Export PostgreSQL table to CSV using dynamic filename with current date

Shiji Pan

1 year ago

Want to export data from PostgreSQL table to CSV using current date as file name?

Try Withdata DBToFile, a PostgreSQL to CSV converter for Windows, Linux, and macOS, Export PostgreSQL data to CSV, Easy and Fast.

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Export data from PostgreSQL table to CSV file using dynamic filename with date and time

Login to PostgreSQL -> Choose PostgreSQL table -> Set CSV filename template including date -> Export PostgreSQL to CSV using current date as file name

“Export From Table” for “CSV to PostgreSQL“.

Select CSV file type.

1. Choose PostgreSQL table.

2. Set CSV file options. Enter filename template, including date, #yyyy# is for current year, #mm# month, #dd# day, #hh# hour, #mi# minute, #ss# second.

3. Set rows options.

4. Export PostgreSQL table data to CSV file. Dynamically created CSV file name using present system time.

After exporting, you can view output CSV files.

PostgreSQL → CSV reference

Type mapping

Value kind	in PostgreSQL	in CSV
Int	`integer`	`1234`
Bigint	`bigint`	`9007199254740993`
Decimal	`numeric(p,s)`	`1234.56`
Float	`double precision`	`1.234e+10`
Text	`varchar(n)`	`quoted only when it contains a comma or a quote`
Long text	`text`	`must be quoted; line breaks inside force multi-line records`
Date	`date`	`2026-09-18`
Datetime	`timestamp`	`2026-09-18 14:30:00`
Binary	`bytea`	`not representable - base64 or hex string`
Boolean	`boolean`	`TRUE / FALSE, or 1 / 0 depending on the writer`
JSON	`jsonb`	`the whole JSON value quoted, with internal quotes doubled`

Dialect differences

PostgreSQL is a database server and CSV is a file format, so the gap is wider than a dialect difference - the rows below are where values and structure stop lining up.

Property	in PostgreSQL	in CSV
port	`5432`	`—`
identifiers	`"double quotes"`	`Double quotes; a literal quote is doubled ("" )`
row limit	`LIMIT n`	`—`
dates	`timestamp, timestamptz, date, time`	`Conventional text: 2026-09-18 or 2026-09-18 14:30:00`
long text	`TEXT`	`—`
binary	`BYTEA`	`Not supported`
separator	`—`	`Comma ","`
encoding	`—`	`No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM`
typing	`—`	`None - every field is text`
shape	`Tables of rows and columns`	`Flat table, optional header row`
ceiling	`—`	`No formal limit; row count bounded by memory`

Command line

Side	Command
PostgreSQL	`pg_dump or COPY ... TO`
PostgreSQL (load)	`COPY ... FROM`

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