Excel to CSV corrupting punctuation and accents

[twl2009]

I need to transfer a large database from and xlsx file to a csv file in order to update a website. When I try to do this all apostrophes and accents are corrupting. Is there a way of preventing this?????


Thanks

 

[Joe4]

I tried saving and then changing the file ext back to .csv, but the website wouldnt except it.??

There is your problem right there.
That is not how you convert a file. File extension are really just "clues" that tell your computer what type of file it is, and what program you should use to open it. Changing the file extension does NOT change or convert anything.

If you want to save the file as CSV file, you need to go to Save As and choose one of the CSV options.

 

[twl2009]

I have also tried saving it as a csv from that point, but again it corrupts

 

[Joe4]

I have also tried saving it as a csv from that point, but again it corrupts

Please outline you exact steps, from start to finish, so we know exactly how you are attempting to do this.

 

[twl2009]

Sure , no worries Joe.
Firstly I downloaded the csv from the website, I opened it on my desktop (which opened it in excel). I then copy and pasted from excel spreadsheet that I have made to populate this csv with the website info. Then saved csv to desktop. Then went to the website dashboard and uploaded the csv. This was corrupted.
Then I tried downloading csv into google sheets. copy and pasted the same info into it. downloaded the csv to my desktop and then went to the the website to upload the csv from my desktop. this was again corrupted.
I am going to now going to try copy and pasting from excel direct to google sheets and saving as a csv, see if that works.
otherwise im really out of ideas.

 

[twl2009]

That didnt work

 

[Joe4]

Don't open the CSV in Excel! That could be converting data which is causing you issues!
Opening CSV files in Excel does automatic conversions on certain fields. This can have unattended consequences.

It sounds like you have existing data in Excel that you want to add to an existing CSV file. So try this instead:
1. Open your existing Excel file and do a "Save As" and choose the CSV option.
2. Open the CSV file you just exported from Excel in Note Pad
3. Open the CSV file you downloaded from your Website in NotePad
4. Copy and paste the data from one CSV file to the other CSV file in NotePad
5. Save your the combined CSV file in NotePad.
6. Try uploading the combined CSV file to the website.

 

[twl2009]

Sounds good, will give it a go.

 

[twl2009]

Okay I have solved the problem. Here is how for anyone stuck with this problem.

I downloaded a text editor called 'brackets', but I think notebook or any of the others would work.
downloaded the csv from the website into brackets
Then saved excel document as csv utf-8 and also opened in brackets
copy and pasted across from that csv to the csv I had downloaded from website and saved it
Then uploaded to website from this.

Hope this might help someone