tab/csv spreadsheet-type tabbing mode?

tab/csv spreadsheet-type tabbing mode?

[ivowel]

dear emacs experts:  I often have to look at files that come from
spreadsheets.  (No, I do not need emacs to become a spreadsheet; I did
look at these solutions.)

What I would love is a mode for a display that takes all the currently
visible on-screen data, and sets the tabs at the irregular places that
are warranted by the maximum length of each column on the screen (and
presumably sets truncate-lines).  oh, and tabs=field-delimiters could
be either real tabs, or commas (that are not inside quotations), as
they are in standard .csv files.

A second-best solution would be to set field widths not based on what
is currently visible, but based on the entire file's columns.

Having such a mode would make editing such data a lot simpler for me.
Does it exist somewhere?

pointers appreciated.

/iaw

Re: tab/csv spreadsheet-type tabbing mode?

[ivowel]

Can I safely assume that this does not exist yet?

On Jan 22, 10:37 am, ivo...@gmail.com wrote:
> dear emacs experts:  I often have to look at files that come from
> spreadsheets.  (No, I do not need emacs to become a spreadsheet; I did
> look at these solutions.)
>
> What I would love is a mode for a display that takes all the currently
> visible on-screen data, and sets the tabs at the irregular places that
> are warranted by the maximum length of each column on the screen (and
> presumably sets truncate-lines).  oh, and tabs=field-delimiters could
> be either real tabs, or commas (that are not inside quotations), as
> they are in standard .csv files.
>
> A second-best solution would be to set field widths not based on what
> is currently visible, but based on the entire file's columns.
>
> Having such a mode would make editing such data a lot simpler for me.
> Does it exist somewhere?
> 
> pointers appreciated.
> 
> /iaw

Re: tab/csv spreadsheet-type tabbing mode?

[Stefan Monnier]

> Can I safely assume that this does not exist yet?

I believe so, yes.  The only thing that comes to mind is csv-mode but it's
not doing what you ask for.

>> What I would love is a mode for a display that takes all the currently
>> visible on-screen data, and sets the tabs at the irregular places that
>> are warranted by the maximum length of each column on the screen (and
>> presumably sets truncate-lines).  oh, and tabs=field-delimiters could
>> be either real tabs, or commas (that are not inside quotations), as
>> they are in standard .csv files.

Using `display' text properties, you it's possible to write a package that
does that.

>> A second-best solution would be to set field widths not based on what
>> is currently visible, but based on the entire file's columns.

That would be fairly easy.


        Stefan

Re: tab/csv spreadsheet-type tabbing mode?

[Tim X]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> Can I safely assume that this does not exist yet?
>
> I believe so, yes.  The only thing that comes to mind is csv-mode but it's
> not doing what you ask for.
>
>>> What I would love is a mode for a display that takes all the currently
>>> visible on-screen data, and sets the tabs at the irregular places that
>>> are warranted by the maximum length of each column on the screen (and
>>> presumably sets truncate-lines).  oh, and tabs=field-delimiters could
>>> be either real tabs, or commas (that are not inside quotations), as
>>> they are in standard .csv files.
>
> Using `display' text properties, you it's possible to write a package that
> does that.
>
>>> A second-best solution would be to set field widths not based on what
>>> is currently visible, but based on the entire file's columns.
>
> That would be fairly easy.
>
>
>         Stefan

Missed the beginning of this thread, so my apologies if I've got the wrong end
of the stick. However, it sounds like the OP may want to check out SES mode
(Simple Emacs Spreadsheet). This mode is being bundled with emacs 22. I used it
recently when having to work with rows and columns of data and found it quite
useful. In particular, I found the functionality of being able to hide
columns/rows and set column width formatting very useful.

regards,

Tim

-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au