Batch convert TSV files to CSV files

Shiji Pan

1 year ago

Want to batch convert TSV files to CSV files?

Try Withdata Data File Converter, a desktop TSV to CSV converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Batch convert TSV to CSV, 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 TSV 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” “TSV” To “Files” “CSV”.

And config the first source TSV file.

List source TSV files.

After converting, you can view output CSV files.

TSV → CSV reference

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

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

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

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).