Export Guide
Click the button 
for a link to this guide.
for a link to this guide. Export function in Astrow help users to export data from Astrow in different formats resulting in a text file.
This help page shows how to configure the exports to get desired file format.
When configuring the export, there can be configured columns and a set of options.
Text, Real and Date-time examples are also shown below.
Configuring columns
When configuring columns, next properties can be set:
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Alternative name – this is the alternative name under which to export the column in the output file if header is exported
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Type – data type of the data stored in this column. Data can be id, text, minutes, real or integer numbers, date, time or datetime.
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Format – this is the format used when exporting a column data. For every column a format modifier can be set to transform the data before export. Format modifiers are described in a subsequent section. Different format applies depending on the Column data type.
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If the {} are not used, this will be considered fixed text and exported as it is in all rows for this column.
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If the Format is empty, the default format will be applied depending on Type.
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Selected – whether the column is selected for export or not.
Format options
Format options include:
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Export header – whether to export the columns header in the text file.
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Space replacement - Used for Text fields to replace the spaces with text defined here. For ex. if this field is “0”, for text value “ 123” (3 spaces in front of 123) the result will be “000123”
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Hours format – format of the hours/minutes
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HH.dd – formats the hours/minutes as hundreds
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HH:mm – formats the hours/minutes as standard.
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File name – File name under which to download the export. It can be empty in which case a standard name is used.
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Fields separator – field/column separator used to separate the fields on a line. Can be empty – for example when using fixed width formats.
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Fraction separator – the symbol used for fractions. If Fraction separator is empty text, the dot from fraction numbers will be removed.
Format modifiers
For a very detailed description of format identifiers, we can tell that they are based on C# format modifiers used by String.Format function. Full documentation of this function can be found here. Anyway the description provided here and the Text, Real and Date-time examples given below should be sufficient for generating various exports.
A format identifier has next syntax:
{ 0[,alignment][ :formatString] }
Brackets denote optional elements. The opening and closing brackets are required. A format item has the following elements:
0 value after opening bracket should always exist.
alignment
A signed integer that indicates the total length of the field into which the argument is inserted and whether it is right-aligned (a positive integer) or left-aligned (a negative integer). If alignment is omitted, the string representation of the corresponding argument is inserted in a field with no leading or trailing spaces.
formatString
A format string that specifies the format of the corresponding argument's result string.
Text modifiers
Applies to: text data types
Text modifiers allow to format text values. Using them, the text can be aligned adding spaces on the left or right.
Text examples:
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Format modifier
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Test text
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Result
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Comments
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{0,20}
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“John Smith”
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“ John Smith”
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Adds 10 spaces in front of text to fill up to 20 characters
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{0,-20}
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“John Smith”
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“John Smith ”
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Adds 10 spaces at the end of text to fill up to 20 characters
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SUBSTRING(4,5)
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“John Smith”
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“n Smi”
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Subtracts a number of characters after the first position mentioned.
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Fixed text
Applies to: fixed text data only in column Calculation expression.
Text examples:
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Format modifier
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Test text
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Result
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Comments
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1234
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“John Smith”
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“1234”
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Since this is without { and }, it will be considered as fixed text
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Number identifiers
Applies to: integer and real numbers, hours and id data types
Number modifiers allow to format number and identifier values. Using them, the numbers can be aligned adding 0 (zeros) on the left or right, defining how many decimals and other formatting.
Number (Real & Integer) examples:
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Format modifier
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Test number
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Result
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Comments
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{0:00000.00}
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123.2
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00123.20
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Added 2 zeros in front and format on 2 decimals
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{0:00000.00;-0000.00}
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123.2
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00123.20
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The ; character is to separate the formats for positive and negative numbers
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{0:00000.00;-0000.00}
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-123.2
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-0123.20
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The ; character is to separate the formats for positive and negative numbers
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Please note that if Fraction separator is empty text, the dot from fraction numbers will be removed.
Date-time identifiers
Applies to: date related data types
Date-time modifiers allow to format date values.
Date-time examples:
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Format modifier
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Test date
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Result
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Comments
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{0:ddMMyyyy}
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10-Nov-2012
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10112012
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{0:ddMMyyyy hhmmss}
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10-Nov-2012 12:25:18
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10112012 122518
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Next you can find the possible format specifiers which can be used for formatting the date fields (extracted from here):
Please note that for date texts, it will be used the language of the user on the server under which the AstrowService is running.
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Format specifier
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Description
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Examples
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"d"
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The day of the month, from 1 through 31.
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6/1/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 1
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 15
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"dd"
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The day of the month, from 01 through 31.
