readtable produces apparent gibberish when reading csv file
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Steve Van Hooser
on 31 Oct 2024
Commented: Steve Van Hooser
on 31 Oct 2024
OK, I have a readtable puzzle.
I have a comma separated list, stored in 'a.csv' I'd like to read:
```
bathTargets,mixtures,firstFile,lastFile
lower,normal_saline,745_043_0000.abf,745_043_0060.abf
upper,"normal_saline,ptx",745_043_0000.abf,745_043_0060.abf
```
When I call readtable('a.csv') I get very odd output
```
>> readtable('a.csv')
Warning: Column headers from the file were modified to make them valid MATLAB identifiers before
creating variable names for the table. The original column headers are saved in the
VariableDescriptions property.
Set 'VariableNamingRule' to 'preserve' to use the original column headers as table variable names.
ans =
1×6 table
lower_normal saline_745 x043 x0000_abf_745 x043_1 x0060_abf
_________________ ___________________ ____ ________________ ______ ____________
{'upper,"normal'} {'saline,ptx",745'} 43 {'0000.abf,745'} 43 {'0060.abf'}
```
If I make a similar csv table, b.csv, as
```
bathTargets,mixtures,firstFile,lastFile
lower,"normal_saline",745_043_0000.abf,1
upper,"normal_saline,ptx",745_043_0000.abf,2
```
then readtable does what I expect:
```
readtable('b.csv')
ans =
2×4 table
bathTargets mixtures firstFile lastFile
___________ _____________________ ____________________ ________
{'lower'} {'normal_saline' } {'745_043_0000.abf'} 1
{'upper'} {'normal_saline,ptx'} {'745_043_0000.abf'} 2
```
If I open a.csv in Excel, it looks correct, and I can save it as a.xlcs and I get what I expect:
```
readtable('a.xlsx')
ans =
2×4 table
bathTargets mixtures firstFile lastFile
___________ _____________________ ____________________ ____________________
{'lower'} {'normal_saline' } {'745_043_0000.abf'} {'745_043_0060.abf'}
{'upper'} {'normal_saline,ptx'} {'745_043_0000.abf'} {'745_043_0060.abf'}
```
Does anyone know why reading a.csv fails?
Thanks
Steve
0 Comments
Accepted Answer
Voss
on 31 Oct 2024
Looks like readtable decides the delimiter for a.csv is '_' (underscore). I don't know why.
opts = detectImportOptions('a.csv');
opts.Delimiter
Specifying that ',' (comma) is the delimiter returns the correct result:
readtable('a.csv','Delimiter',',')
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