Page Icon How To Edit the Column Layout of a CSV File

   

To Edit the Column Layout of a CSV File

Step 1: Open your file with a dedicated CSV Editor - Rons Data Edit

    First things first, make sure you use the correct application to edit your CSV files; you can download Rons Data Edit, for free, right here: Download.

    Your CSV file can be opened using the 'Open Document' File menu, or 'Open Document' link on the Start Page of the application.

Step 2: Edit the column layout using one of the three following ways:

1. Editing the column layout using the Ribbon Menu Options

    The column layout can be edited in many ways using the functionalities displayed on the ribbon bar. To make changes that directly affect the layout of the columns, go to the Columns section.

Column Layout Top Ribbon

    When one column is selected, one can add or duplicate that column to the left or to the right, delete it or clear its content by clicking on the relevant buttons. Click on "Rename Column" to change an existing column name or to add a new one to a newly added column.

    When the whole document is selected, one can click on the "Delete Empty" button to remove potential empty columns, or click on "Detect Types" to define in one go whether each column type is for example Text, Time, Numbers or Dates.

    See below for the listing of all The Ribbon Bar Columns Buttons and their explanation.

    The Ribbon Bar Columns Buttons

    Description

    Options

    Explanation

    Edit Schema The Edit Schema pannel is a pannel that allows to sort, rename and attribute a type to column. See Step b and The Edit Schema Pannel section in this article for further details.
    Detect Types When clicking on "Detect Types" after selecting one column or the whole document the application detects and attributes a type to each column. Types can be the following: Text, Time, Date, Date Time, Number, Decimal, or Boolean.
    Update Schema When the column layout has been be arranged using viewing options,  such as, for example, hidding a column, clicking on "Update Schema" changes the layout accordingly by removing the column.
    Rename Column Select a column and click on Rename Column to open the cell field and type in the new name.
    Add Left Select a column and add a new empty column to the left.
    Add Right Select a column and add a new empty column to the right.
    Duplicate Left Select a column and duplicate it as a new column to the left.
    Duplicate Right Select a column and duplicate it as a new column to the right.
    Move << First
    Select a column and move it as the first column on the document.
    < Left Select a column and move it one column to the left.
    > Right Select a column and move it one column to the right.
    >> Last Select a column and move it as the last column on the document.
    Show Panel "Show Pannel" opens a pop up pannel with <<  <  >  >> arrows to move columns more easily across the document.
    Delete Select a column and delete it.
    Clear Select a column and remove its content without removing the column.
    Delete Empty Select the whole document and remove any column that has no content.
    Column Tools Split

    To open the Split Column tool. See How To Split Columns in a CSV File

    Merge To open the Merge Column tool. See How To Merge Columns in a CSV File
    Pivot To open the Pivot Column tool. See How To Pivot Columns in a CSV File
    Some changes can be made that only affect the view, such as hiding or freezing columns. For more information check the article How to View efficiently a CSV File.

2. Editing the column layout in the 'Edit Schema' pannel

Edit Schema

    In the ribbon bar, at the top of the main window, go to the 'Columns' tab, and click on the 'Edit Schema' button. This action opens the 'Edit Schema' pannel.

    Editing the schema (columns) of the document actually changes the way it is stored when saved to the disk, rather than just being a visual change to the layout.

    In this pannel, the columns names are displayed vertically and numbered, and can be easily moved using the Up, Down, Top and Bottom arrows. Columns can be inserted, deleted or duplicated using the appropriate buttons. Column types can be automatically detected in one go using the Detect Types button.  Each column can also be edited separately, be renamed and assigned a type chosen from options listed in a drop down menu.

    See the below table for a description of the 'Edit Schema" pannel buttons.

    The 'Edit Schema' Buttons

    Description

    Options

    Explanation

    Add Add a column at the end of the list.
    Insert Insert a column above a selected one in the list.
    Delete Delete a selected column.
    Duplicate - (Copy) Duplicate a selected column. If Duplicate (Copy) is selected the exact column and it content will be copied.
    - (Text) Duplicate a selected column. If Duplicate (Text) is selected the same column name will be copied without its content.
    Up/Down Up and Down buttons can be clicked on to move the columns accordingly.
    Top/Bottom Top and Bottom buttons can be clicked on to move the columns accordingly.
    Guide Local Guide available to explain the "Edit Schema" pannel.
    Detect Types When clicking on "Detect Types" the application detects and attributes a type to each column. Types can be the following: Text, Time, Date, Date Time, Number, Decimal, or Boolean.
    Reset Existing Reset the columns as they were. This is possible as long as the pannel view has not been saved.
    Save Save the document and leave the pannel open.
    Save and Close Save the document and close the pannel.
    Close Close the pannel without saving.
    Columns Section

    The 'Selected Columns' section displays the columns where the split data is going to be displayed.

    Edit Data Column Section

    Name Editable field where a column can be renamed.
    Text Hint List of Types that may be assigned to the selected column. Types can be the following: Text, Time, Date, Date Time, Number, Decimal, or Boolean.
    Additional options are displayed when a new column is added or inserted:
    Edit Data Column Section Name Editable field where a column can be renamed.
    Text Hint

    List of Types that may be assigned to the selected column. Types can be the following: Text, Time, Date, Date Time, Number, Decimal, or Boolean.

    New Column Value

    Empty When selected the column won't contain any value.
    Copy When selected the column will contain the same values as the existing column chosen from the dropdown menu.
    Text When selected, any value can be typed in the dedicated field and the value will be displayed in the column.

3: Editing the column layout in the 'View Layout' side pannel by synchronizing the view with the "Update Schema" button.

Side Pannel Column Layout

    Click on the third side bar icon called 'View Layout" to open the side pannel.

    This side pannel is primarily used to manage the visual side of a document by hiding the columns. However, much more can be done to the column layout by using the right-click menu options. The menu, for example, offers options to move the columns left and right, to sort the order of the columns ascending or descending, hide or freeze rows. While changes may be used for temporary viewing purposes and be undone easily by 'resetting' the document (Right-click menu or top ribbon menu under View/Reset), they can also be saved to alter the column layout structure by clicking on the "Update Schema" button in the Column top ribbon menu.

    Note that it is still possible to use Undo/Redo as long as the whole document has not been saved.

    See the article How to View efficiently a CSV File for more detailed information about the "View Layout" side pannel.

Step 3: Save the file

    When satisfied with the changes, make sure to save the document by clicking on the 'Save' button the top left corner of the main window or by clicking the 'Save' button on the 'Home' tab of the ribbon bar.

Finally

    Do you have a question, or some feedback? We'd love to hear from you! Send us, Rons Place Software, a message using our Contact Form and we will get back to you shortly.

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