csv-rfc.txt

c/csv-rfc.txt

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+Definition of the CSV Format
+
+While there are various specifications and implementations for the
+CSV format (for ex. [4], [5], [6] and [7]), there is no formal
+specification in existence, which allows for a wide variety of
+interpretations of CSV files.  This section documents the format that
+seems to be followed by most implementations:
+
+1.  Each record is located on a separate line, delimited by a line
+    break (CRLF).  For example:
+
+    aaa,bbb,ccc CRLF
+    zzz,yyy,xxx CRLF
+
+2.  The last record in the file may or may not have an ending line
+    break.  For example:
+
+    aaa,bbb,ccc CRLF
+    zzz,yyy,xxx
+
+3.  There maybe an optional header line appearing as the first line
+    of the file with the same format as normal record lines.  This
+    header will contain names corresponding to the fields in the file
+    and should contain the same number of fields as the records in
+    the rest of the file (the presence or absence of the header line
+    should be indicated via the optional "header" parameter of this
+    MIME type).  For example:
+
+    field_name,field_name,field_name CRLF
+    aaa,bbb,ccc CRLF
+    zzz,yyy,xxx CRLF
+
+4.  Within the header and each record, there may be one or more
+    fields, separated by commas.  Each line should contain the same
+    number of fields throughout the file.  Spaces are considered part
+    of a field and should not be ignored.  The last field in the
+    record must not be followed by a comma.  For example:
+
+    aaa,bbb,ccc
+
+5.  Each field may or may not be enclosed in double quotes (however
+    some programs, such as Microsoft Excel, do not use double quotes
+    at all).  If fields are not enclosed with double quotes, then
+    double quotes may not appear inside the fields.  For example:
+
+    "aaa","bbb","ccc" CRLF
+    zzz,yyy,xxx
+
+6.  Fields containing line breaks (CRLF), double quotes, and commas
+    should be enclosed in double-quotes.  For example:
+
+    "aaa","b CRLF
+    bb","ccc" CRLF
+    zzz,yyy,xxx
+
+7.  If double-quotes are used to enclose fields, then a double-quote
+    appearing inside a field must be escaped by preceding it with
+    another double quote.  For example:
+
+    "aaa","b""bb","ccc"
+
+The ABNF grammar [2] appears as follows:
+
+  file = [header CRLF] record *(CRLF record) [CRLF]
+
+  header = name *(COMMA name)
+
+  record = field *(COMMA field)
+
+  name = field
+
+  field = (escaped / non-escaped)
+
+  escaped = DQUOTE *(TEXTDATA / COMMA / CR / LF / 2DQUOTE) DQUOTE
+
+  non-escaped = *TEXTDATA
+
+  COMMA = %x2C
+
+  CR = %x0D ;as per section 6.1 of RFC 2234 [2]
+
+  DQUOTE =  %x22 ;as per section 6.1 of RFC 2234 [2]
+
+  LF = %x0A ;as per section 6.1 of RFC 2234 [2]
+
+  CRLF = CR LF ;as per section 6.1 of RFC 2234 [2]
+
+  TEXTDATA =  %x20-21 / %x23-2B / %x2D-7E
+