Retired

[Earl]

 I'm required to export a CSV from FileMaker that I need to import in a PC based program. My export is a CSV or Excel file but when I try to import it, it shows that all the fields have "Double Quotes" in them and my PC based program will not accept the file.  However, If I open the Excel file on the PC desk top and save it first before importing, the quotes disappear and the file works. How can I export the file from FileMaker so the quotes are not included? And what are they?

 

[comment]

13 hours ago, Earl said:

what are they?

There exist several variations of the CSV format. The variation that Filemaker uses encloses all fields in double quotes. This allows exporting fields that contain commas, carriage returns and double quotes. According to the RFC 4180 specification:

• Any field may be quoted (with double quotes).
• Fields containing a line-break, double-quote or commas should be quoted. (If they are not, the file will likely be impossible to process correctly.)
• If double-quotes are used to enclose fields, then a double-quote must be represented by two double-quote characters.

It should be noted that Filemaker's implementation does not fully conform to these requirements (or perhaps better put, it exceeds them) because it converts in-field carriage returns to vertical tabs, for no good reason.

 

13 hours ago, Earl said:

How can I export the file from FileMaker so the quotes are not included?

You need to create your own. The available methods depend on the version in use - see:
https://fmforums.com/topic/106027-need-to-export-a-text-file-with-each-field-on-a-separate-line/?do=findComment&comment=479210

If you're indeed using version 11, then XML/XSLT is your only option - unless your target application can read UTF-16 encoded files. If it does, you can have a script write the CSV into a global text field, then export the field's content. Or, if you're willing to limit yourself to the Mac platform, you could use AppleScript to create the file (you could probably use OS-level scripting in Windows, too - but then you would have to put in twice the work).

--
P.S. Your profile says version 11 on Catalina; I believe that's a very unstable combination.
PP.S. What's up with the title?

 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by comment