(SQL Server) Write utf-8 CSV Compatible with Excel

See more CSV Examples

A CSV containing non-English characters that is saved using the utf-8 character encoding must include a BOM (also known as a preamble) if it is to be correctly loaded into Excel. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byte_order_mark

This example shows how to save the CSV to a file using utf-8 with a BOM.

Note: This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.93 or later.

Chilkat ActiveX Downloads ActiveX for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

-- Important: See this note about string length limitations for strings returned by sp_OAMethod calls.
--
CREATE PROCEDURE ChilkatSample
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @hr int
    -- Important: Do not use nvarchar(max).  See the warning about using nvarchar(max).
    DECLARE @sTmp0 nvarchar(4000)
    -- This example program loads a file (japanese.csv)
    -- that contains this content:
    -- 
    -- year,color,country,food
    -- 2001,red,France,cheese
    -- 2005,blue,"United States",hamburger
    -- 2008,green,Italy,pasta
    -- 1998,orange,Japan,sushi
    -- 2010,silver,"太志","森田"
    -- 

    DECLARE @csv int
    -- Use "Chilkat_9_5_0.Csv" for versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Csv', @csv OUT
    IF @hr <> 0
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'Failed to create ActiveX component'
        RETURN
    END

    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @csv, 'HasColumnNames', 1
    DECLARE @success int
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @csv, 'LoadFile2', @success OUT, 'qa_data/csv/test.csv', 'utf-8'
    IF @success <> 1
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @csv, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @csv
        RETURN
      END

    -- To save the CSV using utf-8 with a BOM/preamble, 
    -- add "EMIT_BOM" to the UncommonOptions.
    -- (This feature was added in Chilkat v9.5.0.93)

    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @csv, 'UncommonOptions', 'EMIT_BOM'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @csv, 'SaveFile2', @success OUT, 'qa_output/test.csv', 'utf-8'
    IF @success <> 1
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @csv, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @csv
        RETURN
      END


    PRINT 'OK, try to load the CSV in Excel to see if the non-English chars are correct.'

    EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @csv


END
GO