Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:58:19 -0500 From: John Almberg <jalmberg@identry.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: tab-delimited to csv Message-ID: <51D491B1-7009-46CE-9AC2-3AA2F42FD32F@identry.com> In-Reply-To: <4999AF98.30404@gmail.com> References: <A1268853-0066-4604-AB9E-7D45E738BF32@identry.com> <20090216175556.GA53460@slackbox.xs4all.nl> <30696042-D9B5-4239-A560-00D20DBE5177@identry.com> <4999AF98.30404@gmail.com>
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On Feb 16, 2009, at 1:25 PM, Adam Vande More wrote: > John Almberg wrote: >> >> On Feb 16, 2009, at 12:55 PM, Roland Smith wrote: >> >>> On Mon, Feb 16, 2009 at 11:55:50AM -0500, John Almberg wrote: >>>> Can anyone suggest a way to convert a tab-delimited file to csv >>>> using >>>> standard unix utilities? I could whip up a Ruby script to do it, >>>> but >>> >>> As long as the files don't contain commas themselves, >> >> Right, that's the tricky bit. I could use tr otherwise. >> >>> >>>> I hate to reinvent the wheel. >>> >>> I'd whip up that script. There is a shareware tab2csv utility for >>> windows for $49.95: http://www.download32.com/info-pack-com- >>> tab2csv-i31827.html >> >> I'm working on it, right now. >> >> I also saw that windows utility, but doesn't help me much. >> >>> >>> OTOH, if you have a spreadsheet program like Gnumeric or OpenOffice >>> installed, you might be able to script those to import from tab- >>> delimited >>> and export to CSV. Admittedly that is like using a nuke to kill a >>> fly. >> >> Actually, the problem arises because I have a client who is >> exporting a 'database' file from Excel 2000 (don't ask), to .csv, >> and Excel is so stupid that it is not putting quotes around a >> field that contains commas. Duh. >> >> Excel seems to export to tab-delimited format without making any >> fatal errors, but I need a real .csv file for import. >> >> Thus my need to convert from tab to (real) csv. >> >> -- John >> > There is this: > > http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/arb/psion/ > > Have no idea if it complies or works as you want. > > But if you're dealing with just one so called "database" from Excel > I would go with either checking the settings on the Excel export(in > OO.org you can specify w/ or w/out quotes) as they may have missed > the option. That was my first hope, but there doesn't seem to be a quote option in Excel 2000, hard as that is to believe... Unfortunately, they are a remote client, so I can't look at the 'Save As' options myself, but I spent a long time on the phone with them, trying to get them to look for such an 'advanced' option. No luck. It's either not there, or they are blind. > Or simply get the original file, open it in OO.org and do it from > there as was basically suggested earlier. That would be easy, but they upload this file frequently, and I need an automated solution. > > > I would have thought something like would exist as it's certainly > useful like dos2unix Me too. Weird. I've got a prototype working, but now I've discovered that even the tab delimited file is malformed... the Ruby CSV Library chokes on one of the data lines. Illegal use of quotes. Bummer... -- John
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