topic Re: CSV open behavior from forum in All Things Community

CSV open behavior from forum

ballardw — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 21:50:37 GMT

I am trying to determine if I may have a problem on my end or if the forum is doing something odd.

I see that we now have files attached that show an extension of CSV, which I do think is a very good idea. However when I attempt to view a CSV file from this forum it attempts to open in Excel with the associated mismatched file message similar to : Attempting to open Somefile.xlsx but the file format does not match.

I don't seem to have this behavior when opening CSV files from other websites. So have I run across another bug in Excel, Internet Explorer or Windows or does the forum actually try to send an XLSX file?

Re: CSV open behavior from forum

Tom — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 23:29:34 GMT

Let me try to attach a csv file dumped from SASHELP.CLASS.

I have attached both a .csv file and the same file renamed to end in .txt instead.

Re: CSV open behavior from forum

Tom — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 22:02:05 GMT

If I click the download button on the CSV file it downloads it (using Chrome) and then I can open it however I want on my PC.

With the .txt file I have the choice of viewing it in the browser by clicking on the file name instead of the icon.

Can we make that choice available for CSV files?

Re: CSV open behavior from forum

ballardw — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 22:43:49 GMT

Tom;

When you click the download for the CSV do you get a box that asks "What do you want to do with Class.xls"?

That is part of why I asked if this is something peculiar to my install.

Also, when I use the Save or Save As the file by default saves as XLS, and the only other option is as "all files". Which will save as a CSV by content but that is a lot of folderol when it should be able to open as a text file in the browser. I'm willing to blame all sorts of things on poor behavior by Microsoft so I was trying to see if the behaivor is restricted to me (or folks with similar set up) of the forum is actually doing something odd.

Re: CSV open behavior from forum

Reeza — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 23:04:26 GMT

I got a download box and once I clicked on file and it opened in Excel - default factor.

Re: CSV open behavior from forum

Tom — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 23:30:56 GMT

Whether you want to open CSV files in EXCEL or some other program is something that you can control on your PC. Probably not something that the website can control.

But allowing users to view the CSV without downloading it as a file is probably something that the website software could and should control.

I added a .sas file and for that one it is also only offering the download option. It should also allow users to browse posted .sas files wihtout having to download them as files.

Re: CSV open behavior from forum

RW9 — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 09:37:21 GMT

I agree, it would be useful top open any text based format in a window like the .txt ones, its a pain with our setup downloading files as they go to virtual desktop which backs them up etc.