Want to batch convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to JSON files?
Try Withdata Data File Converter, a desktop TXT to JSON converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Batch convert TXT to JSON, 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 TXT file(s) to online services.
- Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Download DataFileConverter
Windows 64 bit
Windows 32 bit
Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
Linux .rpm (For Red Hat, Fedora, SUSE) 64 bit
MacOS 64 bit
Batch convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to JSON files
Select source TXT files -> Set JSON files -> Convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to JSON files
Click “Start a New Convert” at task dialog.
then show the wizard.
Select From “Files” “TXT” To “Files” “JSON”.
1. Select source TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files.
And config the first source TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) file.
2. Config target JSON files.
3. Summary.
List source TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files.
4. Convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to JSON files, 1 TXT to 1 JSON.
After converting, you can view output JSON files.
More about TXT to JSON converter
Download Withdata DataFileConverter
Windows 64 bit
Windows 32 bit
Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
Linux .rpm (For Red Hat, Fedora, SUSE) 64 bit
MacOS 64 bit
See Video: Bulk convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to JSON files without coding
See also:
Pipe-delimited → JSON reference
What is a pipe-delimited file?
A pipe-delimited file (also called pipe-separated values, PSV) is a plain-text file where each line is one record and a vertical bar | separates the fields. It works like CSV but uses | instead of ,, so a value that contains commas needs no quoting.
Name|Age|City
Alice|30|New York
Bob|41|San FranciscoTo open it in Excel: Data → From Text/CSV, then set the delimiter to | (or Text to Columns → Other = |).
Type mapping
| Value kind | in Pipe-delimited | in JSON |
|---|---|---|
| Int | 1234 | 1234 (number) |
| Decimal | 1234.56 | 1234.56 (number) |
| Float | 1.234e+10 | 1.234e10 (number) |
| Text | quoted only when it contains a pipe or a quote | "text" (string) |
| Long text | must be quoted; line breaks inside force multi-line records | "multi-line\ntext" (escaped newline inside a string) |
| Date | 2026-09-18 | "2026-09-18" (string) |
| Datetime | 2026-09-18 14:30:00 | "2026-09-18T14:30:00Z" (string) |
| Binary | not representable - base64 or hex string | "base64:..." (string) |
| Boolean | TRUE / FALSE, or 1 / 0 depending on the writer | true / false (boolean) |
| JSON | the whole JSON value quoted, with internal quotes doubled | nested object or array, kept as structure |
Dialect differences
Both Pipe-delimited and JSON are file formats, so what differs below is how each one chooses to represent a value.
| Property | in Pipe-delimited | in JSON |
|---|---|---|
| identifiers | Double quotes; a literal quote is doubled ("" ) | Double quotes; backslash escapes |
| dates | Conventional text: 2026-09-18 or 2026-09-18 14:30:00 | No date type: dates arrive as strings and the reader must p... |
| binary | Not supported | Not supported natively - base64 inside a string |
| separator | Pipe "|" | Braces and commas |
| encoding | No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM | UTF-8 by definition |
| typing | None - every field is text | string, number, boolean, null, object, array - no date type |
| shape | Flat table, optional header row | Nested objects and arrays |
| ceiling | No formal limit; row count bounded by memory | Whole document is usually parsed into memory |
Data File Converter without the manual work
For batch jobs, large files and scheduling use the Data File Converter converter — an offline desktop app for Windows, Linux and macOS. Free trial.