csv2latex — convert a csv file into a LaTeX document

       This manual page documents the csv2latex program.

       csv2latex is a program that reads a "comma separated values" (csv) file and outputs a LaTeX file with one
       or  more  tabular environments to display the printable values of the csv file. The LaTeX code is flushed
       on the standard output.

       So-called "comma separated values" files are common formats for exchanging two-dimensinal tables  between
       programs  such  as spreadsheets editors, to represent almost any kind of data.  By default, a csv file is
       made of printable data separated by commas (`,'), each comma representing a `cell'  separator,  and  each
       line  representing  a  row.  By  extension,  cell  separators  can be represented by tabs if the comma is
       considered as printable data.  Moreover, some non true csv files can be assumed as two-dimensional tables
       as well.  In some circumstances, if the printable data  includes  the  cell  separator  of  the  exchange
       format,  the  latter  can  use  a second extra character to embrace the printable data into a block (e.g:
       quoted text). Thus, it is still possible to parse the file by using the block delimiter  (used  twice  to
       embrace the cell) instead of the separator.

       csv2latex aims to parse various csv formats plus formats that fits into the above definiton, assuming the
       data  is  text,  and to produce a yet simple LaTeX file using the "tabular" environment for a table-style
       layout.  Some options of output will also use macros provided by extra LaTeX packages that  are  commonly
       included in the main LaTeX distributions.

       Create a PDF document with small text, alternate gray rows, 80 lines per table, from a guessed csv format
       of the january stats that my boss created with his super point-and-click spreadsheet program (which could
       not generate a PDF output!).

       csv2latex--guess--lines80--colorrows0.75--reduce2january_stats.csv>january_stats.tex&&pdflatexjanuary_stats.tex

       Quickly preview a phonebook from a file formatted as "Surname" "Name" "Phone" "Cellular":

       csv2latex-sp-bd-l42phonebook-sorted.txt|latex

       csv2latex — convert a csv file into a LaTeX document

       This program follows the usual GNU command line syntax, with long options starting with two dashes (`-').
       A summary of options is included below.

       -h--help
                 Show summary of options.

       -v--version
                 Show version of program.

       -n--nohead
                 Do not output the LaTeX document header.  This is useful when the output is to be included as a
                 separate file into the master document.

       -t--longtable
                 uses  the  'longtable'  package instead of the 'tabular' one.  This is useful when the input is
                 long, with --lines0 option.  This option uses the extra `longtable'  LaTeX  package.   If  you
                 also  use  --nohead  option,  do  not  forget to add the following line into the header of your
                 master document: "\usepackage{longtable}".

       -x--noescape
                 Do not escape TeX control characters from the input.  This is useful when  the  input  contains
                 already TeX code.

       -g--guess
                 Try  to  guess the csv format.  This is useful when the input is not strictly a comma separated
                 set of printable data.  For example, a line like %Foo, Bar%:%Wizz: Hey% may be parsed as  "Foo,
                 Bar" then "Wizz: Hey".

       -sc|s|t|p|l--separatorc|s|t|p|l
                 Set the given separator as cell separator of the csv format.  `c' means a comma (default).  `s'
                 means a semicolon.  `t' means a tab.  `p' means a space.  `l' means a colon.

       -bq|d|n--blockq|d|n
                 Set  the given block delimiter that embraces the printable data of the csv format.  `q' means a
                 simple quote.  `d' means a double quote.  `n' means no quoting at all (default).

       -l#--lines#
                 Force to output multiple tabulars, each having a limited number of lines.  The  given  argument
                 must  be  a  POSITIVE INTEGER VALUE. This is useful when the number of input rows is too big to
                 fit into a single papersheet.  A good average for a4 paper is about 40 lines (default). 0 means
                 infinity (actually about 2 Giga lines).

       -pl|c|r--positionl|c|r
                 Set the text position in all cells at once.  This simply uses  one  of  the  three  basic  cell
                 formatting  options  of  the LaTeX tabular environment.  `l' means left-aligned (default).  `c'
                 means centered.  `r' means right-aligned.

       -c0-1--colorrows0-1
                 Alternate white/gray rows on the LaTeX output, having the given graylevel.  The given  argument
                 must  be  a  REAL  NUMBER  BETWEEN 0 AND 1.  0 means black while 1 means white.  A nice looking
                 value is 0.75 when printed on white  paper.   This  option  uses  the  extra  `colortbl'  LaTeX
                 package.   If  you  also  use --nohead option, do not forget to add the following line into the
                 header of your master document: "\usepackage{colortbl}".

       -r1|2|3|4--reduce1|2|3|4
                 Reduce the size of the tabular and the font in the LaTeX output, given a reduction level.   The
                 given  argument  must be one of 1, 2, 3 or 4.  The more the level is high, the more the tabular
                 will appear small.  This is useful to shrink the table width when the printable data is made of
                 very long text.  This option uses the extra `relsize' LaTeX package.  If you also use  --nohead
                 option,  do  not  forget  to  add  the  following line into the header of your master document:
                 "\usepackage{relsize}".

       -z--nohlines
                 Do not output horizontal lines in the table(s).

       -y--novlines
                 Do not output vertical lines in the table(s).

       -e--repeatheader
                 Repeat the first row of the first table in every table.  This is useful when the output is very
                 long and separated in multiple tables.

       -f#--font#
                 Set the font size to be inserted on the header and use it to  compute  lines  per  table.   The
                 given  argument  must be an integer in points unit.  If used in conjunction with --lines set to
                 0, then the lines per tabular is computed based on LaTeX \textheight defaulting to 592 pt.   If
                 the  --longtable  is  used, then the computation is not done.  If you also use --nohead option,
                 you should use the same font size according to your own LaTeX document for best result.

       -a--landscape
                 Set landscape mode in the LaTeX document header. If used in conjunction with --lines set  to  0
                 and  --font  size,  then  the  \textheight used to compute lines per tabular defaults to (592 /
                 1.414) pt. If you also use --nohead        option, you should set your own  LaTeX  document  to
                 landscape mode for best result.

       tex (1), latex (1).

                                                                                                    CSV2LATEX(1)

csv2latex  [--nohead]   [--longtable]   [--noescape]  [--guess]  [--separatorc|s|t|p|l][--blockq|d|n][--lines#][--positionl|c|r][--colorrows0-1][--reduce1|2|3|4][--repeatheader][--nohlines][--novlines][--landscape][--font#][file]