Text Editor to CSV

Question

Text Editor to CSV

I have some data from the iPod touch Accounts program that needs to be converted via a text editor into a CSV document. But, TextEdit does not allow for CSW (only RTF, etc.). Is there a text editor out there somewhere (or in my Mac) that will allow me to save something as CSV? Eric

iMac G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Dec 30, 2008 8:59 PM

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Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

410,929 points

Dec 30, 2008 9:17 PM in response to Eric Rodriguez

You can change TextEdits save format to text in the Preferences file.

What criteria are used for separating the columns now? Maybe a search and replace function to add commas where necessary.

Excel can do all this, BTW, if you have a copy.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

238,793 points

Dec 31, 2008 1:06 PM in response to Eric Rodriguez

A CSV fie is just a plain ASCII text file with commas separating the values...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma-separated_values

I use Tex-Edit Plus to save as plain test with a .csv extension.

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Answer 3

Jan 17, 2009 9:18 AM in response to Limnos

thanks Limnos, how do I change the save format and what do I change it to? I've looked at the Preferences area of TextEdit but I don't see anything about adding the option to save as a .csv.

I'm not sure about the criteria for separating the columns basically the program has you click on a button that says "Export Data", then prepares and e-mail for you to send to your computer. The text in my e-mail comes out as:

"12/24/08", "Beginning Balance", "+1000.59", "", "Cleared", ""
"12/29/08", "XFER to Savings", "-600.00", "", "Cleared", ""
"12/29/08", "Void", "-0.00", "2223", "Cleared", ""
"12/29/08", "Master Card", "-400.00", "2224", "Outstanding", ""
"12/31/08", "Paycheck", "+671.76", "", "Cleared", "WE 12/27"

Not sure how to get Excel to do this, when I paste this info in a spreadsheet is just sits there in the same form you see above. Eric

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

238,793 points

Jan 17, 2009 11:09 AM in response to Eric Rodriguez

Not sure how to get Excel to do this, when I paste this info in a spreadsheet is just sits there in the same form you see above.

Yes, pasting just gets you one big useless block. You have to Import or Open it in Excel.

I don't have Excel, but I opened it in a NeoOffice Spreadsheet which is compatible with Excel, Word, etc., by first pasting that into a Tex-Edit Plus Document and saving as a a Plain ASCII text file called SpreadsheetTest.csv, Opened that in NeoOffice...

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