csv export flaws

[manuchap]

I upgraded to 2.5.2 to benefit the "export empty fields" fix (that is empty fields are exported as a pair of quotes).
I noticed that if the empty field is a belongs_to field then nothing is exported, hence resulting in data offset in the csv file.

It also took me a while to figure out how to properly import the csv into excel for mac. Since I'm french (yeah bad luck strikes randomly) I use accented characters. The only way (other than importing/exporting to google docs) is to open the csv file first in sublime and save it with encoding UTF-16 LE with BOM prior to importing it into excel, although this might have to do with my server config...

[manuchap]

While on the subject, line breaks in textareas result in one object per line when the whole textarea should be one object in the csv file imho.

[did]

the belongs_to issue is solved by this commit: a104ef2

[did]

@Manuite , I don't know about the UTF-18 LE with BOM technic. Will it prevent to read the csv in Sublime Text or in *nix? Perhaps, that's a stupid question but I don't see the implication.

[manuchap]

the belongs_to issue is solved by this commit: a104ef2

Thx!

About the UTF-16 issue I guess a few screenies will speak a thousand words.
This is what I get when I import the downloaded csv into excel 2011 for mac:

This is what it should look like, after using the technique mentioned above:

This is not a biggie and might just be my server config causing this, not sure. I just thought I'd mention it for someone else who'd bump into this exception.

[manuchap]

Still on the subject.
Phone numbers staring with a zero are truncated when in a string field.
More precisely, a phone number written in the form 0150607080 is exported as 150607080 but when written in the form 01 50 60 70 80 (with spaces) it is exported as is.
Should I use a number field instead?
Btw a phone field would solve this by using the international notation.
to_self: I must find some time to learn ruby and do more prs

[did]

@manuchap I don't have the problem in v3 with the phone numbers. They get exported correctly.