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default setting to correctly open a csv file

Anonymous
2023-09-06T11:52:10+00:00

Hi there,

I'm trying to open a csv file in excel, but the columns are messed up, and I cannot fix it so there is a clear overview of data for every specific column.

I have tried to select a column (and not selecting at all); went to data and then text to with comma, but nothing changes.

This always happens, and i want to know if there is a default setting that i can change, so i can directly import the csv file and all columns are correct.

Thanks in advance!

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Settings

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  1. DaveM121 869.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-09-06T14:09:36+00:00

    I think I see the issue,

    Your decimal separator is set to a command and list separator is set to a decimal point and CSV files expect the list (thousands) separator set as comma

    In Excel settings, temporarily set the list (thousands) separator to a comma, save that setting, restart Excel and then try opening the CSV file.

    .

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-09-06T13:55:27+00:00

    they are downloaded from a research platform as a csv file, i am not creating them myself.

    when i asked someone else to download the data, this will just correctly show everything like it is supposed to.

    i provided screenshots of my settings:

    the internet also said to select: ignore applications that use DDE ( but i don't know if this is correct and it didn't change anything before)

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  3. DaveM121 869.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-09-07T07:41:56+00:00

    Click your Start Button, then without doing anything else, just type control

    In the resulting list you should see the old Control Panel, open that

    At the top of the old Control Panel, set View to icons

    You should then see the icon for the Region applet, open that.

    Click 'Advanced Settings' please provide a screenshot of the Numbers tab on the resulting dialog.

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  4. DaveM121 869.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-09-06T14:42:44+00:00

    If you uncheck the 'Use system separators' and the decimal separator is set to dot and the thousands separator is set to a coma, the CSV file should work correctly.

    Open the old Control panel, at the top set View to icons, then open the Region applet.

    Click 'Advanced Settings' please provide a screenshot of the Numbers tab on the resulting dialog.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-09-06T12:40:54+00:00

    Hi Dave,

    I could only open the file with wordpad, can I use this or do i need notepad?

    I tried to open a file while notepad was open, but i could not select the csv file from my laptop.

    The photo below is from wordpad.

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