csvformat - Man Page

• Convert to a tab-delimited file (TSV): csvformat -T data.csv
• Convert delimiters to a custom character: csvformat -D "custom_character" data.csv
• Convert line endings to carriage return (^M) + line feed: csvformat -M "\r\n" data.csv
• Minimize use of quote characters: csvformat -U 0 data.csv
• Maximize use of quote characters: csvformat -U 1 data.csv

tldr.sh

Convert a CSV file to a custom output format.:

usage: csvformat [-h] [-d DELIMITER] [-t] [-q QUOTECHAR] [-u {0,1,2,3}] [-b]
                 [-p ESCAPECHAR] [-z FIELD_SIZE_LIMIT] [-e ENCODING]
                 [-L LOCALE] [-S] [-H] [-K SKIP_LINES] [-v] [-l] [--zero] [-V]
                 [-E] [-D OUT_DELIMITER] [-T] [-A] [-Q OUT_QUOTECHAR]
                 [-U {0,1,2,3}] [-B] [-P OUT_ESCAPECHAR]
                 [-M OUT_LINETERMINATOR]
                 [FILE]

Convert a CSV file to a custom output format.

positional arguments:
  FILE                  The CSV file to operate on. If omitted, will accept
                        input as piped data via STDIN.

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -E, --skip-header     Do not output a header row.
  -D OUT_DELIMITER, --out-delimiter OUT_DELIMITER
                        Delimiting character of the output file.
  -T, --out-tabs        Specify that the output file is delimited with tabs.
                        Overrides "-D".
  -A, --out-asv         Specify that the output file is delimited with the
                        ASCII unit separator and record separator. Overrides
                        "-T", "-D" and "-M".
  -Q OUT_QUOTECHAR, --out-quotechar OUT_QUOTECHAR
                        Character used to quote strings in the output file.
  -U {0,1,2,3}, --out-quoting {0,1,2,3}
                        Quoting style used in the output file: 0 quote
                        minimal, 1 quote all, 2 quote non-numeric, 3 quote
                        none.
  -B, --out-no-doublequote
                        Whether or not double quotes are doubled in the output
                        CSV file.
  -P OUT_ESCAPECHAR, --out-escapechar OUT_ESCAPECHAR
                        Character used to escape the delimiter in the output
                        CSV file if --quoting 3 ("Quote None") is specified
                        and to escape the QUOTECHAR if --out-no-doublequote is
                        specified.
  -M OUT_LINETERMINATOR, --out-lineterminator OUT_LINETERMINATOR
                        Character used to terminate lines in the output file.

See also: Arguments common to all tools.

Convert a comma-separated file to a pipe-delimited file:

csvformat -D "|" examples/dummy.csv

Convert to carriage return line-endings:

csvformat -M $'\r' examples/dummy.csv

Convert to a tab-delimited file (TSV) with no doubling of double quotes:

printf 'key,value\n1,"a ""quoted"" string"' | csvformat -T -Q🐍

To avoid escaping quote characters when using --quoting 3, add --out-quotechar "":

csvformat -u3 -U3 -Q🐍 examples/optional_quote_characters.csv

Christopher Groskopf and contributors

2024, Christopher Groskopf and James McKinney