Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

General discussion related to "Everything".
Post Reply
Stamimail
Posts: 1121
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:05 pm

Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

Post by Stamimail »

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5998&p=17769&hilit= ... oad#p17386
void wrote:
Stamimail wrote:BTW. export to csv doesn't give you to export selected files in Results.
Exporting will always export all the current results, never the selection.
Also, there are many columns with values that doesn't have meaning for the simple user. The simple user need the values in the same Format as in Everything.
Please make sure you export as CSV.
The values will appear almost exactly as they do in Everything.
Size is formatted without commas.
Dates are formated with ISO8601: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.
Excel should have no issue parsing these values.
Also, there is a problem with displaying unicode characters in Excel by this method.
Everything exports CSV as UTF-8.

To correctly open UTF-8 CSV files in Excel:
  • In Excel, from the Data menu, from the Import External Data submenu, click Import data....
  • Select your exported csv and click Open.
  • Change File origin to 65001 : Unicode (UTF-8).
  • Click Next.
  • Check Comma.
  • Click Next.
  • Click Finish.
  • Click OK to put the data in the existing worksheet at $A$1.
When the user wants to use the Text displayed in the Results of Everything, he find it's not so simple task. As seen above, exporting to CSV table, doesn't make the life easier (especially if you don't know how "To correctly open UTF-8 CSV files in Excel:").
By the words "Text Mode" I mean, to have the Results pane like a built-it spreadsheet, where you can copy/edit Text. But I guess it's not simple thing to do.
Something like Textify tool can't help here, since you usually want to copy multiple "cells".
I can say that I found a convenient solution (but still it's a workaround) to copy files names (without adding entries in Context Menu). For this task I do:
1. Select files in Results
2. F2 (Rename)
3. Copy the Text in the TextBox

This is much easier way than exporting, but I didn't find such solution for the other Text.
therube
Posts: 4580
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm

Re: Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

Post by therube »

Workarounds...

(Nirsoft) SysExporter
Can copy all or selected "fields".
Then export in various formats; txt, html, tabbed txt, xml, csv...

(SoftwareOK) GetWindowText
Can do similar, but not as convenient.
Stamimail
Posts: 1121
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

Post by Stamimail »

Thank you for bringing these tools to my attention.
Tested. Yes, they can do the job (GetWindowText > Options > [Enable] Read all columns from the list view)
But still requires third party tool.
[btw. both has problem with handling Unicode control characters, https://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/ms ... /ctrls.GIF ]
Stamimail
Posts: 1121
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

Post by Stamimail »

Adding "Copy Field [to clipboard]" to context menu - does it seems reasonable?
Will appear for each cell/field by Right Click.
For Example:
Right Click on any Date Created date will display "Copy Field" in context menu.
Pressing "Copy Field" will copy the field string to clipboard.
Pressing "Copy Field" with ctrl/shift will copy the whole row to clipboard.
If multiple files were selected, and then Right Click > ctrl+"Copy Field" then it will copy the whole table.
I don't know what about if Full Row Selcet is enabled.
void
Developer
Posts: 15098
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

Post by void »

The export dialog could use some customization.

What about the Copy as CSV function:
  • In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
  • Click the Keyboard tab.
  • Select Result List | Copy as CSV
  • Click Add....
  • Press a new keyboard shortcut and click OK.
  • Click OK.
Select the desired files and press your shortcut key.
All column information for the selected items is copied to the clipboard as CSV.

A Copy Field with a submenu for each column could work.
Added to my TODO list.
Stamimail
Posts: 1121
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

Post by Stamimail »

Select the desired files and press your shortcut key.
All column information for the selected items is copied to the clipboard as CSV.
I get it like this:

Code: Select all

"שם","מיקום","גודל","סיומת קובץ","סוג","תאריך שינוי","תאריך יצירה"
"New folder2","C:\Everything\New folder1","","","תיקיית קבצים","‪‏10/11/2016‎ 10:35","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:22"
"New folder3","C:\Everything\New folder1\New folder2","","","תיקיית קבצים","‪‏01/12/2016‎ 23:13","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:22"
"New folder7","C:\Everything\New folder1\New folder2\New folder3\תיקיה חדשה4\תיקיה חדשה5\תיקיה חדשה6","","","תיקיית קבצים","‪‏10/11/2016‎ 10:35","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:23"
"New folder8","C:\Everything\New folder1\New folder2\New folder3\תיקיה חדשה4\תיקיה חדשה5\תיקיה חדשה6\New folder7","","","תיקיית קבצים","‪‏10/11/2016‎ 10:35","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:25"
"New folder9","C:\Everything\New folder1\New folder2\New folder3\תיקיה חדשה4\תיקיה חדשה5\תיקיה חדשה6\New folder7\New folder8","","","תיקיית קבצים","‪‏01/12/2016‎ 16:54","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:26"
"תיקיה חדשה4","C:\Everything\New folder1\New folder2\New folder3","","","תיקיית קבצים","‪‏10/11/2016‎ 10:35","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:22"
"תיקיה חדשה5","C:\Everything\New folder1\New folder2\New folder3\תיקיה חדשה4","","","תיקיית קבצים","‪‏10/11/2016‎ 10:35","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:22"
"תיקיה חדשה6","C:\Everything\New folder1\New folder2\New folder3\תיקיה חדשה4\תיקיה חדשה5","","","תיקיית קבצים","‪‏10/11/2016‎ 10:35","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:22"
"Everything.ini","C:\Everything\New folder1\New folder2\New folder3\תיקיה חדשה4\תיקיה חדשה5\תיקיה חדשה6\New folder7\New folder8\New folder9","3","ini","הגדרות תצורה","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:51","‪‏29/08/2016‎ 15:28"
Pasting it to Notepad or Excel (2003) doesn't give the desired form.
The user needs to know how to use the import/data
or
Replace , to <tab> in notepad
Then I could paste it to Excel and get the desired text table. "" was removed automtically in Excel.
Tried in Word. Pasting the text doesn't give much, but SelectAll and Add table, gives the desired form, and now with "".
Copy text as Table?
I don't know if there are better soultions to get the desired text table without asking the user to manipulate text.
with "" or without is another question. I think without is preffered.
A Copy Field with a submenu for each column could work.
I talked about context menu of/by cell, and it seems you are talking about the regular context menu of filenames.
In this case, I believe letting the user to customize the context menu will be the right solution.
therube
Posts: 4580
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm

Re: Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

Post by therube »

(Yet more workarounds...)

(Nirsoft's) CSVFileView has an
option to open/save UTF8 which can then handle the Hebrew characters correctly.
Stamimail
Posts: 1121
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: Exporting to CSV and Text Mode

Post by Stamimail »

therube wrote:(Nirsoft's) CSVFileView has an
option to open/save UTF8 which can then handle the Hebrew characters correctly.
The user needs to set:
Options > Unicode/Ascii Default Open Mode > UTF8

Not sure it's better than Excel, regarding manipulating text.

BTW, here my comments had sent to CSVFileView developer:
1. Needs a button/shortcut for LTR/RTL view. Switch all cells aligned to the left/right.
2. Quick Filter is fantastic, but needs to add highlignting for the letters found, something like there is in Windows Search.
3. Couldn't select only single cell (like in Excel).
Post Reply