---
sidebar_position: 5
title: CSV and Text
---
CSV is a common format for data interchange. Spreadsheet applications such as
Excel also support other delimiter-separated formats including "Text" (using a
tab character as the field separator).
The general write functions (`XLSX.write` and `XLSX.writeFile`) support `csv`
and `txt` (for CSV and tab-separated values respectively), but the specific
utility functions generate raw JS strings for further processing.
## Live Demo
After choosing a file, the demo will print the data from each worksheet:
```jsx live
function SheetJSPreCSView() {
const [__html, setHTML] = React.useState("Select a file");
const process = (ab) => {
const wb = XLSX.read(ab);
var res = "";
wb.SheetNames.forEach((n, idx) => {
const ws = wb.Sheets[n];
res += `Sheet #${idx+1} (${n})\n`;
res += XLSX.utils.sheet_to_csv(ws) + "\n\n";
});
setHTML(res);
};
React.useEffect(() => { (async() => {
const url = "https://docs.sheetjs.com/pres.numbers";
process(await (await fetch(url)).arrayBuffer());
})(); }, []);
return ( <>
{
process(await e.target.files[0].arrayBuffer());
}}/>
);
}
```
## Delimiter-Separated Output
**Export worksheet data in CSV, TSV, or other delimiter-separated format**
```js
var csv = XLSX.utils.sheet_to_csv(ws, opts);
```
As an alternative to the `writeFile` CSV type, `XLSX.utils.sheet_to_csv` also
produces CSV output. The function takes an options argument:
| Option Name | Default | Description |
| :----------- | :------: | :------------------------------------------------- |
|`FS` | `","` | "Field Separator" delimiter between fields |
|`RS` | `"\n"` | "Record Separator" delimiter between rows |
|`dateNF` | FMT 14 | Use specified date format in string output |
|`strip` | false | Remove trailing field separators in each record ** |
|`blankrows` | true | Include blank lines in the CSV output |
|`skipHidden` | `false` | [Skip hidden data](#hidden-rows-and-columns) |
|`forceQuotes` | false | Force quotes around fields |
- `strip` will remove trailing commas from each line under default `FS/RS`
- `blankrows` must be set to `false` to skip blank lines.
- Fields containing the record or field separator will automatically be wrapped
in double quotes; `forceQuotes` forces all cells to be wrapped in quotes.
The following example shows `FS` and `RS` options:
```jsx live
function SheetJSCSVTest() {
var ws = XLSX.utils.aoa_to_sheet([
["S", "h", "e", "e", "t", "J", "S"],
[ 1, 2, , , 5, 6, 7],
[ 2, 3, , , 6, 7, 8],
[ 3, 4, , , 7, 8, 9],
[ 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0]
]);
return (
);
}
```
### CSV Output
**Export worksheet data in "Comma-Separated Values" (CSV)**
```js
var csv = XLSX.utils.sheet_to_csv(ws, opts);
```
`sheet_to_csv` uses the comma character as the field separator by default. This
utility function mirrors the `csv` book type in `XLSX.write` or `XLSX.writeFile`.
`sheet_to_csv` always returns a JS string and always omits byte-order marks.
### UTF-16 Text Output
**Export worksheet data in "UTF-16 Text" or Tab-Separated Values (TSV)**
```js
var txt = XLSX.utils.sheet_to_txt(ws, opts);
```
`sheet_to_txt` uses the tab character as the field separator. This utility
function matches the `txt` book type in `XLSX.write` or `XLSX.writeFile`.
If encoding support is available, the output will be encoded in `CP1200` and the
UTF-16 BOM will be added. If encoding support is not available, the output will
be encoded as a standard `string`.
`XLSX.utils.sheet_to_txt` takes the same arguments as `sheet_to_csv`.
### Notes
#### Hidden Rows and Columns
By default, all rows and columns are rendered. The `skipHidden` option instructs
the text processor to skip hidden rows and columns.
The worksheet [`!rows` array](/docs/csf/features/rowprops) stores row settings.
The [`!cols` array](/docs/csf/features/colprops) stores column settings.
:::info pass
By default, the `read` and `readFile` methods do not save row / column settings.
[The `cellStyles` option must be set](/docs/api/parse-options#parsing-options).
:::
The following demo shows the effect of `skipHidden`. Rows 2 and 5 and columns F
and G are marked as hidden. The hidden rows and columns are rendered by default
but omitted when the `skipHidden` option is set to `true`.
```jsx live
function SheetJSCSVHiddenRows() {
var ws = XLSX.utils.aoa_to_sheet([
["S", "h", "e", "e", "t", "J", "S", "Hidden (row)"],
[ 1, 2, , , 5, 6, 7, true],
[ 2, 3, , , 6, 7, 8, false],
[ 3, 4, , , 7, 8, 9, false],
[ 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, true],
[ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, false, "Hidden (col)"]
]);
ws["!rows"] = [];
ws["!rows"][1] = { hidden: true, hpx: 16 }; // hide row 2
ws["!rows"][4] = { hidden: true, hpx: 16 }; // hide row 5
ws["!cols"] = [];
ws["!cols"][5] = { wch: 8, hidden: true }; // hide column F
ws["!cols"][6] = { wch: 8, hidden: true }; // hide column G
return (