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Should Quicken allow semicolon as separator for CSV file imports?

jdparker225

If you try to import a CSV file that uses semicolon as separator, the import will fail. Yet when creating or editing a CSV file, if you are not careful, both Microsoft Excel and OpenOffice Calc will change the comma to semicolon.

The reason for this is because, in some countries, commas are used in place of decimal points. Thus semicolons are a more universally acceptable separator in spite of the fact that it is Comma-Separated Values file.

I know you can avoid the problem if you are careful and can correct the problem with a text editor if you do mess up, but it is a nuisance. Why can't Quicken make life easier by allowing semicolon as separator? Is there some possibility that, say, the memo field might contain a semicolon but can't contain a comma?

Thanks

Jim

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Comments

UKR

Use the Tab character as column separation in a CSV file. That gets you around the comma - issue.

Alternatively, you can enclose a character string that contains commas in "double quotes".

Also see Comma-separated values - Wikipedia

Jon

I don't frequently use semicolons in the memo field but I probably have at some point.

I don't think semicolon separated values is a commonly used standard, at least I can't recall ever seeing it. Tabs and colons are common alternatives to commas; Numbers will export tab separated. I don't have Excel to check what it will do.

Chris_QPW

For a feature like this there would have to be a setting in Quicken, it can't just be guessed at.

Tab is a better possibility, but in fact I don't think that one can be assumed either in general, but maybe for the special case of Quicken.

Given that Quicken Mac has yet to implement a general CSV import, I would think this kind of option that the developers might consider when they do implement a more general-purpose CSV import. Right now, Quicken Mac's CSV import is a "Mint import".

Sceptic

@jdparker225 your idea has its merits, but is it a product enhancement for Quicken Mac or Quicken Windows? You posted in a Quicken Mac category, but your post has been tagged as "Windows".

jdparker225

I did not submit this as a product idea nor did I submit it for Mac. I do not understand how it got categorized as it did. I use Quicken Windows Classic.

Jim

Sceptic

I have asked the moderators to move your post to the appropriate Windows category.

jdparker225

I know how to work around the issue. It’s the nuisance created by OpenOffice Calc which by default changes comma to semicolon that annoys me. Don’t have Excel so I do not know its default behavior.

jdparker225

So you may have used a semicolon in a memo field. What about a comma?

jdparker225

Upon further reflection, I think my annoyance is misdirected. The problem is that (at least) OpenOffice Calc is changing the separators from commas to semicolons by default. The CSV files that I am editing (downloads from my bank) have commas as separators. I can get Calc to not change the separators but that's not the default behaviour. The default behaviour should be to leave well enough alone.

As I said earlier, this post was not intended to be a product idea. I just wanted to understand why Quicken didn't allow semicolon as a separator when, it seemed, that it was a common thing. If it complicates things for Quicken implementation or its use, then I'd be against changing anything. I know how to get Calc to do what I want. And, I am hoping, that the issue that causes me to need to import transactions through CSV files will be fixed soon.

Thanks

Jim