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Diffstat (limited to 'Doc/library/csv.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/library/csv.rst | 18 |
1 files changed, 9 insertions, 9 deletions
diff --git a/Doc/library/csv.rst b/Doc/library/csv.rst index 90261e2..a20c4be 100644 --- a/Doc/library/csv.rst +++ b/Doc/library/csv.rst @@ -11,15 +11,15 @@ pair: data; tabular The so-called CSV (Comma Separated Values) format is the most common import and -export format for spreadsheets and databases. There is no "CSV standard", so -the format is operationally defined by the many applications which read and -write it. The lack of a standard means that subtle differences often exist in -the data produced and consumed by different applications. These differences can -make it annoying to process CSV files from multiple sources. Still, while the -delimiters and quoting characters vary, the overall format is similar enough -that it is possible to write a single module which can efficiently manipulate -such data, hiding the details of reading and writing the data from the -programmer. +export format for spreadsheets and databases. CSV format was used for many +years prior to attempts to describe the format in a standardized way in +:rfc:`4180`. The lack of a well-defined standard means that subtle differences +often exist in the data produced and consumed by different applications. These +differences can make it annoying to process CSV files from multiple sources. +Still, while the delimiters and quoting characters vary, the overall format is +similar enough that it is possible to write a single module which can +efficiently manipulate such data, hiding the details of reading and writing the +data from the programmer. The :mod:`csv` module implements classes to read and write tabular data in CSV format. It allows programmers to say, "write this data in the format preferred |