Downloading CSV files

[Jake]

When I down load CSV files they have a suffix.xls., they do not display as separate columns so I can select what I want to copy and paste in my worksheet.

My prior version of Excel the downloaded CSV files did not have the suffix and were displayed as I could extract the data i wanted.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
Jake

 

[katie_c]

All of my csv downloads now have .xla suffixes. There seems to be something associated with 2008 that attaches these suffixes. My solution is to rename the file and remove the .xla or .xls, then it should behave as .csv files used to in 2004.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

All of my csv downloads now have .xla suffixes. There seems to be something
associated with 2008 that attaches these suffixes. My solution is to rename
the file and remove the .xla or .xls, then it should behave as .csv files
used to in 2004.

Safari, right?

Don't know whether it's an Apple or MS problem, but it doesn't seem to
exist for FireFox.

I do know that MS and Apple are both aware of the problem, and,
presumably, are working to fix it.

 

[Jake]

Thanks very much!

Jake

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

When I down load CSV files they have a suffix.xls., they do not display as
separate columns so I can select what I want to copy and paste in my
worksheet.

My prior version of Excel the downloaded CSV files did not have the suffix and
were displayed as I could extract the data i wanted.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
Jake

I¹d also like to point out that the file extension means NOTHING to Excel.
It is only used by the operating system. You can name an Excel file with any
extension you like, both ³legal² and made up like .xxx, and Excel will open
the file just fine (provided you navigate to it via Open in the file Menu.)
Excel determines the file type by examining the file¹s contents.

So, apparently Safari is appending the wrong file extension (known problem
mentioned in JE¹s post), but Excl still recognizes the file as a text file.
The fact that a; the data is in a single column can be solved by using the
Text to columns² in the data menu.

 

[Jake]

Bob,

I have a work around to solve the problem that happens when I download my portfolio latest stock prices using Marketwatch.com where the problem occurs. The data is shown as rows separated by commas but not as distinct columns.

If I go to the Wall Street Journal site and down load the prices from there where they are downloaded properly in separate rows and columns for my use.

Thanks,
Richard

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Bob,

I have a work around to solve the problem that happens when I download my
portfolio latest stock prices using Marketwatch.com where the problem occurs.
The data is shown as rows separated by commas but not as distinct columns.

If I go to the Wall Street Journal site and down load the prices from there
where they are downloaded properly in separate rows and columns for my use.

Thanks,
Richard

Once Excel opens the file use text to columns to separate the data into the
columns you need.