Separate quote config for headers and cells

[kodybrand]

The CSV output is putting double quotes around the column titles.

var csv = json2csv({ data: myCars, fields: fields });

is producing the correct output, but with double quotes around the column titles.

"car","price","color"
"Audi",40000,"blue"
"BMW",35000,"black"
"Porsche",60000,"green"

[knownasilya]

This protects against cases when someone puts the delimiter into the column name.

[kodybrand]

Is there a way to disable this from happening?

[knownasilya]

Not at the moment. What issue is being caused by this?

[kodybrand]

The software I am importing the CSV file into does not recognize the title columns when they are wrapped in quotes. I figured out a work around, but it would be useful if I could just pass in a parameter which would not wrap the titles in quotes.

[knownasilya]

I'd be willing to merge a PR with a feature like that, preferably with tests 👍 you can add it here https://github.com/zemirco/json2csv/blob/master/lib/json2csv.js#L169

[anishxt]

I know that this is tagged as a feature request, but I'm wondering to have another(?) feature similar to this. As @kodybrand mentioned, the resultant CSV generated is:

"car","price","color"
"Audi",40000,"blue"
"BMW",35000,"black"
"Porsche",60000,"green"

Can we have an option to enclose all data fields with quotes regardless of data-type (even for integers, float, boolean) like this:

"car","price","color"
"Audi","40000","blue"
"BMW","35000","black"
"Porsche","60000","green"

[juanjoDiaz]

Hi @anishxt,

Would some preprocessing solve your use case?

Something like this (untested code disclaimer 🙂)
const myStringifiedData = myData.map(item => Object.keys(item).reduce((acc, key) => (acc[key] = String(item[key])), {}))

Imho, json2csv should only convert json to csv. Not change your data types.

[anishxt]

Thank you, @juanjoDiaz, for throwing that bit!

Did some adjustments to fit with my case and it worked! Thank you!! 🙂

[juanjoDiaz]

We should decide if we want to implement this for v5.

This is essentially a similar request as #420 .

I vote against implementing this since the CSV standard defines that the header should use the same format as normal record lines (https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4180#section-2).

Just because some software was broken 2 years ago is not a good enough reason to go against the standard.

@knownasilya thoughts?

[knownasilya]

I agree, especially since it can be done with a transform after.

[jlk34n]

I'm not sure I agree that the ietf standard defines the header as the same format as rows; it says that "Each field may or may not [my emphasis] be enclosed in double quotes (however some programs, such as Microsoft Excel, do not use double quotes at all)." (or did I miss something?)
I too have to post-process my CSVs now to accommodate a loader app that insists headers not be quoted. Adding this feature to json2csv would be a nice-to-have. =O)