Python write to csv with comas in each field

Question

I'm trying to export a list of strings to csv using comma as a separator. Each of the fields may contain a comma. What I obtain after writing to a csv file is that every comma is treated as a separator.

My question is: is it possible to ignore the commas (as separators) in each field?

Here is what I'm trying, as an example.

import csv

outFile = "output.csv"
f = open(outFile, "w")

row = ['hello, world' , '43333' , '44141']

with open(outFile, 'w') as writeFile:
    writer = csv.writer(writeFile)
    writer.writerow(row)

writeFile.close()

The output looks like this: outputObtained

What I would like is something like this: outputExpected

I think a way to solve this would be to use a different separator, as I read in some sites. But my question is if there is a way to solve this using comma (',') separators.

Thanks

Discordancy

"is if there is a way to solve this using comma (',') separators" I highly doubt that. How would the parsing software know what comma is which? – Comines

are there any pattern which you need? like the first comma that encounters in a row etc.. – Polynesian

@DeepSpace: the de facto standard is to allow commas in values enclosed by double quotes. – Collect

I have never seen this behaviour from writerow. Something else is going on here. What are you viewing the CSV in? – Upolu

csv is correctly putting quotes around "hello, world" to preserve the embedded comma. The problem is with the process that reads the csv file to produce the spreadsheet in the image, which you haven't shown us. – Telephony

Use quoting=csv.QUOTE_ALL – Dara

Exactly. Whatever system you're using to visualize this csv is ignoring the fact that you're wrapping fields with embedded delimiters with double quotes, as is standard. You aren't doing anything wrong. – Leuctra

Yes, that is exactly what I'm asking myself. So, if the parsing software doesn't have a way to know what comma is which, there would be no way to do what I'm trying, right? – Discordancy

You just need to tell Calc/Excel that your quoting character is a " – Rafaelita

David Graves, yes, that solves my problem. I'm new in stack overflow. What should I do to clarify how the problem is solved? Should I edit the post with the solution? Thanks so much. – Discordancy

Answer 1

You just need to tell Calc/Excel that your quoting character is a "

Rafaelita

Answer 2

You can do .replace(',','') which will replace the commas in the text with a space (or whatever else you want.

I don't know a way to keep the comma in the text but not let it act as a separator, like \, maybe? Somebody else could probably shed some light on that.

Effrontery

Answer 3

I believe you can try wrapping the fields which contain a non-delimiting comma in double quotes. If that does not work, you are probably out of options. Afterall, you need to somehow convey the information about which comma is doing what to the software that is doing the CSV display for you or the user.

Perhaps this will be helpful:

https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4180#page-3

6. Fields containing line breaks (CRLF), double quotes, and commas should be enclosed in double-quotes. For example:

   "aaa","b CRLF bb","ccc" CRLF zzz,yyy,xxx

Gloriane