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.

"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.