Wireshark-bugs: [Wireshark-bugs] [Bug 1297] New: CSV Export may produce invalid format
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From: bugzilla-daemon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:05:39 +0000 (GMT)
http://bugs.wireshark.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=1297

           Summary: CSV Export may produce invalid format
           Product: Wireshark
           Version: 0.99.4
          Platform: PC
        OS/Version: Windows XP
            Status: NEW
          Severity: Normal
          Priority: Low
         Component: Wireshark
        AssignedTo: wireshark-bugs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
        ReportedBy: bzikmund@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


Build Information:
wireshark 0.99.4 (SVN Rev 19757)

Copyright 1998-2006 Gerald Combs <gerald@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> and contributors.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Compiled with GTK+ 2.6.9, with GLib 2.6.6, with WinPcap (version unknown), with
libz 1.2.3, with libpcre 6.4, with Net-SNMP 5.3.1, with ADNS, with Lua 5.1,
with

GnuTLS 1.5.1, with Gcrypt 1.2.3, with MIT Kerberos, with PortAudio <= V18, with
AirPcap.

Running on Windows XP Service Pack 2, build 2600, without WinPcap, without
AirPcap.

Built using Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 build 8804


--
Many applications (such as MSAccess or MSExcel) have problems importing
WireShark .csv exported files that don't strictly follow common CSV formatting
conventions.  

I have noticed three specific problems:

1. The trailing space after the separator causes problems for MSExcel.
For example, in the following export excerpt note the space after the commas. 
These can be removed to save space and make the .CSV file more portable.
"782", "2006-12-22 18:29:55.362625", "111.843750", 

2. Some decodes embed additional quotes without escaping. For example,
"780", "2006-12-22 18:29:55.268875", "111.750000", "264", "10.1.1.14", "1180",
"10.1.1.110", "ldap", "LDAP", "searchRequest(9)
"cn=dummyschool,OU=school-high,DC=dummydomain,DC=CPS,DC=k12,DC=IL,DC=us"
baseObject "

See the quotes immediately after searchRequest(9) and before baseObject.  Both
of these should be converted to """, changed to single quotes or eliminated
altogether.

3. Some exports contain CR-LF or other control characters.  Generally control
characters and .CSV fields don't mix.  I recommend stripping or replacing
control characters with a printable character.

"781", "2006-12-22 18:29:55.268875", "111.750000", "366", "10.1.1.14", "ldap",
"10.1.1.110", "1180", "LDAP", "searchResDone(9) noSuchObject (0000208D:
NameErr: DSID-031001CD, problem 2001 (NO_OBJECT), data 0, best match of:
       
'OU=dummyschool,OU=School-High,DC=dummydomain,DC=cps,DC=k12,DC=il,DC=us'
) "

For maximum compatibility, all CSV output should be run through a filter that
addresses these types of issues in the data stream.

Bruce Z.


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