Bash Script to Convert CSV or TSV to OpenOffice or Excel format file for viewing or emailing

Dependencies:
csvtool (http://forge.ocamlcore.org/projects/csv/)
Libreoffice (https://www.libreoffice.org/)
Unoconv (http://dag.wieers.com/home-made/unoconv/)

Because of work with Data so much, sometimes I need to review table data but the format can be tedious to sort through if the columns aren't fixed width or otherwise aligned.

I created the following script, and dropped it in my bin directory.

Then I modified KDE to have a global shortcut for launch.

Create a link to your shell script by making your own directiry, and pointing it to your new script.

Next, add a global shortcut so it launches automatically.

Note, your can modify your end format by looking at what unoconv offers by executing the command
`unoconv --show`

Source code for script is below.


Cheers!

./Steven

 #!/bin/bash
 
 end_format="xls" #you can get these formats by using the command `unoconv --show`
 
 pastefile=$(mktemp /tmp/vim.XXXX)
 csvfile=${pastefile}.csv
 xlsfile=${pastefile}.xls
 
 function getclip {
       qdbus org.kde.klipper /klipper org.kde.klipper.klipper.getClipboardContents > ${pastefile}
 }
 
 ##if I'm a file copy it else from clipboard
 if ! test -z $1; then
    if test -f $1; then
       echo File $1 Found
       cat $1 > ${pastefile}
    else
       getclip
    fi
 else
    getclip
 fi
 
 function width {
    delim=$1
    width=$(/usr/bin/csvtool -t ${delim} width ${pastefile} 2> /dev/null)
    if [[ ${width} -gt 1 ]]; then 
       return 0
    else 
       return 1
    fi
 }
 
 if  width TAB; then
    sep="TAB"
    /usr/bin/csvtool -t ${sep} -u COMMA cat ${pastefile} > ${csvfile}
 elif width COMMA ; then 
    sep="COMMA"
    cp ${pastefile} ${csvfile}
 fi
 
 if [ -z ${sep} ]; then
    rm -f ${pastefile} 
    echo no separation found  >> ${pastefile}
    /usr/bin/vim ${pastefile} 
    rm -f ${pastefile} 
    exit
 fi
 
 
 if ! /usr/bin/unoconv -f ${end_format} -o ${xlsfile} ${csvfile} ; then
    echo "Bad conversion, opening CSV"
    vim ${csvfile}
    rm -f ${pastefile} ${csvfile} 
    exit
 fi
 
 /usr/bin/libreoffice ${xlsfile}
 rm -f ${pastefile} ${csvfile} ${xlsfile}

You can select, copy and paste the code below

#!/bin/bash end_format="xls" #you can get these formats by using the command `unoconv --show` pastefile=$(mktemp /tmp/vim.XXXX) csvfile=${pastefile}.csv xlsfile=${pastefile}.xls function getclip { qdbus org.kde.klipper /klipper org.kde.klipper.klipper.getClipboardContents > ${pastefile} } ##if I'm a file copy it else from clipboard if ! test -z $1; then if test -f $1; then echo File $1 Found cat $1 > ${pastefile} else getclip fi else getclip fi function width { delim=$1 width=$(/usr/bin/csvtool -t ${delim} width ${pastefile} 2> /dev/null) if [[ ${width} -gt 1 ]]; then return 0 else return 1 fi } if width TAB; then sep="TAB" /usr/bin/csvtool -t ${sep} -u COMMA cat ${pastefile} > ${csvfile} elif width COMMA ; then sep="COMMA" cp ${pastefile} ${csvfile} fi if [ -z ${sep} ]; then rm -f ${pastefile} echo no separation found >> ${pastefile} /usr/bin/vim ${pastefile} rm -f ${pastefile} exit fi if ! /usr/bin/unoconv -f ${end_format} -o ${xlsfile} ${csvfile} ; then echo "Bad conversion, opening CSV" vim ${csvfile} rm -f ${pastefile} ${csvfile} exit fi /usr/bin/libreoffice ${xlsfile} rm -f ${pastefile} ${csvfile} ${xlsfile}