Allow convertion to and from CSV (not just TSV)

[bredelings]

Tracer reads TSV, but other software reads or writes CSV.

[bredelings]

We could define

• CSJ = comma-separated-JSON. We read this by adding [ and ] at the left and right end and trying to read it as a JSON array. No CSV quoting needed.
• CSV = comma-separated-value. We read this using CSV quoting.

[bredelings]

Can we auto-detect the format?

• if the first line is a JSON object, then its MCON
• Currently we assume that non-MCON files are TSJ

Can we autodetect between CSJ, TSJ, CSV, TSV?

• Suppose we choose a format order, and just try reading the file in that order.

  • What order of formats should we choose? Should we try more-restrictive ones first?

• CSJ and TSJ would look the same for 1-column files

• CSJ==CSV and TSV==TSV for numeric-only files

• if we can read as CSJ, assume CSJ

Can we have a line that reads as both CSJ and TSJ?

• CSJ could have tabs as whitespace
• TSJ should have tabs
• if only 1 column, the formats are the same.

Can we have a line that reads as both CSV and CSJ?

• if all elements are numbers, then a CSJ line would also be CSV.