re: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
I disagree. This is why you shouldn't EDIT csv files in excel. Excel works just fine for viewing the files, and is a good tool for reviewing files. Just don't change anything.
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
It can get even worse. In Excel 2000 days (and may still occur today), it was possible to load in a CSV file, make NO edits, save it as CSV and then when you tried to reload it into Excel it would fail...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Yep - I OPEN them, but I don't SAVE them. I think it's a great tool to review a CSV file, but really quirky sometimes when it comes to re-saving.
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Jamie,I see the issue. Excel drops the text delimiters (guotes) from the first record. But I'm not sure exactly why it's an problem. Excel removes the text delimiters when the file is opened, rather...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Cliff,I'm of the opinion that you probably shouldn't run the risk (I admit to having hit CTRL-S through habit in my time when I really really shouldn't have done).Be safe. Use a text editor! :)
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
"Is there a reason you'd need to keep the text delimiters in your original example?"Good god yes. The reason being that that file may be destined to be consumed by some other process and if you've...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
I really didn't expect this one to create a debate :)No matter, if it informs people that there's a problem then its done its job!
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
There are worse problems than this, due to how Excel does type inference. But the easy work around is to not "Open" the file, but rather "Import" it. Then you have options for configuring correct data...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Additionally you are moving between having text delimiters in field 1 and not having them in field b, that's a much bigger problem when trying to load a raw file than anything Excel may have...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Hey Cliff, what happens to your CSV date fields when you open them in Excel? The answer, "Lord only knows"!Occasionally I'll use Excel to view CSV files when I need to have it easily sorted into...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
wow, my typing is almost as bad as that examplemore coffee please.
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
A user typed CNA, which is a big insurance company, and it was automatically changed to Can - someone decided that they know better than the user what the user intends to type, and that someone was...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Owen,Bad example you say?Simple test, wrap the text in both lines in text delimiters and see if the same thing happens. (I'll save you the 20-odd seconds that it'll take you - it does).So, not a red...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Well, your all right and you are all wrong. There is NO specification on how a csv file, csv editor, or csv reader should work. If you do not like how Excel handles CSV Files then don't use it. In...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
I have run into this problem of Excel destructively manipulating CSV files. The truncation of leading zeros on numbers was probably the most frustrating event. I am having difficulty locating the...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Jeff -My point being, if I was dealing with a raw file input with the schema:a, hellob, "HELLO"c, "goodbye" I'd be more concerned with why my input is mangled BEFORE I inputted it into Excel or any...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Blimey! I didn't expect this much activity on this post. Thanks one and all for your contributions!.Owen/Jeff,I quite agree, XML is a great method for passing around structured data.By way of adding to...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Jamie, True, but if you have alot of records in your csv, a text editor could be a rough time ahead. What I tend to do, is make a copy of the file in excel as a .xls file (or .xslx in 2007). It's habit...
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Wes, Microsoft spins a wheel of corruption and spits out whatever format it lands on. =)Point taken.Cliff
View Articlere: Why you shouldn't open .csv files in Excel
Excel does not display leading zeros in numbers. This can be a big misguiding factor at times.Also I am amazed to see such a heavy discussion on this kind of topic :) Jamie, may be you should convert...
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