how to write to csv with a leading zero?

Question

I wish to write to a CSV file some data. One of the column that I input the information is in the form of an integer with leading zeros, example: 0000000013.

For some reason, excel 'converts' it to 13, and I must have it with 10 digits (0000000013). Can anyone tell how this can be circumvented?

String value = "0000000013"; //I tried String.format("%8d", 13) doesn't work
printWriter.println(value);

Thanks!!!

Answer 1

Add a single quote, ', at the start of the line. This informs Excel to not treat the value as a number.

Answer 2

When one opens a CSV file in excel 2007, it opens the Text Import Wizard. In step 3, you can specify the column data format of the column to be 'Text'. Just select the appropriate column header in the 'Data preview' pane. Then select the 'Text' radio button in the 'Column data format' pane.

Answer 3

You should use:

String.format("%08d", 13);

Answer 4

Even better way is to print your number as ="0000000013"

String value = "0000000013"; 
printWriter.println("=\"" + value + "\"");

Answer 5

Append tab to the number

ex: "\t"+"01234"

Answer 6

Try:

String.format("%08d", 13)

Note the 0 in the format string, that tells Java to prefix the number with zeroes up to the length indicated in the field (8 in this case).