csvformatter is an extension which works on CSV files to print them in a table format. It also provides a variety of options to filter, match, and transform columns.
Usage
Open a CSV File
Open any CSV file in VS Code.
Trigger the Command
Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS) and select CSVFormatter: Format CSV.
Enter Parameters
A webview panel will open on the right side of your editor. Fill in the parameters:
Max Size (-s)
Maximum character count per column (default is 20; enter all to display full content).
Columns (-c)
Specify the number of columns to display (e.g., 2 to display the first two columns).
Range (-r)
Enter a list of column numbers separated by hyphens (e.g., 1-3-4).
Filter (-f)
You can click the + button to add as many filter fields as you like. Each one is applied in sequence.
For literal matches, supply values separated by dashes (e.g., 3-Integer-float).
For regex filtering, prefix a value with regex: (e.g., 3-regex:.*64.*).
Match (-m)
Match rows that have the same values as a specified reference row at given columns. Format:<row>-<col1>-<col2>-... Example:10-1-3-4-7 uses row 10 as the reference and only rows matching those column values are kept.
Execute (-x)
Execute a shell command on a column’s value (e.g., 1-"awk -F. '{print $5}'"). Note: If both -m and -x are given, matching is applied first, then commands run on the filtered rows.
Query (-q)
Check this box to print the CSV header with column indices and exit.
Output (-o)
Enter an output filename to save the formatted CSV (if left blank, the output is shown in a new editor tab).
Submit the Form
Click Submit. The extension runs the Python script with your parameters, and you’ll see the formatted output either in a new tab or saved to the specified file.
Features
Multi-step Filtering (-f)
Add multiple filter rules in sequence via the “+” button.
Regex & Literal Filters
Use regex: prefix for regular-expression matching.
Row Matching (-m)
Select rows based on matching values in a reference row.
Shell-Command Execution (-x)
Run commands like awk, grep, or sed on cell values.
Flexible Column Selection
Use -r or -c to choose specific columns or a range.
Query Mode (-q)
Quickly view column indices without formatting.
Output to File (-o)
Save results to disk instead of just showing in VS Code.
Dynamic UI
Easily add or remove filter inputs in the webview form.
Tip: Short animations or additional screenshots can really showcase your extension in action!
Requirements
Python 3
Ensure python3 is on your PATH.
Visual Studio Code
Requires VS Code 1.x or later.
Extension Settings
This extension contributes:
csvformatter.enable: Enable/disable the CSV Formatter extension.
csvformatter.someSetting: (Example) Set to true to enable additional features.
Known Issues
Depends on Python 3. If not installed/configured correctly, the extension may fail.
Malformed CSV files can produce script errors.
Release Notes
0.0.8 - 2025-04-XX
Multi-filter Support (-f):
You can now specify -f multiple times (via the “+” button) and filters are applied one after another.
Dynamic UI:
Added a + button to add more -f fields in the webview.
Documentation Updates:
README and examples updated to show multi--f usage.
0.0.7 - 2025-04-XX
Match Option (-m):
New feature to match rows based on a reference row’s values in specified columns.
Minor Editorial Edits
0.0.6 - 2025-04-08
Regex Filtering (-f): Prefix filter values with regex: for regex matches.
Improved Execution Handling (-x)
0.0.5 - 2025-04-01
Bug Fix: Resolved issues with the -x option (e.g., awk handling).
Editorial Updates
0.0.4 - 2025-03-20
Added new options for filtering and output formatting.
Improved error handling and logging.
0.0.3 - 2025-03-10
Fixed column-selection issues.
Enhanced table formatting.
0.0.2 - 2025-03-01
Initial release with basic CSV formatting and webview parameter input.
Q&A
Q: How do I apply multiple filters?
A: Click the + next to a filter field to add another. Each is applied in the order you enter them (e.g. -f 2-Apple -f 3-Banana).
Q: What’s the difference between -f and -m?
A:
-f applies value or regex filters on a single column.
-m matches rows against a reference row’s values in multiple columns.
Q: Which runs first, -m or -x?
A: -m (match) is applied before -x (execute).
