Export

While looking at the export function, I selected the .csv option, but it created a .txt file even though it was comma delimited and not tab delimited. It this the correct functionality?

Comments

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    CSV = Comma Separated Values

    Why would it be tab delimited?
    CSV files are text files by definition. .txt is fine, as is .csv. It's just a matter of personal preference.

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    You're wrong. .txt does not imply tab separated values. .txt simply implies textual content.
    Granted, .csv files are almost invariably comma separated data but such data can quite validly be in any filename.

    That said, I have no problem with having it changed to .csv by default for CSV data.

  • RichardPayne
    RichardPayne
    Community Member

    Love the Freudian slip :lol:

    The point I was making is that while the comma -> .csv and tab -> .txt may be a common association, no program should be making assumptions about the contents of a .txt file other than that it contains text. If another program is getting confused then it is faulty and should be fixed.

  • MrC
    MrC
    Volunteer Moderator

    The file extension for CSV is commonly, but not always, .csv. Windows will use whatever program is associated with the .csv suffix to Open or Edit the file - this could be a spreadsheet program or a basic text editor. And some programs will also filter out from their Open File dialog the file extensions they don't support (i.e. content format implied by file suffix, but obviously not guaranteed), or they may support Importing a .csv file, not not Opening the .csv file. It's all a big mess.

    Since the Mac doesn't typically use file suffixes (and content type determined in another way), it may be that in the past (from 1Password's origins), 1Password instructions and hence import and export file "types" were simply described as textual, delimited files and not particularly CSV or TSV.

  • Hi @SecretSquirrel,

    There is no official standard that defines what extension CSV files should use, either .txt or .csv are acceptable, that's why there is no consistency to what apps uses. When you ask 1Password to export, you can name it with .csv extension and it'll save it without appending .txt to it.

    However, I'll bring it up with the team and see if we'd consider switching it to use the .CSV file type by default since there's an RFC 4180 that encourages CSV as the file extension.

This discussion has been closed.