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6/1/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 01
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 15
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"ddd"
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The abbreviated name of the day of the week
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> Mon (en-US)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> Пн (ru-RU)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> lun. (fr-FR)
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"dddd"
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The full name of the day of the week.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> Monday (en-US)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> понедельник (ru-RU)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> lundi (fr-FR)
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"f"
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The tenths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 6
6/15/2009 13:45:30.050 -> 0
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"ff"
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The hundredths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 61
6/15/2009 13:45:30.005 -> 00
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"fff"
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The milliseconds in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 617
6/15/2009 13:45:30.0005 -> 000
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"ffff"
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The ten thousandths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.6175 -> 6175
6/15/2009 13:45:30.00005 -> 0000
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"fffff"
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The hundred thousandths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.61754 -> 61754
6/15/2009 13:45:30.000005 -> 00000
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"ffffff"
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The millionths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.617542 -> 617542
6/15/2009 13:45:30.0000005 -> 000000
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"fffffff"
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The ten millionths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.6175425 -> 6175425
6/15/2009 13:45:30.0001150 -> 0001150
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"F"
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If non-zero, the tenths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 6
6/15/2009 13:45:30.050 -> (no output)
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"FF"
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If non-zero, the hundredths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 61
6/15/2009 13:45:30.005 -> (no output)
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"FFF"
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If non-zero, the milliseconds in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 617
6/15/2009 13:45:30.0005 -> (no output)
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"FFFF"
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If non-zero, the ten thousandths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/1/2009 13:45:30.5275 -> 5275
6/15/2009 13:45:30.00005 -> (no output)
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"FFFFF"
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If non-zero, the hundred thousandths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.61754 -> 61754
6/15/2009 13:45:30.000005 -> (no output)
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"FFFFFF"
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If non-zero, the millionths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.617542 -> 617542
6/15/2009 13:45:30.0000005 -> (no output)
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"FFFFFFF"
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If non-zero, the ten millionths of a second in a date and time value.
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6/15/2009 13:45:30.6175425 -> 6175425
6/15/2009 13:45:30.0001150 -> 000115
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"g", "gg"
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The period or era.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> A.D.
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"h"
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The hour, using a 12-hour clock from 1 to 12.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -> 1
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 1
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"hh"
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The hour, using a 12-hour clock from 01 to 12.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -> 01
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 01
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"H"
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The hour, using a 24-hour clock from 0 to 23.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -> 1
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 13
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"HH"
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The hour, using a 24-hour clock from 00 to 23.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -> 01
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 13
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"K"
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Time zone information.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM, Kind Unspecified ->
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM, Kind Utc -> Z
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM, Kind Local -> -07:00 (depends on local computer settings)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -07:00 --> -07:00
6/15/2009 8:45:30 AM +00:00 --> +00:00
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"m"
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The minute, from 0 through 59.
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6/15/2009 1:09:30 AM -> 9
6/15/2009 1:09:30 PM -> 9
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"mm"
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The minute, from 00 through 59.
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6/15/2009 1:09:30 AM -> 09
6/15/2009 1:09:30 PM -> 09
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"M"
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The month, from 1 through 12.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 6
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"MM"
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The month, from 01 through 12.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 06
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"MMM"
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The abbreviated name of the month.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> Jun (en-US)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> juin (fr-FR)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> Jun (zu-ZA)
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"MMMM"
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The full name of the month.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> June (en-US)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> juni (da-DK)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> uJuni (zu-ZA)
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"s"
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The second, from 0 through 59.
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6/15/2009 1:45:09 PM -> 9
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"ss"
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The second, from 00 through 59.
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6/15/2009 1:45:09 PM -> 09
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"t"
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The first character of the AM/PM designator
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> P (en-US)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 午 (ja-JP)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> (fr-FR)
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"tt"
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The AM/PM designator.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> PM (en-US)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 午後 (ja-JP)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> (fr-FR)
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"y"
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The year, from 0 to 99.
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1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM -> 1
1/1/0900 12:00:00 AM -> 0
1/1/1900 12:00:00 AM -> 0
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 9
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"yy"
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The year, from 00 to 99.
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1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM -> 01
1/1/0900 12:00:00 AM -> 00
1/1/1900 12:00:00 AM -> 00
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 09
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"yyy"
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The year, with a minimum of three digits.
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1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM -> 001
1/1/0900 12:00:00 AM -> 900
1/1/1900 12:00:00 AM -> 1900
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 2009
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"yyyy"
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The year as a four-digit number.
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1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM -> 0001
1/1/0900 12:00:00 AM -> 0900
1/1/1900 12:00:00 AM -> 1900
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 2009
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"yyyyy"
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The year as a five-digit number.
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1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM -> 00001
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 02009
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"z"
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Hours offset from UTC, with no leading zeros.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -07:00 -> -7
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"zz"
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Hours offset from UTC, with a leading zero for a single-digit value.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -07:00 -> -07
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"zzz"
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Hours and minutes offset from UTC.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -07:00 -> -07:00
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":"
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The time separator.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> : (en-US)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> . (it-IT)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> : (ja-JP)
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"/"
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The date separator.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> / (en-US)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> - (ar-DZ)
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> . (tr-TR)
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"string"
'string'
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Literal string delimiter.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM ("arr:" h:m t) -> arr: 1:45 P
6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM ('arr:' h:m t) -> arr: 1:45 P
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%
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Defines the following character as a custom format specifier.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM (%h) -> 1
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\
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The escape character.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM (h \h) -> 1 h
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Any other character
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The character is copied to the result string unchanged.
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6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM (arr hh:mm t) -> arr 01:45 A
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