Strings sent to .csv file are modified

[MPerlick]

When I send a string array to a .csv file the strings are modified. Example: The string 29,000 is changed to 29. I'm not sure if this is a LabVIEW or Excel problem. I've attached Test.vi.

[paul.r]

The strings aren't modified - open the file in notepad and you will see the file is as you wrote it - 10.000E-6,29,000. But, when you try and open it in Excel, if you tell Excel it's a comma separated variable file, it assumes the '29,000' is two variables. So, dont use strings with nested comma's in a CSV file, or use some other character as a delimiter. 

[MPerlick]

Thanks. I see that now, but my other string 10.000E-6 is changed to 1.00E-05. 

[DJColeslaw]

Hi MPerlick,

The 29 is coming out weird because you have placed a comma within that string and used comma as the delimiter which causes the write VI to parse that number into two numbers, which is why you also see a 0 in the cell next to 29. That's the ",000" portion of the string which has been parsed into a separate cell. All you need to do is remove the comma from the number or use a different delimiter.

[paul.r]

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@MPerlick wrote:

Thanks. I see that now, but my other string 10.000E-6 is changed to 1.00E-05. 

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Same number, different representation - again, the original string is maintained if you open the file in notepad. Its an excel setting to display it as 1.00E-05 verses 10.000E-6.

[MPerlick]

Thanks DJColeslaw:

I did remove the comma, but I'm still having an issue with the string 10.000E-6. It's coming out as 1.00E-05. This should be a string.

[Mark_Yedinak]

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@MPerlick wrote:

Thanks DJColeslaw:

I did remove the comma, but I'm still having an issue with the string 10.000E-6. It's coming out as 1.00E-05. This should be a string.

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That is the same number. It just moved the decimal point.

[DJColeslaw]

I suspect the change in formatting is due to Excel. If you select a column, right-click, and go to "format cells" you have quite a bit of flexibility in setting how Excel formats the data it interprets. Less feature-rich text editors that don't auto-format the text won't have this problem.

[paul.r · Accepted solution]

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@DJColeslaw wrote:

I suspect the change in formatting is due to Excel. If you select a column, right-click, and go to "format cells" you have quite a bit of flexibility in setting how Excel formats the data it interprets. Less feature-rich text editors that don't auto-format the text won't have this problem.

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It is - if instead of saving the file as a csv file, you save it as a text file, when you then try and open it in Excel it will take you through an import wizard that will allow you to specify the format of the data. 

[MPerlick]

Thanks again. I see my data is saved as Scientific. I'll try your suggestion and save it as a text and then try to open it in excel and use the import wizard. I wouldn't be so picky, but this is the test results data for the customer.