Import .csv File Problems

[Dalene]

Hi,

I hope you can assist me. We have 2 problems with uploading data into Excel
from a .csv file:

1) Numbers longer than 11 digits - in this case vehicle part numbers –
upload automatically in scientific format. As a result the part number gets
distorted and the user can not read the correct number in the cell. For
instance 8566463565562550 upload as 8.56646E+15.

2) Numbers with leading zeros are uploaded without the leading zeros, i.e.
0000001033 upload as 1033. The leading zeros must remain once imported.

Kind regards,

Dalene Bekker
Johannesburg, South Africa

 

[Gary''s Student]

Excel is trying to "help" you. To avoid this help, rename the file to .txt
rather than .csv

This will bring up the Imporet Wizard when you open the file with Excel.
Just tell the Wizard to treat the field as Text rather than General.

 

[David Biddulph]

As an alternative to renaming from csv to txt, another way of imposing the
text import wizard is to use Data/ Import External Data ...

 

[Dalene]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply, but both these options will not work. We're uploading
the .csv file in an application where the action is the same as double
clicking the file. Double clicking a .csv file opens up in Excel; double
clicking a text file will not open Excel. For the same reason the wizard will
not work.

Any other suggestions?

Thank you,

Dalene

 

[Dalene]

Hi David,
What do you suggest we do about this problem? Is there a way we can request
Microsoft to write a patch or solution for us?

Eagerly awaiting your reply.....

Regards,
Dalene Bekker

 

[David Biddulph]

If you think that you can persuade Microsoft to change things, you are
welcome to try! Or you could ask Mr Gates how much he would charge you to
produce a different version for you.

Another option open to you is to try one of the alternatives to Excel (such
as Open Office), and see how that behaves, but usually it will behave
similarly to Excel.

As ever, there is a balance between flexibility of user options on one hand,
and user friendliness in the default case on the other hand. The software
authors presumably believe that most users want to treat data the way that
Excel does, and then the text import wizard does give flexibility when other
users want to treat data differently.