csvtool

A command-line tool for working with CSV files with enhanced pipe support.

Installation

From Git (Recommended)

pip3 install git+https://github.com/maroofi/csvtool.git

From PyPI

pip3 install csvtool

From Source

git clone https://github.com/maroofi/csvtool.git
cd csvtool
python3 setup.py install --user

Note: To use it independently as a command-line tool, make sure you have ~/.local/bin in your $PATH variable.

# Add to your ~/.bashrc
export PATH=~/.local/bin/:$PATH
source ~/.bashrc

Usage

Quick Start - Default Readable Mode

# Instantly view CSV in readable format
cat data.csv | csvtool
curl -s "https://example.com/data.csv" | csvtool

Command Line Options

Show Help

csvtool -h
csvtool --help

Readable Format

# From file
csvtool readable data.csv

# From stdin (both work the same now!)
cat data.csv | csvtool
cat data.csv | csvtool readable -

Select Columns

# Select columns 1, 2, and 5
csvtool select -c 1,2,5 data.csv

# Select by column names
csvtool select -c "Year,Make,Price" data.csv

# From pipe
cat data.csv | csvtool select -c 1,3

Search in Columns

# Search for pattern in column 2
csvtool search -c 2 -s "Chevy" data.csv

# Search with regex
csvtool search -c 2 -s "^Chevy$" data.csv

# Search by column name
csvtool search -c "Make" -s "Ford" data.csv

Replace Values

# Replace values in column 2
csvtool replace -c 2 -o "Chevy" -n "Chevrolet" data.csv

# Replace in specific column by name
csvtool replace -c "Make" -o "Ford" -n "Ford Motor Co." data.csv

Global Options

# Treat first row as data (no header)
csvtool --no-header readable data.csv

# Custom delimiter
csvtool --delimiter ";" readable data.csv

Example Data

Sample test.csv file:

Year,Make,Model,Description,Price
1997,Ford,E350,"ac, abs, moon",3000.00
1999,Chevy,"Venture ""Extended Edition""","",4900.00
1999,Chevy,"Venture ""Extended Edition, Very Large""",5000.00,
1996,Jeep,Grand Cherokee,"MUST SELL! air, moon roof, loaded",4799.00

Examples

Example 1: Quick CSV Preview (New!)

cat test.csv | csvtool

Output:

Year | Make  | Model                                      | Description                        | Price  
-----|-------|--------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|--------
1997 | Ford  | E350                                       | ac, abs, moon                      | 3000.00
1999 | Chevy | Venture "Extended Edition"                 |                                    | 4900.00
1999 | Chevy | Venture "Extended Edition, Very Large"     | 5000.00                           |        
1996 | Jeep  | Grand Cherokee                             | MUST SELL! air, moon roof, loaded | 4799.00

Example 2: Select Chevy Cars and Show Specific Columns

csvtool search -c 2 -s '^Chevy$' test.csv | csvtool select -c 1,5,3 --no-header

Output:

Year,Price,Model
1999,4900.00,"Venture ""Extended Edition"""
1999,5000.00,"Venture ""Extended Edition, Very Large"""

Example 3: Chain Operations

# Select columns, then search, then format
cat test.csv | csvtool select -c 1,2,5 | csvtool search -c 2 -s "Ford|Jeep" | csvtool

Example 4: Data Processing Pipeline

# Download, filter, and display
curl -s "https://example.com/cars.csv" | csvtool search -c "Status" -s "Available" | csvtool

Features

• ✅ Default readable mode for piped input - Just pipe CSV and view!
• ✅ Column selection by index or name
• ✅ Pattern searching with regex support
• ✅ Value replacement in specific columns
• ✅ Header handling (with/without headers)
• ✅ Custom delimiter support
• ✅ Pipe-friendly design for Unix workflows
• ✅ Readable formatting with proper alignment
• ✅ Stdin/stdout support for command chaining

Version History

v1.3.0 (Latest)

• 🎉 NEW: Default readable mode for piped input (command | csvtool)
• Enhanced pipe detection and handling
• Improved error handling for broken pipes
• Better command-line interface

v1.2.0

• Column selection and search functionality
• Replace command
• Header/no-header options

v1.1.0

• Basic CSV reading and writing
• Command-line interface

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Author

Sourena MAROOFI

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Tip: The new default behavior makes csvtool perfect for quick CSV inspection in data pipelines and shell scripts!