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CSV import

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    #1

    CSV import

    Hi

    I'm trying to import a customer's CSV file into A5v7 but hitting snags. Some of the fields contain carriage returns which have been entered by the data provider's customers. Those CR's are within the delimiters (double quotes) and are impossible to spot in the text file. This is fooling A5 into thinking that a new record has started, and the import gets corrupted. An updated CSV file is supplied several times a day, and I'd prefer not to have to look for the CR's and delete them...

    Is there a way of making A5 ignore CR's if they are within the delimiters?
    I have A5V8 too, but that gives the same results.

    Regards
    Paul
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: CSV import

    Paul, if the customer's file uses CRLF to delimit records, and also permits the record delimiter to appear within the body of a single field, I think you're always going to have conflicts. Can the data source change the export parameters to delimit the records with a different delimiter? -- tom

    Comment

      #3
      Re: CSV import

      Originally posted by Tom Cone Jr View Post
      Paul, if the customer's file uses CRLF to delimit records, and also permits the record delimiter to appear within the body of a single field, I think you're always going to have conflicts. Can the data source change the export parameters to delimit the records with a different delimiter? -- tom
      I think what is probably being seen is that the file is comma separated insofar as fields are concerned but commas are also encountered in some quoted text fields. The import thus thinks that a new field is encountered in the middle of another. I have experienced this on multiple occasions.

      I have always been able to request a tab delimited file and get usable results. Almost every data source originator that can generate a csv can generate a tsv.
      There can be only one.

      Comment

        #4
        Re: CSV import

        Have tried several delimiters including generating a TSV file, but any embedded CR's or commas inside the quotes throw it all off balance.
        Obviously anything embedded inside the quotes overrides the quotes themselves.
        Apart from this quirk, the system so far works well. Creating a script to remove the CR's and commas would also remove the ones that are intended to be there.

        I'm stumped... (a bit like the English cricket team who have just snatched defeat from the jaws of victory!)

        Paul

        Comment

          #5
          Re: CSV import

          Paul,
          Creating a script to remove the CR's and commas would also remove the ones that are intended to be there.
          Not necessarily! A true end of record CR is preceded with different character than an internal, false end-of-record CR within quotes. A script that absorbs the CR and the character before the CR and deletes the CR's that are not preceded with field delimiters should strip your file of the nasty CR's.

          I have a way to do this IF the number of fields per record is not tremendous and number of records is not enormous. Can you post or send an example?
          Mike W
          __________________________
          "I rebel in at least small things to express to the world that I have not completely surrendered"

          Comment

            #6
            Re: CSV import

            There will eventually be around 150 fields per record, and up to 100 records per file.
            If your script can deal with that, I'll create a small example file.

            Kind regards
            Paul

            Comment

              #7
              Re: CSV import

              Paul, here's another thought.

              Are you trying to import the fields which contain carriage returns into a field that is a Character data type in Alpha Five? If so, stop. You can't. You have to import these fields into Memo fields.

              -- tom

              Comment

                #8
                Re: CSV import

                Hi Tom

                Yes, I was trying to do that, unaware of the restriction you mentioned.
                Actually, the data did import correctly and I was able to process it (once I'd edited the table to remove the extraneous carriage returns).
                Presumably memo fields are required because they are the only type of field that could potentially have carriage returns in?

                The plot thickens. I'll see what Mike W. comes up with, and failing that I'll look into changing direction and using a passive link table.
                CSV files are still useful for many quick tasks nowadays, but I guess software compatability improvements are gradually eroding the need for them...

                Regards
                Paul

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: CSV import

                  Paul,
                  The 100 records is not a problem. The 150 fields could well be the unravelling. I have about a 1500 in-line character limit. But if you would like me to try, all I need is a half-a-dozen or so records to check it out. It should only take a couple of minutes to check out, so I am game if you are.
                  Mike W
                  __________________________
                  "I rebel in at least small things to express to the world that I have not completely surrendered"

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: CSV import

                    Presumably memo fields are required because they are the only type of field that could potentially have carriage returns in?
                    Yes, Paul, that's right.

                    It may be that if you go back to square one, leaving the CR's in CSV, but putting that field in an Alpha Five memo field, your trouble may go away.

                    -- tom

                    Comment

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