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Separation Configurations

Separation Configurations

This section controls the characters used to structure and organize data in the CSV file, defining how fields, rows, and multiple values are separated.

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"Field Separator": defines the character that divides columns in the CSV file:

  • Comma (,) - International standard

    • Format: "Field1","Field2","Field3"
    • Universal compatibility with all software
    • Recommended for most use cases

  • Semicolon (;) - European standard

    • Format: "Field1";"Field2";"Field3"
    • Used in countries that employ comma as decimal separator
    • Compatible with European locale settings in Excel

  • Tab (\t) - Tab separator

    • Invisible but very effective for complex data
    • Ideal when text contains commas and semicolons
    • Excellent readability when opened in text editors

Row Separator: determines the character that indicates the end of each record:

  • LF (\n) - Line Feed (Recommended):

    • Unix/Linux and modern macOS standard
    • Optimal compatibility with modern software
    • Reduced file sizes

  • CRLF (\r\n) - Carriage Return + Line Feed

    • Traditional Windows standard
    • Required for compatibility with legacy Windows software
    • Slightly larger files

  • CR (\r) - Carriage Return

    • Classic Mac standard (pre-OS X)
    • Rarely used in modern systems
    • Maintained for historical compatibility

Multiselect Picklist Separator: handles fields that can contain multiple values:

  • Double Pipe (||) - Recommended

    • Example: "Value1||Value2||Value3"
    • Distinctive separator that rarely appears in data
    • Easy to identify and process programmatically

  • Semicolon (;)

    • Example: "Value1;Value2;Value3"
    • More readable alternative for end users
    • Caution not to confuse with field separator

  • Comma (,)

    • Example: "Value1,Value2,Value3"
    • Not recommended if comma is also the field separator
    • Can cause interpretation issues

Practical Usage Examples

Multiselection field "Product Categories":

  • With ||: "Electronics||Computer||Gaming"
  • With ;: "Electronics;Computer;Gaming"
  • With ,: "Electronics,Computer,Gaming" (problematic if , is field separator)

Recommendation: Use comma (,) as field separator, LF (\n) as row separator, and double pipe (||) for multiselections to ensure maximum compatibility and clarity in data structure.

 

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