CSV File Information
[ Last Updated 30 May 2006 ]
The CSV file format is a way to save tabular data in a very simple data format.
CSV stands for "comma separated values", and the CSV format is also referred to as "comma delimited". As the name suggests, fields (values) are separated by commas, with each row (representing a record) on its own line. Some CSV files use semicolons instead of commas to separate fields.
CSV files carry the .csv suffix. They can be opened and read by almost all spreadsheet programmes and databases, providing a standard way in which data can be shared among different programmes. CSV files can also be read using simple text-based programmes (although the columns of data may not be visually obvious). In addition the CSV file format can be read and written by any programming language that allows input/output and has the ability to process strings.
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