CSV Extract from NeoDash adds quotes and leading white space

[GQ16]

• NeoDash version: 2.2.3
• Neo4j Database version: 4.4.9 (Enterprise)

When using the Table Output in NeoDash and allowing for CSV download, the CSV itself formats the results strangely and in a way that is problematic for users who depend on these extracts.

Expected, Ideal behavior:

• An output just like that of the Neo4j Browser when you run a query that results in a table and click "Export CSV"

• Which looks like this in Excel (it's perfect, this is what I want NeoDash to do):

• NeoDash Table Visual Behavior (Not perfect, but ok):

Actual behavior from "Download CSV" from NeoDash Visual:

• Adds quotes at beginning and end of all strings after the first column
• Adds a white space before every column name after the first column

[JonanOribe]

I'm currently working with the CSV download system on another issue, so I'll check this one out as well.

[nielsdejong]

Perhaps something additional that can fit in here?

From a user: When you download a table as csv, then the value 5 will be exported as  {“low”:5;“high”:0}

We should make sure to cast the javascript integers to human readable numbers when doing an export as a quick check.

[JonanOribe]

Perhaps something additional that can fit in here?

From a user: When you download a table as csv, then the value 5 will be exported as  {“low”:5;“high”:0}

We should make sure to cast the javascript integers to human readable numbers when doing an export as a quick check.

Ok, I add this one to task list.

[JonanOribe]

Currently, I just PR a solution for the leading spaces problem. @GQ16 what version of Excel are you using? I'm not able to reproduce the problem with the quotes

On database:

On Excel:

[GQ16]

@JonanOribe It's the latest version of excel I believe which is 2019?

Here is what I see when I export from NeoDash. Still the same issue.

[GQ16]

@JonanOribe, I've made a discovery. It appears to me that the leading space in front of all the data in the columns (except for column 1, which doesn't have the leading space issue) is the reason excel keeps the quotes. If you eliminate the leading space, the quotes automatically drop off as expected. (Of course, ignore the missing spaces between the actual string, that was a byproduct of me removing all the spaces)

Here is what happened after I removed the leading spaces using notepad before opening in excel:

[NanisTe]

@JonanOribe would you also mind looking at an example which includes a comma in the text columns? This also breaks any csv import because there is no possibilty to change the column separator type during export.

This problem will now especially problamatic since the quotes now disappear and a comma in the text column could be identified as a column separator.

[JonanOribe]

No worries @NanisTe , I will add this one too to the task list

[BennuFire]

Closed with 2.2.4

[GQ16]

I'm still dealing with this issue after the latest update. I have to go into Notepad and do a find and replace on all the commas with a space after ", " and replace them with just commas "," Once I do that, the file opens in excel without all the additional quotation marks. The leading spaces in front of all the columns other than the first is causing the issue.

[GQ16]

@nielsdejong @BennuFire @JonanOribe Here is a quick 1-minute video where I walk through exactly what I'm doing and showing the exact issues. https://youtu.be/NYhlgIYiNdk