CSV Table Format

While no formal specification for CSV exists, RFC 4180 describes a common format and establishes “text/csv” as the MIME type registered with the IANA, with the CVS table syntax following these guidelines.

• A new table body is introducted with the following marker;
  (start table [title], [caption], format=csv ,[options ..]  )
• Unless the option header=no is given, the first line is taken as the column headers.
• All non-blank lines are taken as cell text.
• Each record is one line terminated by a new line.
• Fields that contain a special character (comma, newline, or double quote), must be enclosed in double quotes.  (i.e “data, with a comma”).
• A double quote character can be embedded within the field text by ecaping the character, by placing another double quote character next to it within the field definition (ie “”).
• Termination of the table body is by a (end) marker.

Example

Source

      (start table Title, Caption, format=csv)
      "Column1", "Column2", "Column3"
      "Column1.1", "Column1.2", "Column1.3"
      "Column2,1", "Column2.2", "Column2.3"
      "Column3.1", "Column3,2", "Column3.3"
      "Column4.1", "Column4.2", "Column4,3"
      """Column5.1""","Column""5.2""","Column5.3"
      Column7.1 , , Column7.3
      Column6.1, Column6.2, Column6.3
      Column8.1 ,, "Column8.3
over two lines"
      (end table)

Example Two

This CSV example illustrates that

• First line is taken as the column headers,
• Fields that contain commas and double-quotes must be quoted,
• A quote within a field must be escaped with an additional quote immediately preceding the literal quote,
• Space before and after delimiter commas may be trimmed.

Source

(start table format=csv)
Year,Make,Model,Features,Price
1997, Ford,  E350," ac, abs, moon"  ,3000.00
1997, Ford,  E350,"ac, abs, moon",3000.00
1999, Chevy, "Venture ""Extended Edition""",,4900.00
1996, Jeep,  Grand Cherokee,"MUST SELL air, moon roof, loaded",4799.00
(end table)