PRJ: Saving a Project as TXT or CSV Uses Incorrect Delimiter (197074)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Project 2000
  • Microsoft Project 98 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q197074

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Project, if you save a project as "Text (Tab delimited) (*.txt)" or "CSV (Comma Delimited) (*.csv)," fields may be delimited with an incorrect character.

For example, if you save a project in the CSV file format, fields may be delimited with a tab character instead of a comma.

CAUSE

This problem may occur when you save a project in either the Text or CSV format, but the import/export map you use was originally created or edited to save a project in a different format (Text or CSV).

For example, you save a project in Text format, and you use a map that was originally created or edited while you saved a project in the CSV format.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, edit the import/export map, and then save out the project data. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. On the File menu, click Save As.
  2. In the Save As Type list, select the format you want to save as (Text or CSV).
  3. Click Save.
  4. Under Import/Export map to use for exporting, click the import/export map you want to save the project with.
  5. Click Edit.

    NOTE: Editing the import/export map changes the Text Delimiter setting on the Option tab to the appropriate delimiter for the file type you are saving.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Save.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

If you save a project in CSV format and you edit or create an import/export map, the text delimiter for that import/export map will be a comma (or the system list separator in Windows). If you then save a project in Text format and you use that same import/export map without editing the map, the data will be comma-delimited.

If you save a project in Text format and you edit or create an import/export map, the text delimiter for that import/export map will be a tab character. If you then save a project in CSV format and you use that same import/export map without editing the map, the data will be tab- delimited.

List Separators

CSV (comma delimited) (*.csv) format uses the List Separator setting in Windows as the delimiting character. If you set a character other than a comma as the list separator, Microsoft Project will use that character when you save in CSV format.

To verify the current list separator for your system, follow these steps.

NOTE: Because there are several versions of Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, please consult your product documentation to complete these steps.

  1. Click Start, point to Settings and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double click the Regional Settings icon.
  3. Click the Number tab.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/7/2003
Keywords:kbbug kbpending KB197074
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.