How Do I Escape Double Quotes Within Fields in a CSV File?

Escaping Double Quotes in CSV

The need to escape double quotes in CSV arises when a quoted field contains a literal double quote. This can lead to parsing errors, as the parser may interpret the escaped quote as the field delimiter.

In the given example, the CSV line contains a field value that includes the phrase "24" followed by a double quote. The quote is used to express inches, but the CSV parser misinterprets it as the end of the field.

To correctly escape the double quote, use two consecutive double quotes within the field value. This tells the parser that the second quote is part of the field data and not the field delimiter. The correct CSV line would be:

"Samsung U600 24""","10000003409","1","10000003427"

Using a single backslash before the double quote is incorrect, as it will escape the backslash itself rather than the double quote.

RFC-4180, which defines the CSV format, states that "If double-quotes are used to enclose fields, then a double-quote appearing inside a field must be escaped by preceding it with another double quote."

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