Export Datatables from Spotfire to CSV using IronPython Script

Question

I have a IronPython script I use to export all my data tables from a Spotfire project.

Currently it works perfectly. It loops through all datatables and exports them as ".xlsx". Now I need to export the files as ".csv" which I thought would be as simple as changing ".xlsx" to ".csv".

This script still exports the files, names them all .csv, but what is inside the file is a .xlsx, Im not sure how or why. The code is just changing the file extension name but not converting the file to csv.

Here is the code I am currently using:

I have posted the full code at the bottom, and the code I believe is relevant to my question in a separate code block at the top.

if(dialogResult == DialogResult.Yes):
    for d in tableList: #cycles through the table list elements defined above
        writer = Document.Data.CreateDataWriter(DataWriterTypeIdentifiers.ExcelXlsDataWriter)
        table =  Document.Data.Tables[d[0]] #d[0] is the Data Table name in the Spotfire project (defined above)
        filtered = Document.ActiveFilteringSelectionReference.GetSelection(table).AsIndexSet() #OR pass the filter
        stream = File.OpenWrite(savePath+'\\'+ d[1] +".csv") #d[1] is the Excel alias name. You could also use d.Name to export with the Data Table name
        names = []
        for col in table.Columns: 
            names.append(col.Name)
        writer.Write(stream, table, filtered, names)
        stream.Close()

I think it may have to do with the ExcelXlsDataWriter. I tried with ExcelXlsxDataWriter as well. Is there a csv writer I could use for this? I believe csv and txt files have a different writer.

Any help is appreciated.

Full script shown below:

import System
import clr
import sys

clr.AddReference("System.Windows.Forms")
from sys import exit
from System.Windows.Forms import FolderBrowserDialog, MessageBox, MessageBoxButtons, DialogResult
from Spotfire.Dxp.Data.Export import DataWriterTypeIdentifiers
from System.IO import File, FileStream, FileMode

#This is a list of Data Tables and their Excel file names. You can see each referenced below as d[0] and d[1] respectively.
tableList = [
            ["TestTable1"],
            ["TestTable2"],
            ]

#imports the location of the file so that there is a default place to put the exports.
from Spotfire.Dxp.Application import DocumentMetadata
dmd = Application.DocumentMetadata #Get MetaData
path = str(dmd.LoadedFromFileName) #Get Path
savePath = '\\'.join(path.split('\\')[0:-1]) + "\\DataExports\\"

dialogResult = MessageBox.Show("The files will be save to "+savePath
                +". Do you want to change location?"
                , "Select the save location", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
if(dialogResult == DialogResult.Yes):
    # GETS THE FILE PATH FROM THE USER THROUGH A FILE DIALOG instead of using the file location
    SaveFile = FolderBrowserDialog()
    SaveFile.ShowDialog()
    savePath = SaveFile.SelectedPath

#message making sure that the user wants to exporthe files.
dialogResult = MessageBox.Show("Export Files."
                                +"  Export Files","Are you sure?", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
if(dialogResult == DialogResult.Yes):
    for d in tableList: #cycles through the table list elements defined above
        writer = Document.Data.CreateDataWriter(DataWriterTypeIdentifiers.ExcelXlsDataWriter)
        table =  Document.Data.Tables[d[0]] #d[0] is the Data Table name in the Spotfire project (defined above)
        filtered = Document.ActiveFilteringSelectionReference.GetSelection(table).AsIndexSet() #OR pass the filter
        stream = File.OpenWrite(savePath+'\\'+ d[1] +".csv") #d[1] is the Excel alias name. You could also use d.Name to export with the Data Table name
        names = []
        for col in table.Columns: 
            names.append(col.Name)
        writer.Write(stream, table, filtered, names)
        stream.Close()

#if the user doesn't want to export then he just gets a message
else:
    dialogResult = MessageBox.Show("ok.")

Answer 1

For some reason the Spotfire Iron Python implementation does not support the csv package implemented in Python.

The workaround I found to your implementation is using StdfDataWriter instead of ExcelXsDataWriter. The STDF data format is the Spotfire Text Data Format. The DataWriter class in Spotfire supports only Excel and STDF (see here) and STDF comes closest to CSV.

from System.IO import File
from Spotfire.Dxp.Data.Export import DataWriterTypeIdentifiers

writer = Document.Data.CreateDataWriter(DataWriterTypeIdentifiers.StdfDataWriter)
table = Document.Data.Tables['DropDownSelectors']
filtered = Document.ActiveFilteringSelectionReference.GetSelection(table).AsIndexSet()
stream = File.OpenWrite("C:\Users\KLM68651\Documents\dropdownexport.stdf")
names =[]
for col in table.Columns:
    names.append(col.Name)
writer.Write(stream, table, filtered, names)
stream.Close()

Hope this helps