Excel
Naming Sheets and Columns for Machines in Excel Templates
Name sheets and columns in Excel templates so code and databases can use them: lowercase snake case, no punctuation, stable keys, label mapping.
7 min read
Tag
how-to
590 posts
JSON
Converting JSON to CSV With Python and pandas Safely
Convert JSON to CSV with pandas and the csv module, and avoid the traps: Python repr in cells, True and False, ragged keys, Excel encoding and formula cells.
8 min read
CSV
Opening a Semicolon Separated CSV in Excel Without Mess
A semicolon CSV lands in one column when Excel expects commas. Five ways to open it correctly, and how to convert the file when decimal commas are involved.
7 min read
XML
Extracting Values With xmlstarlet From the Shell Fast
Select values, make delimited lines, count nodes, list element paths and sort with xmlstarlet sel, and avoid the escaped ampersand in its default text output.
6 min read
Excel
One Header Row and No Merged Cells in Import Templates
Why import templates need one header row and no merged cells, how to detect both in code, and how to repair files that arrive with titles and merged headings.
7 min read
CSV
Stopping Excel From Turning Gene Names and IDs Into Dates
Excel reads SEPT2 as 2-Sep and MARCH1 as 1-Mar, and saving makes the change permanent. Here is how to import, detect and recover gene names and similar IDs.
8 min read
YAML
Documenting Datasets in YAML and Catching Schema Drift
Describe a dataset in YAML, render a Markdown table from it and compare it with the live table to catch columns added or dropped without a doc.
6 min read
JSONGuide
Converting JSON to CSV XML YAML and Excel Without Surprises
A working guide to converting JSON to CSV, XML, YAML, Excel, SQL and Markdown and back: what each format cannot hold, a 23 field round trip test, and checks.
18 min read
ExcelGuide
Building Excel Templates That Import Cleanly Every Time
Design Excel templates that load into a database without cleanup: one header row, machine names, typed columns, a notes sheet, versions and rejection rules.
17 min read
XML
Formatting XML With xmllint for Readable Diffs and Reviews
Pretty-print one-line XML with xmllint, set the indent, strip blank text for stable diffs, get canonical form and change encoding, and see what it alters.
7 min read
Editor's pick
CSVGuide
Opening CSV Files in Excel and Sheets Without Damage
How to open, edit and save CSV files in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice without losing zeros, digits, dates or accents: imports, settings, traps.
17 min read
JSON
Normalizing a JSON Export Into Relational Tables Safely
Turn a blog export with authors, tags and comments into five PostgreSQL tables, with a tag junction table, merged author copies and checks against the source.
8 min read