User generated CSVs

[GoogleCodeExporter]

What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. copy text from bank website that won't provide CSV file download
2. Convert to CSV file in excel/textedit or similar.  date,description,amount
3. try to import with mdcsvimporter

What is the expected output? What do you see instead?
Hoped to import data - message 'CSV files in this format not supported' seen 
instead

What version of the product are you using? On what operating system?
beta 8, Mac OSX, MD2010

Please provide any additional information below.
Any chance you could let me know what format i need to get the csv into to be 
able to import it?
UK banks are very poor at providing downloadable transactions in OFX or CSV.  
Would be great to 
find a work around.  Thanks

Original issue reported on code.google.com by DrDSem...@gmail.com on 9 Dec 2009 at 4:00

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Interesting request. We need to talk a bit before I'll know how to approach 
this.

FYI, CSV files are rather simple text files. If you have not yet, check out the
wikipedia article about them. You don't really need to know much, but knowing 
some
can help us understand each other better. See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma-separated_values

The more structured the file, the easier my work will be, and also more 
reliable the
imported data.

I think the best way to start is for you to actually try what you describe. Go 
to the
web site and copy your statement and try pasting into simple notepad file. 
Since we
are dealing with your financial information, make sure you scrub the data of any
identifiable information. All I care is that the format is recognizable. The 
values
can all be fake.

Original comment by Jovanovi...@gmail.com on 10 Dec 2009 at 12:27

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Thanks for quick reply and the link to the wiki page.  I don't think the files 
i've tried fall outside the standards for 
csv files, but i've attached an example file for you to see.  This was created 
by selecting the data from the bank 
website, pasting into excel and then saving as a csv file.
I've tried different date formats, removing all non text characters, having 
credits and debits in a single column and 
enclosing all fields in "" marks, but the importer always reports that csv 
files in this format are not accepted.  I can 
import them with the standard text importer with MD, but then that loses all 
the benefit of your extension which 
would treat them as downloaded transactions and allow far greater control etc...

Thanks again for your help.

Original comment by DrDSem...@gmail.com on 10 Dec 2009 at 10:34

Attachments:

• [example data.csv](https://storage.googleapis.com/google-code-attachments/mdcsvimporter/issue-4/comment-2/example data.csv)

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Excellent, I think we are in a good place now.

First, let me explain that the reason it did not work so far for you is that my 
code
will try to recognize precisely some of the built in formats. The reason for 
this is
that I am much more comfortable with the accuracy if I can verify the value 
formats
against strict expectations. Currently the plug in supports CitiBank Canada and 
ING
Netherlands. When we are done with your format, we will have to give it some 
name...

That said, I have enough to give it a go. I will reply here with a test version 
for
you to try. 

Original comment by Jovanovi...@gmail.com on 10 Dec 2009 at 2:45

• Changed state: Started

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Fantastic.  Thanks very much for your time and effort.  Very much appreciated!

Original comment by DrDSem...@gmail.com on 10 Dec 2009 at 4:38

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I have added support the format you provided. For now I am fixing the date 
format to
be DD/MM/YYYY, but I will have to make this user selectable as it will confise 
North
American users.

Important: I have corrected the description column spelling (you provided
"discription"). You will have to use "description" for your file to be properly 
detected.

Please try this, and I will make it a proper release if you are satisfied.

Original comment by Jovanovi...@gmail.com on 11 Dec 2009 at 3:01

Attachments:

• mdcsvimporter.mxt

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I tested the .mxt you provided and it works for me so long as I transpose the 
date 
format to DD/MM/YEAR (North American here.) Your plugin is a HUGE help. Thank 
you!

The example csv that was provided earlier helped me get it in the proper 
format. For 
your next release you should offer that as an example on the wiki for future 
users. 
Also, I wasn't sure it was working at first. I was at the account page and 
nothing 
updated at the bottom after import. After going to the MD home page then back 
to the 
account it was there. I'm using MoneyDance 2008r4 (640). Will your plugin also 
work 
for MD 2010?

Original comment by chocolat...@gmail.com on 3 Apr 2010 at 3:04

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Finally I found some time to correct some of these things. I have released 
BETA10
which includes support for this format. In addition, the importer now tries to 
guess
the date format used in the file, and will allow you to chose from all detected
formats. So, this should solve both of your problems.

Please, please test it some. I have only the files you have sent me and limited 
time.
I dread my code messing someone's finances, no matter how carefully I tried to
explain that no warranty is given.

Original comment by Jovanovi...@gmail.com on 8 Apr 2010 at 8:04

• Changed state: Fixed

[GoogleCodeExporter]

BTW, I do plan to support MoneyDance 2010. However its still in beta and I saw 
quite
a few changes being done there. When it gets close to release, I hope to see 
what
porting is required. If you need more info in the future, don't hesitate to ask.

Original comment by Jovanovi...@gmail.com on 8 Apr 2010 at 11:49