Dear Gretl Community, I´m trying to save data into comma-separated values (the csv extension) files using the Brazilian standard (comma as the decimal point character) but it is not working. Gretl only saves the text file with point as the decimal point character. In order to do this I'm using the following script: <hansl> open australia.gdt set csv_delim semicolon set force_decpoint on

On Fri, 25 Nov 2011, Henrique Andrade wrote: > I´m trying to save data into comma-separated values (the csv > extension) files using the Brazilian standard (comma as the > decimal point character) but it is not working. Gretl only saves > the text file with point as the decimal point character. [...] You don't want "set force_decpoint on" here, but something has indeed gone wrong: it seems you can't currently save CVS data using anything other than "." as the decimal character. (I'm not sure when that happened.)

The point (heh) of the question is that even if a user chooses to view output with the decimal comma, it's arguable that he/she is better off saving CSV data in the more portable form, with decimal point. There should be a choice, but which should be the default?

On Fri, 25 Nov 2011, Allin Cottrell wrote: > On Fri, 25 Nov 2011, Henrique Andrade wrote: > >> I´m trying to save data into comma-separated values (the csv extension) >> files using the Brazilian standard (comma as the decimal point character) >> but it is not working. Gretl only saves the text file with point as the >> decimal point character. [...] > > You don't want "set force_decpoint on" here, but something has indeed gone > wrong: it seems you can't currently save CVS data using anything other than > "." as the decimal character. (I'm not sure when that happened.) Correction: you can do this, but only via the GUI. When you choose to export data as CVS under the /File menu, and the decimal "," is currently in force, you get the option of setting "," as the decimal character in the CSV output -- but it's never the default, which I think is correct.

On Sat, 26 Nov 2011, Allin Cottrell wrote: > On the principle that what you can do via the gretl GUI you should > also be able to do via the gretl command line, here's what is now > available in CVS: > > <hansl> > set csv_decimal_comma > store teste.csv > </hansl> > > This will save a "CSV" file in which the decimal character is ',' (and > the column separator is forced to ';'). > > However, I'm mostly in agreement with those who don't like use of > anything other than '.' as the decimal character (except for display > purposes) so let me hasten to add: > > * The default is still to use '.' when saving data, even if the locale > decimal character is ',' and the user has elected to use this > character in display of gretl output. > > * The new "set" command illustrated above is unusual in that it is not > persistent (this is documented in CVS, not yet in the snapshots). That > is, "set csv_decimal_comma" applies only to the next "store" command. > If you want to save several files using the decimal comma you must > issue the relevant "set" command each time. In other words, the > decimal comma never becomes the default for saving data, even within a > gretl script or session. FWIW, I applaud your decision.

On 11/27/2011 06:54 AM, Riccardo (Jack) Lucchetti wrote: > On Sat, 26 Nov 2011, Allin Cottrell wrote: > >> On the principle that what you can do via the gretl GUI you should >> also be able to do via the gretl command line, here's what is now >> available in CVS: >> >> <hansl> >> set csv_decimal_comma >> store teste.csv >> </hansl> >> >> This will save a "CSV" file in which the decimal character is ',' (and >> the column separator is forced to ';'). >> >> However, I'm mostly in agreement with those who don't like use of >> anything other than '.' as the decimal character (except for display >> purposes) so let me hasten to add: >> >> * The default is still to use '.' when saving data, even if the locale >> decimal character is ',' and the user has elected to use this >> character in display of gretl output. >> >> * The new "set" command illustrated above is unusual in that it is not >> persistent (this is documented in CVS, not yet in the snapshots). That >> is, "set csv_decimal_comma" applies only to the next "store" command. >> If you want to save several files using the decimal comma you must >> issue the relevant "set" command each time. In other words, the >> decimal comma never becomes the default for saving data, even within a >> gretl script or session. > > FWIW, I applaud your decision. Just one question: if this new 'set' feature isn't persistent, why not implement it as an option to 'store' instead? Like: store my.csv --decimal-comma That way it wouldn't be necessary to do something "unusual" with 'set'.

On Sun, 27 Nov 2011, Sven Schreiber wrote: > Just one question: if this new 'set' feature isn't persistent, why not > implement it as an option to 'store' instead? Like: > > store my.csv --decimal-comma I've now implemented Sven's suggestion in CVS and snapshots: use the option as above, and not "set csv_decimal_comma", which is now gone. Allin Cottrell _______________________________________________ Gretl-users mailing list Gretl-users(a)lists.wfu.edu http://lists.wfu.edu/mailman/listinfo/gretl-users