CSV files typically use commas to separate column values (hence Comma Separated Values). But sometimes they use other characters, including: semi-colons (;), pipes (|) and tabs. So it is sometimes necessary to change the delimiter, for example when another tool expects a particular character delimiter.
Trying to convert the delimiter using simple find and replace (e.g. in a text editor) is not advisable, because you might covert a delimiter character inside a value. For example a name value in a CSV file might include a comma:
"Name","Country"
"Smith, John","UK"
If you replace all the commas with semi-colons, you get:
"Name";"Country"
"Smith; John";"UK"
Which means “Smith, John” has become “Smith; John”, which is almost certainly not what you want.
However it is very easy to the change the CSV delimiter of CSV or Excel files in Easy Data Transform:
- Install Easy Data Transform on your PC or Mac, if you haven’t done so already. It will only take a minute. There is a fully functional free trial and you don’t have to give us your email or sign up to anything.
- Start Easy Data Transform.
- Drag the CSV file or Excel spreadsheet whose delimiters you wish to change onto Easy Data Transform. If it is an Excel file with multiple sheets, choose the sheet you want to convert. A pink input item will be added.
- Ensuring the pink input item is selected, click the To File button in the Left pane (scroll to the bottom of the Left pane).
- A window will appear. Choose the file name and location. Choose CSV file for the file type.
- An output item is now added.
- In the Right pane select the new Delimiter. You can also change the CSV file Encoding.
- The CSV file is updated immediately, no need to ‘run’ anything.
If you have a large number of files to convert you can do it using the batch processing feature.
As well as changing CSV delimiter, Easy Data Transform also allows you to combine 56 transforms to quickly and easily create complex data transformations.
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