Extracting select data from CSV file (one column)

[Cheryl_27]

Have a CSV file w/ about 15 columns - when opened in spread sheet (also have couple of "CSV editor" prgms).

Want to take 1 of the columns (by what ever method), & get it into a text config file in another prgm.

When you look at any CSV file in a text editor, there are NO spaces after each comma & before next data (datum).

The syntax for the prgm (text file) I'm trying to enter the data into, shows no spaces to be used between each comma & next data. Just a command then data list, w/ each piece of data separated by commas, but no spaces. It appears when I enter the data (including spaces) in the other prgm's text file, it does NOT use it correctly. I'm * assuming * it's because of the spaces - but I'm no expert on this.

Everything I've tried w/ Open Office, Excell (older ver), the CVS editors, Notepad ++, always winds up putting a space after each comma - before next piece of data.

Even when I delete everything from the orig CVS file except the column I want, once opened in the spread sheets, then save it in .cvs format, then reopen it in something other than a spreadsheet (text editor, etc.), it either has no commas at all, or put spaces between data. In short, the spreadsheets aren't saving the edited files in the EXACT same CVS format (w/ no spaces) as the original CVS file.

Any ideas how to do it the way (I think) I need to do it, w/o introducing spaces? Thanks.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

You will need to craft a Regular Expression to match the data you need and to insert it into the desitnation file.

I haven't read this page, but it seems like it might be a good explaination on how to use RegEx in Notepad++

http://markantoniou.blogspot.com/2008/06/notepad-how-to-use-regular-expressions.html

[Cheryl_27]

Thanks Frazell, took a quick look at the page linked. (It has links to more detailed pages on using regular expressions & examples).

Caught a bit about using "search & replace" in Notepad ++. It was talking about adding spaces, so figured might work in reverse - it did. For this, I didn't have to use a Regular Expression (which I know nothing about). Used Notepad++ "find & replace" function, to find all blank spaces followed by comma, & replace w/ just a comma. Worked fine.

Depending on which spreadsheet I copy one column into Notepad ++, each line in the data copied in to Notepad ++ may / may not have an actual comma (& space) before each value.

First had to use the Edit>Column Editor function to add a comma in front of each value (there was one value on each line, in column form). Put the cursor at the place where want to enter the comma (or what ever want to add).

But, as said, after that, when use "unwrap" in Notepad ++, there's a space between every comma & next value, which I had to remove.

Not sure why the spreadsheets aren't smart enough to (or don't) save BACK to a CSV format & eliminate spaces between commas & values - the same way orig CSV file was before the spread sheet opened it. Seems like would be very common use to open & edit a CSV file in a spread sheet, then save back to CSV format (without spaces) - to open / use in other prgms, instead of going through extra steps of eliminating the spaces. Maybe not - maybe most uses for edited / saved CSV files prefer spaces between separators? Very little experience w/ them.

Prgms like Excel, OO Calc do warn (to the effect): "this file (may?) contain content or formatting that can't be saved in text .CSV format..."

Odd that they just opened a CSV file that contained no spaces between separators, but when saving it back to .CSV, they put spaces between all separators??

[jocaaa]

No spaces here in Excel 2007 when exported to "CSV (Comma delimited)" format - just got this .csv file as simple example:

a,b,c

d,e,f

[Cheryl_27]

Interesting, jocaaa. I tried older ver of Excel (office 2000), but newest Open Office Calc. May well be operator error (ignorance), but saw nothing in options how to save the file, once edited in spread sheet(s), back to CSV file, whether to include / exclude spaces (or anything else).

When you opened an original CSV file (which assume contained no spaces) in Excel '07, did you do any editing before saving back to CSV (or maybe trying saving w/o doing editing)?

Maybe there are options / settings in Excell that specify about properties for saving in CSV format, that exclude spaces?

In your example, assuming when you opened it in Excel, it showed 3 cols & 2 rows in spread sheet. Then when saved back to CSV format file, & you looked at that saved file in a text editor, had no spaces?

[jocaaa]

There were no editing at all, and yes, I checked it in text editor and hex editor - no (unwanted) spaces as you describe. I tried several scenarios - first to open an existing .csv file and export (save as) it to another .csv file, and to enter values manually in Excel and export them to .csv - no spaces in either case. In your case double check if you have string values in Excell cells without space characters.

[Cheryl_27]

I can't find any thing about "string values w/o space characters" in options or help files of either Excell '00, or latest open office Calc.

But, think I see what you mean. The key part of my OP you overlooked was,

  Quote

Want to take 1 of the columns (by what ever method), & get it into a text config file in another prgm.

Yes, if I edit it down to 2 cols, then export to CSV, each value * in a row * has no spaces between commas / values.

But if save only ONE column to a CSV file, then try to manipulate it in text editor (like Notepad ++), & unwrap the rows, so it appears like a CSV file, THEN all values have a space between them.

When I open that saved CSV file w/ only 1 col left, in most editors, it initially shows up as 1 col, w/ 1 value in each row (go figure). But, there are obviously hidden spaces after each value, because when unwrap the col, it does separate each value w/ comma, but also has a space.

I'm assuming this is part of the formatting of a CSV file to specify when to make a new row (for multi row files). That was the problem I had - dealing w/ using only 1 col AND getting rid of the spaces between values.