Batch convert CSV files to TSV files

Shiji Pan

1 year ago

Want to batch convert CSV files to TSV files?

Try Withdata Data File Converter, a desktop CSV to TSV converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Batch convert CSV to TSV, Easy and Fast.

Can run in GUI mode, Step by Step, just a few mouse clicks.
Can run in Command line, for Scheduled Tasks and Streams.
Convert files locally and privately, avoid uploading large CSV file(s) to online services.
Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Click “Start a New Convert” at task dialog.

then show the wizard.

Select From “Files” “CSV” To “Files” “TSV”.

And config the first source CSV file.

List source CSV files.

After converting, you can view output TSV files.

CSV → TSV reference

Value kind	in CSV	in TSV
Text	`quoted only when it contains a comma or a quote`	`unquoted; a tab in the value splits the column`
Long text	`must be quoted; line breaks inside force multi-line records`	`unquoted; newlines break the row`
Binary	`not representable - base64 or hex string`	`not representable`
Boolean	`TRUE / FALSE, or 1 / 0 depending on the writer`	`TRUE / FALSE`
JSON	`the whole JSON value quoted, with internal quotes doubled`	`the whole JSON value as-is (its own quotes stay)`

Both CSV and TSV are file formats, so what differs below is how each one chooses to represent a value.

Property	in CSV	in TSV
identifiers	`Double quotes; a literal quote is doubled ("" )`	`Rarely used, which is exactly why tabs in data break it`
binary	`Not supported`	`Not supported - must be encoded`
separator	`Comma ","`	`Tab`
ceiling	`No formal limit; row count bounded by memory`	`No formal limit`

For batch jobs, large files and scheduling use the Data File Converter converter — an offline desktop app for Windows, Linux and macOS. Free trial.

New to the format? Read what a TSV file is (and how it differs from CSV).