Re: BUG #4486: CSV feature request

The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 4486
Logged by: Andrew Grillet
Email address: andrew(at)grillet(dot)co(dot)uk
PostgreSQL version: 8.3
Operating system: Windows XP
Description: CSV feature request
Details:

Excel 2007 decides on the fly whether to quote fields or not on the basis of
whther individual rows have a comma in that field. There does not appear any
obvious way to prevent this bizarre behaviour.

I suggest the syntax:

COPY table (columns) FROM 'filename.csv. with csv OPTIONAL QUOTE [AS '"'];

As a way to tell PostgreSQL this behaviour is expected and must be handled
without complaint. Default should be to complain if file is stupidly
formatted.

----
Additionally, where a character that is not a member of the acceptable
character set is found, plese attempt to print it as char as well as
octal/hex. It can be very difficult to find which character is causeing the
problem! (Eg em-dashes, smart quotes)

Andrew Grillet wrote:
>
> The following bug has been logged online:
>
> Bug reference: 4486
> Logged by: Andrew Grillet
> Email address: andrew(at)grillet(dot)co(dot)uk
> PostgreSQL version: 8.3
> Operating system: Windows XP
> Description: CSV feature request
> Details:
>
> Excel 2007 decides on the fly whether to quote fields or not on the basis of
> whther individual rows have a comma in that field. There does not appear any
> obvious way to prevent this bizarre behaviour.
>
> I suggest the syntax:
>
> COPY table (columns) FROM 'filename.csv. with csv OPTIONAL QUOTE [AS '"'];
>
> As a way to tell PostgreSQL this behaviour is expected and must be handled
> without complaint. Default should be to complain if file is stupidly
> formatted.

What problem are you having, exactly? I tried this:

test=> create table test (x text, y text);
test=> copy test from '/rtmp/1' with csv;
COPY 3

where /rtmp/1 had:

"a", "b"
a, "b"
a, b

and saw no errors or warnings. Are you saying we should complain, and
if so, why?

--
Bruce Momjian <bruce(at)momjian(dot)us> http://momjian.us
EnterpriseDB http://enterprisedb.com

+ If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +