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How do I import csv into numbers?

I'm trying to import a text file that is comma delimited into the Numbers application. I expect that each comma in the file will trigger a new column. However, the rows (CR delimited) are pasted into a single column. Any advice on how to make Numbers parse by commas?

I want it to look like this:

1 2 3 4 5

A B C D E

With each character existing in a different column.

Instead what I get it this:

1,2,3,4,5

A,B,C,D,E

All records for a row are all pasted in one column

Any advice?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7), iWork Numbers Application

Posted on May 7, 2011 11:37 AM

Best reply

Jerrold Green1

Level 7

30,211 points

Posted on Jun 29, 2012 8:51 AM

Rene,

CSV is a lousy data format, across country boundaries especially. Rather than worry over what Apple has or hasn't done about that, you could just drop your data into a text editor and use Find and Replace to convert to Tab Separated Variables, a more universal and much better behaved standard.

Jerry

View in context

58 replies

SGIII

Level 8

35,306 points

May 24, 2014 7:57 AM in response to Daniel Derome

Daniel,

Glad you have found something that works for you. Your approach, however, will not work if there are commas within fields. That is one of the reasons for the service (aside from the fact that clicking once to run a service is easier than messing around with TextEdit). The script will handle the commas-within-fields situation, and many others. But it won't work on phantom data.

noyoda

Level 1

0 points

Jul 21, 2014 3:37 AM in response to garryfromversailles

Tab delimited .txt file just works fine for me.

SGIII

Level 8

35,306 points

Jul 21, 2014 1:14 PM in response to noyoda

This is a really old thread. Chances are the OP was using a different version of Numbers than the one you are using now.

Fedux

Level 1

5 points

Mar 29, 2015 4:18 AM in response to SGIII

Thank you very much. Your script is really well made and, on a Mac, the only cross-platform utility. You can paste the content in whatever your office suite is!

GREAT!

SGIII

Level 8

35,306 points

Mar 29, 2015 7:13 AM in response to Fedux

Thanks for the positive feedback! Credit needs to go also to Nigel Garvey, who posted the crucial AppleScript handler on MacScripter (his is the best out there, followed closely by Hiroto's in this forum), and to Badunit, who demonstrated how to turn the script into an Automator Service.

Fedux

Level 1

5 points

Mar 29, 2015 7:56 AM in response to SGIII

I'm not sure how to find them... I try with "People" tab, on the top of the page, but I couldn't find them.

By the way, it's really amazing how well this forums are working after all these years. I've been a Mac user since 2007, so not so a long period, but here and in a lot of other forums I could help and be helped in a lot of circumstances. I believe internet will go back from social networks to forums again or, at least, the most polite part of it.

I hope Apple never close the "discussions".

Have a good day

pjmarch

Level 1

0 points

Apr 22, 2015 9:14 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Thanks 🙂

NowWhat!

Level 1

11 points

May 24, 2015 9:15 PM in response to SGIII

Thank you sooo much. I've been reading this thread, doing settings, scripting and every other thing.....

Annnd all I had to do was re-type .csv to .tsv ...

and a batta-bing-batta-boom Numbers 2.3 opened up everything like little ducks in a row.

One star for helping doesn't do your suggestion right... should be..FIVE STARS \(*<>*)/

Thank you... m(_ _)m

NowWhat!

Level 1

11 points

May 24, 2015 9:18 PM in response to SGIII

oops, sorry, double post here....not my fault, net had a hiccup

kenny128

Level 1

8 points

Dec 21, 2015 3:12 PM in response to rene beekman

I got a large CSV file, nearly 200MB. Can't open the normal way, until i found this, but take a bit time to import (5 mins) and >10mins to adjust the column width.

Anyway, thanks rene beekman.