Databases, csv, spreadsheets and other herbs

Data export and import between databases and spreadsheets should be an easy task, but sometimes progress in time doesn't mean advance of products or functionalities, at least it is true fact when we are speaking about Microsoft products.



For instance, a task like specify a separator symbol in Excel; different than comma was so easy in the past, but now it is nightmare.

Dbvisualizer - find drivers

Database extraction

For example SQLTools or DB visualizer

-SQLTools, fast and free tool, can work without installation but requires Oracle client installed.

Config of connections:
.\GNU\SQLTools\connections.xml
or
.\SQLTools\SharedData\connections.xml

-DB visualizer supports many database drivers (even can be detected from the computer)
Support extraction to CSV files, and select a separator symbol.

Remove Newline Character. Always checked, to avoid return carriage ia a field being used as delimiter

C:\Users\myuser\.dbvis\config70\dbvis.xml

Notes: There is an issue with  DBvisualizer/Gnumeric, default windows enconding "cp1252" from DBvis cannot be recognized by Gnumeric.

Oracle SQL Developer - Export

Squirrel SQL

C:\Users\myuser\.squirrel-sql\SQLAliases23.xml

SQL Developer (Oracle)
With many options and able to work with many connections and tables at same time.
Can export to csv, tsv, dsv, xls,xlsx (including query in a different tab)

v 4.1.3.20
Features:
CVS integrated with compare features (tab: Historial)
Result of previous queries  (results tabs)

Settings/configuration:
Herramientas,Preferencias,Editor de codigos, Canal de Linea, Mostrar números de líneas
Herramientas,Preferencias,Base de datos,NLS, formato fecha=DD/MM/RR HH24:MI:SSXFF
Herramientas,Preferencias,Base de datos,Avanzada, Tamaño de recuperación.. =50


Connections configuration:

Users\myself\AppData\Roaming\SQL Developer\system4.1.3xx\o.jdeveloper.db.connection.12.2.1.0xx\connections.xml (includes encrypted password, file with passwords will work on other system/version)


Connections, Export/import connections  (requires a password to encrypt passwords in xml file)

Install Password Plugin: Show me password
com.tomecode.showme.password.sqldeveloper.1.0.0


JDK configuration


by default ../../jdk
(if not detected there; a browse folder box will allow us to select the folder)



sqldeveloper4.x.\sqldeveloper\sqldeveloper\bin\sqldeveloper.conf

SetJavaHome ../../jdk



Spreadsheets

Gnumeric:
is able to import csv files with a different than comma symbol,
is able to export a spreadsheet with an specific separator

There are problems importing a  csv file DBvis enconded with "cp1252"
The following combinatiosn works

DBvisualizer / Gnumeric
UTF8        /    ISO 8859-2
CP1252    /    Windows 1250

Import
Go to "Data", "Import Text File", "Text import configuration" or "Data", "Text to Columns"

Export
Save As, File type: Text (configurable)

Gnumeric Export

Ms. Excel 2003
Can import csv, and even specify delimiters but it is useless for exportation to csv as it always delimit columns using semicolon.
Theorically from Computer, regional settings, delimiter can be configured but it doesn´t work.

Ms. Excel (>2007)

Last versions removed the option Import in Menu, so now it is not very intuitive, but it can be done opening a text file with a .txt extension (don't use csv, because automatically comma will be used as delimiter)  and a wizards will be launched.
Theoretically from Computer, regional settings, delimiter can be configured but it doesn't work with Windows 7.  Probably excel is one of the best Microsoft apps but there is a complete lack of interoperability. Better to use Libreoffice

Excel import

Formating contents in Excel:

Cleaning acents:
Limited by maximun of nested functions:
=SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(B1,"á","a"),"é","e"),"í","i"),"ó","o"),"ú","u"),"ã","a")

Convert to Proper name and clean acents
=SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(PROPER(A9),"á","a"),"é","e"),"í","i"),"ó","o"),"ú","u")


Look for a string in an array a extract a column from same row
=VLOOKUP(b2,!equivalencias$1:$20,2,FALSE)
=VLOOKUP(stringtofind,in_array!$first_row:$last_row,col_to extract,FALSE)
False=match exact string

Find a string in the last characters
=IF(RIGHT(E2,10)="@domain.es","Spanish",IF(RIGHT(E2,13)="@domain.co.uk","British","none"))

Detect white spaces at beginning or end of a string
i.e if space found write the string without spaces.
=IF(OR(LEFT(A2,1)=" ",RIGHT(A2,1)=" "),TRIM(A2),"Word  is OK")


Libreoffice/OpenOffice

Import, just open a csv file and wizard automatically will open.

Export, Save as: CSV with checkbox "Edit filter settings" let us to change delimiter character or add quotation marks to fields