybody have microsoft excel??

I use openoffice for my spreadsheets.

If you use excel could you be kind enough to tell me the default values when saving a file as csv.

EG Fields terminated with, lines terminated with.

Thank you

[Mike-N-Tosh +]

Maffo,

I have and use excel, however I'm no expert. My experience has been that when you open a CSV (text only file) with Excel, that it uses whatever the original text file was saved as.

Although CSV means -> comma separated values, it can also be tabbed separated, ";", "|" etc...

If you open a CSV and then manipulate the data within it and then "export" the file, you can then specify the end of field. I believe that it uses an end of line for the row separation.

PM me if you'd like to send me a sample CSV of what you are doing and I'll see if I can help you out.

-Mike

[Lhotch +]

I just created a bogus worksheet and saved it as CSV. I wasnt really given any options, just asked if I really wanted to save it in that format because some functionality would be lost.

[Mike-N-Tosh +]

• CSV (comma delimited)
•
The CSV (comma delimited) file format saves only the text and values as they are displayed in cells of the active worksheet. All rows and all characters in each cell are saved. Columns of data are separated by commas, and each row of data ends in a carriage return. If a cell contains a comma, the cell contents are enclosed in double quotation marks.
If cells display formulas instead of formula values, the formulas are converted as text. All formatting, graphics, objects, and other worksheet contents are lost.
Note If your workbook contains special font characters such as a copyright symbol (©), and you will be using the converted text file on a computer with a different operating system, save the workbook in the text file format appropriate for that system. For example, if you are using Windows and want to use the text file on a Macintosh computer, save the file in the CSV (Macintosh) format. If you are using a Macintosh computer and want to use the text file on a system running Windows or Windows NT, save the file in the CSV (Windows) for Windows.

[Maffo +]

Thanks guys,

My question was if you have anyold spreadsheet and save it as csv in excel, what are the default delimters. When you open the csv with notepad, the fields will be seperated probably with a comma with any text inside "".

Is that right for excel? Thats what happens in open office

[Lhotch +]

Originally Posted by Maffo

My question was if you have anyold spreadsheet and save it as csv in excel, what are the default delimters.

comma is default delimiter with text in double quotes.

[Maffo +]

Excellent. Thanks Larry, thanks Mack!

[Mike-N-Tosh +]

It might be different on a Windows version (I'm on a Mac). Excel doesn't put quotes around the field data. That drives me nuts!

-Mike

[Lhotch +]

Originally Posted by Mike-N-Tosh

It might be different on a Windows version (I'm on a Mac). Excel doesn't put quotes around the field data. That drives me nuts!

-Mike

Yes and no.

If the data cell contains a comma for example it will surround it with quotes. But if its just text it wont.

[Mike-N-Tosh +]

Just another example of Microsoft's consistent inconsistency.

Now, if I could just get Filemaker Pro to accept HTML in fields and output Unix line fields...