Csv export view option doesn't export all fields

[Daisy_Ramirez]

When I use the export to csv option on a screen it only exports certain data and not all of the data on the screen. Column BIN Refurb Type (a multi-select ENUM field) is incomplete. How do I account for the commas in the ENUM field? Is this the reason the column is not exporting at all?

[WillowMobileSys]

Daisy_Ramirez:

How do I account for the commas in the ENUM field? Is this the reason the column is not exporting at all?

It looks some of rows are exporting that column. So I think you right that AppSheet does not export columns if they contain a comma - they would wreck havoc on the CSV file.

You can specify a different Item Separator within the EnumList column. You will need to do that for the CSV file output. I’ll bet that with the alternate separator, the values will then export.

EDITED: I’m noticing some of your Notes columns are not exporting either!

[Daisy_Ramirez]

Thanks John!

[WillowMobileSys]

Welcome! One caution…if your Notes column, or any other CSV export column are free-form entry, you probably should perform validation and PREVENT commas from being used.

[Marc_Dillon]

WillowMobileSystems:

It looks some of rows are exporting that column. So I think you right that AppSheet does not export columns if they contain a comma - they would wreck havoc on the CSV file.

You can specify a different Item Separator within the EnumList column. You will need to do that for the CSV file output. I’ll bet that with the alternate separator, the values will then export.

WillowMobileSystems:

One caution…if your Notes column, or any other CSV export column are free-form entry, you probably should perform validation and PREVENT commas from being used.

The values in downloaded CSV files are all enclosed by quotes. Commas within the values should not be any issue. See for yourself, open the CSV file in a plain text editor, instead of a spreadsheet program.

Like here, it is easy to see for all of these blank values in a row, and then there is a “5,7,9” value, but the commas are within the quotes.

[WillowMobileSys]

Marc_Dillon:

The values in downloaded CSV files are all enclosed by quotes. Commas within the values should not be any issue. See for yourself, open the CSV file in a plain text editor, instead of a spreadsheet program.

Like here, it is easy to see for all of these blank values in a row, and then there is a “5,7,9” value, but the commas are within the quotes.

Understood and makes sense it would be handled that way.

Any explanation as to why the shown rows did not export? Also it appears that one of the notes value was a number and it was exported in sci notation!! Eeegads!!

[Marc_Dillon]

WillowMobileSystems:

Any explanation as to why the shown rows did not export?

No sorry, that still seems to be a bit of a mystery. I hoped I could bring some more understanding to the situation, so maybe Daisy could investigate more in-depth on her end.

WillowMobileSystems:

Also it appears that one of the notes value was a number and it was exported in sci notation!!

As mentioned to Suvrutt in my other replies, you’re assuming that is the export’s fault, but it could have just as easily been the fault of the spreadsheet program that you’re importing into.

For both cases, check the file in a plain text editor to see what is actually there.

[WillowMobileSys]

Marc_Dillon:

As mentioned to Suvrutt in my other replies, you’re assuming that is the export’s fault, but it could have just as easily been the fault of the spreadsheet program that you’re importing into.

Yes of course! I hurried my response and didn’t give it the proper thought.

[Daisy_Ramirez]

Thanks everyone, Suvrutt where can I find the Locale Settings?

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

Just in case this helps. A quick testing of CSV export action showed that Enumlist with base type text properly exported all the rows of the comma separtated enumlist field. (column Product Names in the image below)

There is one important setting of “CSV File locales” in the CSV actions that could be relevant and you may want to revisit. My CSV locale was “English (United States)”. So a comma separated field exported well.

Relevant excerpts from the relevant article are below

Configuring the CSV Locale | AppSheet Help Center.

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

Just to add, when I tried to export the same file with German (Germany) and Spanish( Spain) locales, it did not export well. The below is the export result.

[Marc_Dillon]

What happened here is not due to the export, but rather your import back into a spreadsheet. The import is delimiting on the commas, not the semi-colons as it should be in this case.

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

Thank you Marc. So do you mean spreadsheet locale settings?

[Marc_Dillon]

Suvrutt_Gurjar:

So do you mean spreadsheet locale settings?

No. The delimiter setting that you select when you do the import.

Here it is in GSheet, in your case you’d select “Custom”, then input a semicolon

And here it is in LibreCalc, many more options:

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

Oh okay. Thank you Marc. In nutshell, I believe in CSV export we need to pay attention to delimeter settings in spreadsheet and action locale settings. Both will need to be in sync.