importing csv problem

dominator99 · Newbie Joined: 03 Jun 2012 Posts: 3

Hi All

I use software called Techtoniq Energy Station 2 that allows me to create a csv file from data collected over the day.
I then import this data into Calc for processing.

Until very recently everything worked fine but now, when I try to import the saved csv file into Calc, a 'csv import' dialogue box pops up with a default csv format setting of Unicode but none of the default settings that were listed in the original csv file creation ie:-
csv format - Western Europe (DOS/OS2-850 International)
Separated by - comma
Other Options - Quoted field as text
Detect special numbers
Changing the parameters in the 'csv import' box doesn't help (I need to preserve the 7 column original layout from the original saved csv file when importing into Calc)

The only way I can stop this pop up Unicode dialogue 'import' box is to reboot Win 7 & everything is back to the way it used to be ie no 'csv import' dialogue box.

I've not updated Techtoniq software & this problem didn't suddenly appear after any OpenOffice updates (version 3).
I updated OpenOffice to version 4 but that has made no difference to the problem.
I haven't installed any Win 7 updates lately.

The other thing I noticed was that if I import the csv file in Unicode format, it appears to preserve the 7 column layout from the original exported csv file but when I try to copy & paste I get a new pop up box:-

paste special

source - unknown source
selection - unformatted text

I don't know if the problem lies with Calc, Techtoniq or Win 7 but it does seem odd that rebooting Win 7 cures the problem temporarily.

Anybody out there experienced a similar problem?

Villeroy · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:31 am Post subject:

There are thousands of flavours of csv out there. Open your file in a text editor and drop a line here. A line of actual data tells more than a thousand words.
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dominator99 · Newbie Joined: 03 Jun 2012 Posts: 3

Hi Villeroy

This is the format I'm exporting in csv with following forma [1st 3 rows of the file]:-

csv format - Western Europe (DOS/OS2-850 International)
Separated by - comma
Other Options - Quoted field as text
- Detect special numbers

This format is set by the program that creates it & can't be changed

Sensor ID Timestamp Data Type Total Electricity Phase 1 Electricity Phase 2 Electricity Phase 3 Electricity Temperature_C Temperature_F
0 04/06/12 00:11 Live 1685 825 42 818 30.5 87
0 04/06/12 00:12 Live 1706 840 43 823 30.5 87

Sorry, I put 7 column layout in previous post; it should have read 9 column layout[/img]

Villeroy · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:01 am Post subject:

The data copied from spreadsheet are pointless.
I want the raw data from the text file. Open the file in Notepad or anything like that.
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dominator99 · Newbie Joined: 03 Jun 2012 Posts: 3

As mentioned before, Techtoniq Energy Station 2 exports its data in csv format to any available spreadsheet that supports csv but the user (ie me) has no control of this format.

Below is the same 1st 3 rows of spreadsheet data listed previously opened in Notepad

Sensor ID, Timestamp, Data Type, Total Electricity, Phase 1 Electricity, Phase 2 Electricity, Phase 3 Electricity, Temperature_C, Temperature_F
0,04/06/2012 00:11:00, Live, 1685, 825, 42, 818, 30.5, 87
0,04/06/2012 00:12:00, Live, 1706, 840, 43, 823, 30.5, 87

Villeroy · 0 04/06/12 00:11 Live 1685 825 42 818 30.5 87

So this is the source with comma separated, no text delimiter, English decimals and one unspecific date column: