3 ms·

I've written CSV exports in C from scratch, no external dependencies required. It's "Comma Separated Variables", it doesn't really need anymore specification t

by johnea 3y ago

I've written CSV exports in C from scratch, no external dependencies required. It's "Comma Separated Variables", it doesn't really need anymore specification than that. These files have always imported into M$ and libre office suites without issue.

nradov 3y ago
It needs more specification than that. Have you read RFC 4180?
nmz 3y ago
oh boy. here's where it breaks - supporting "" (single) - Supporting newlines in "", oops, now you can't getline() and instead need to getdelim() - Supporting comments # (why is this even a thing) - Supporting multiple "" in a field - Escaping " with "" or \" - length based csv, so all fields are seekable. It's a mess, which one's your csv?
- outop 3y ago
  The vast majority of CSVs do not have strings which include either quotes or newlines. No CSV I have ever encountered has comments.
  - eviks 3y ago
    So you're fine with a lot of bugs in the case of a vast minority?
    - outop 3y ago
      Well, most code that loads CSVs is intended to work with certain files from certain sources, and not with all the CSVs that have ever existed. So yes, I am happy with code that works for a subset of files. There are thousands of applications which work with CSVs and they all do exactly this.
      - eviks 3y ago
        and those thousands of apps bug because they exist in a reality where few CSVs from certain sources can have different formats, not in the fantasy world where intention to work with certain files becomes a binding specification
        outop 3y ago
        [dead]
  - nmz 3y ago
    Google contacts does.
    - outop 3y ago
      It seems that Google generally try and find ways of making exporting their data to use in other services as painful as possible.
      - nmz 3y ago
        You need newlines in fields, because contacts has addresses, and addresses have newlines. (And also Notes, but that's not as important) (Oh and I forgot about headers, headers should be mandatory but people are aloof about it)
msla 3y ago
Comma Separated Values. Normally, I wouldn't nitpick (hold for laughter) but this is just a perfect example of how CSV is not CSV and how it's probably impossible to support everything people call CSV, simply because of the tiny (or not so tiny) differences between formats.

by johnea 3y ago

nradov 3y ago

It needs more specification than that. Have you read RFC 4180?

nmz 3y ago

oh boy. here's where it breaks - supporting "" (single) - Supporting newlines in "", oops, now you can't getline() and instead need to getdelim() - Supporting comments # (why is this even a thing) - Supporting multiple "" in a field - Escaping " with "" or \" - length based csv, so all fields are seekable. It's a mess, which one's your csv?

outop 3y ago
The vast majority of CSVs do not have strings which include either quotes or newlines. No CSV I have ever encountered has comments.
- eviks 3y ago
  So you're fine with a lot of bugs in the case of a vast minority?
  - outop 3y ago
    Well, most code that loads CSVs is intended to work with certain files from certain sources, and not with all the CSVs that have ever existed. So yes, I am happy with code that works for a subset of files. There are thousands of applications which work with CSVs and they all do exactly this.
    - eviks 3y ago
      and those thousands of apps bug because they exist in a reality where few CSVs from certain sources can have different formats, not in the fantasy world where intention to work with certain files becomes a binding specification
      - outop 3y ago
        [dead]
- nmz 3y ago
  Google contacts does.
  - outop 3y ago
    It seems that Google generally try and find ways of making exporting their data to use in other services as painful as possible.
    - nmz 3y ago
      You need newlines in fields, because contacts has addresses, and addresses have newlines. (And also Notes, but that's not as important) (Oh and I forgot about headers, headers should be mandatory but people are aloof about it)

msla 3y ago

Comma Separated Values. Normally, I wouldn't nitpick (hold for laughter) but this is just a perfect example of how CSV is not CSV and how it's probably impossible to support everything people call CSV, simply because of the tiny (or not so tiny) differences between formats.