8 ms·

I always use LibreOffice to edit csv files. Excel always seems to mess with csv files in ways I don't want it to.

by _fizz_buzz_ 2y ago

mmooss 2y ago
Why not a text editor?
- jgalt212 2y ago
  It doesn't columnize.
  - sceadu 2y ago
    https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/csv-mode.html https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/csv-mode.html ;) (M-x csv-align-fields)
    - tmtvl 2y ago
      Now hang on: Emacs isn't just "a text editor", it's a Lisp environment which just so happens to have the best text editor as front-end.
      - BeetleB 2y ago
        Yeah, not sure which is more bloated, Emacs or LibreOffice :-)
        chris_wot 2y ago
        LibreOffice.
    - throwanem 2y ago
      C-c C-a is quicker, as is C-c C-u to unalign them again.
  - mmooss 2y ago
    There are text editors that operate fine on columns. IIRC Emacs and Vim do to an extent.
- speed_spread 2y ago
  Excel/Calc is like an IDE for CSV. Much easier for the eye to spot errors if data is aligned. A text editor won't show you if you're missing column data for some row.
- _fizz_buzz_ 2y ago
  I want my data in a table. LibreOffice does exactly what I want, a text editor doesn't. So, I use LibreOffice.
  - mmooss 2y ago
    There are text editors that will. I'm not disagreeing, I'm just curious about the specific differences. Anyway, happy editing!
niccl 2y ago
absolutely agree. We get lots of csv files to process and most of our consultants will check them in excel and totally mangle them one way or another. You _can_ make excel import them without messing them too much but it's several hoops away from the normal file open procedure so they forget. Libreoffice Just Works. Love it. And the way it can split a multi-tab excel file into separate csv files from the command line is a godsend. Although the documentation for the incantation for the filters to make it do it is rather lacking. But once you get it, it's fantastic
TiredOfLife 2y ago
Excel has two different ways to open csv. The open/doubleclick is kinda compatiblity mode, with reasons for default options lost in history. The way you are supposed to use csv is open blank workbook, data tab and import.
Prickle 2y ago
Yup, this is a constant trouble maker for us. Customer exports a csv file, then verifies the contents in excel. They never realize that excel modified some of the data, and pass it on to us. Just, constantly! (I use notepad++ for CSV files however)
econ 2y ago
Me too, I'm not impressed with the interface tho. It should be able to sniff the csv flavor before ingesting it. Maybe it would be cool to tie the settings to the file path so that it simply opens /banana/2.csv assuming it is just like /banana/1.csv (skipping the dialog)
pdyc 2y ago
you can also try this tool for csv https://newbeelearn.com/tools/csvonline/ https://newbeelearn.com/tools/csvonline/
- newusertoday 2y ago
  this can't edit, its for viewing only. I use it regularly.

I always use LibreOffice to edit csv files. Excel always seems to mess with csv files in ways I don't want it to.

mmooss 2y ago

Why not a text editor?

jgalt212 2y ago
It doesn't columnize.
- sceadu 2y ago
  https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/csv-mode.html https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/csv-mode.html ;) (M-x csv-align-fields)
  - tmtvl 2y ago
    Now hang on: Emacs isn't just "a text editor", it's a Lisp environment which just so happens to have the best text editor as front-end.
    - BeetleB 2y ago
      Yeah, not sure which is more bloated, Emacs or LibreOffice :-)
      - chris_wot 2y ago
        LibreOffice.
  - throwanem 2y ago
    C-c C-a is quicker, as is C-c C-u to unalign them again.
- mmooss 2y ago
  There are text editors that operate fine on columns. IIRC Emacs and Vim do to an extent.
speed_spread 2y ago
Excel/Calc is like an IDE for CSV. Much easier for the eye to spot errors if data is aligned. A text editor won't show you if you're missing column data for some row.
_fizz_buzz_ 2y ago
I want my data in a table. LibreOffice does exactly what I want, a text editor doesn't. So, I use LibreOffice.
- mmooss 2y ago
  There are text editors that will. I'm not disagreeing, I'm just curious about the specific differences. Anyway, happy editing!

niccl 2y ago

absolutely agree. We get lots of csv files to process and most of our consultants will check them in excel and totally mangle them one way or another. You _can_ make excel import them without messing them too much but it's several hoops away from the normal file open procedure so they forget. Libreoffice Just Works. Love it. And the way it can split a multi-tab excel file into separate csv files from the command line is a godsend. Although the documentation for the incantation for the filters to make it do it is rather lacking. But once you get it, it's fantastic

TiredOfLife 2y ago

Excel has two different ways to open csv. The open/doubleclick is kinda compatiblity mode, with reasons for default options lost in history. The way you are supposed to use csv is open blank workbook, data tab and import.

Prickle 2y ago

Yup, this is a constant trouble maker for us. Customer exports a csv file, then verifies the contents in excel. They never realize that excel modified some of the data, and pass it on to us. Just, constantly! (I use notepad++ for CSV files however)

econ 2y ago

Me too, I'm not impressed with the interface tho. It should be able to sniff the csv flavor before ingesting it. Maybe it would be cool to tie the settings to the file path so that it simply opens /banana/2.csv assuming it is just like /banana/1.csv (skipping the dialog)

pdyc 2y ago

you can also try this tool for csv https://newbeelearn.com/tools/csvonline/ https://newbeelearn.com/tools/csvonline/

newusertoday 2y ago
this can't edit, its for viewing only. I use it regularly.