[Dropped] Saving csv with semicolon vs comma

Discuss the spreadsheet application
Post Reply
keneso
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:58 pm

[Dropped] Saving csv with semicolon vs comma

Post by keneso »

Hi
On my application when I save as csv it saves it with semicolon, whereas my friend's saves it with comma.
Is there some settings we are missing, as we would like to have it saved with semicolon.
Thank you
Last edited by MrProgrammer on Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: No respose to: "Will do some testing, and report back"
OpenOffice 4.1.1 - Win 8.1
User avatar
Villeroy
Volunteer
Posts: 31269
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:35 am
Location: Germany

Re: saving csv with semicolon vs comma

Post by Villeroy »

Sometimes the comma is reserved as decimal separator. When exporting from a spreadsheet, the decimal separator depends on the locale setting (number format language). The locale setting can be changed in the number format dialog, in cell style "Default" for the whole document or under Tools>Options>LanguageSettings for the entire office suite.

Under an English locale
0.99
is the same value as
0,99
under a German, French or Russian locale.
In case of comma decimals, you should either change the locale to English or the column separator to semicolon, otherwise 0,99,3,14 is not resolvable. Semicolon is always a good choice for a column separator because it does not conflict with any decimal figures.
If you are sure that the comma does not conflict with your decimals, you can enforce comma by checking "Edit filter settings" in the save-as dialog. Before saving another dialog pops up.

When importing csv into Calc, you can always set the locale (language) in the import dialog. English is the right language setting to import point decimals, English(USA) if there are M/D/Y dates, German is a typical comma decimal language.

When exchanging raw data between 2 spreadsheet applications, csv ist the wrong file format. Simply use Open Document Format for spreadsheets (ods). In the unlikely case that the other application does not support this standard, use xls. Anything is better than csv.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
User avatar
Zizi64
Volunteer
Posts: 11353
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:55 am
Location: Budapest, Hungary

Re: saving csv with semicolon vs comma

Post by Zizi64 »

Another widespread and language independent separator character is the TAB (chr(9)), and the extension of this type of data file is .tsv (TAB Separated Values). You can use the TAB separator in a .csv type file too. The spreadsheet softwares can handle these files, but these file types can not support any formatting properties.
Tibor Kovacs, Hungary; LO7.5.8 /Win7-10 x64Prof.
PortableApps/winPenPack: LO3.3.0-7.6.2;AOO4.1.14
Please, edit the initial post in the topic: add the word [Solved] at the beginning of the subject line - if your problem has been solved.
keneso
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:58 pm

Re: Saving csv with semicolon vs comma

Post by keneso »

Thank you.
Will do some testing, and report back.
OpenOffice 4.1.1 - Win 8.1
Post Reply