Export Guide

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Export function in Astrow helps users to export data in different formats resulting. This help page shows how to configure the exports to get the 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:

Alternative name: This is the alternative name for the column in the output file, if the header is exported.
Type: Data type of the column. Data can be id, text, minutes, real or integer numbers, date, time or datetime.
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.
If the {} are not used, this will be considered fixed text and exported as it is in all rows for this column.
If the Format is empty, the default format will be applied depending on Type.
Selected: Whether the column is selected for export or not.

Format options

Format options include:

Export header – whether to export the columns header in the text file.
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”
Hours format – format of the hours/minutes
HH.dd – formats the hours/minutes as hundreds
HH:mm – formats the hours/minutes as standard.
File name – File name under which to download the export. It can be empty in which case a standard name is used.
Fields separator – field/column separator used to separate the fields on a line. Can be empty – for example when using fixed width formats.
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:

Format modifier	Test text	Result	Comments
{0,20}	“John Smith”	“ John Smith”	Adds 10 spaces in front of text to fill up to 20 characters.
{0,-20}	“John Smith”	“John Smith ”	Adds 10 spaces at the end of text to fill up to 20 characters.
{0,6}{0}	“John Smith”	“00John S”	Adds leading zeros.
SUBSTRING(4,5)	“John Smith”	“n Smi”	Subtracts a number of characters after the first position mentioned.

Fixed text

Applies to: fixed text data only in column Calculation expression.

Text examples:

Format modifier	Test text	Result	Comments
1234	“John Smith”	“1234”	Since this is without { and }, it will be considered as fixed text.

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:

Format modifier	Test number	Result	Comments
{0:00000.00}	123.2	00123.20	Added 2 zeros in front and format on 2 decimals.
{0:00000.00;-0000.00}	123.2	00123.20	The ; character is to separate the formats for positive and negative numbers.
{0:00000.00;-0000.00}	-123.2	-0123.20	The ; character is to separate the formats for positive and negative numbers.
{0:0000.00\|0:000000}	For counters type T: 8:00	For counters type T: 0800	The sign \| acts as "or": if the counter is T, it will take the first format; if it is C, it will take the second format and include the leading zeros.
{0:0000.00\|0:000000}	For counters type C: 10	For counters type C: 000010
{0:00000.00\|0000}	For counters type T: 8:00	For counters type T: 0800	The sign \| acts as "or": if the counter is T, it will take the first format; if it is C, it will take the second format but exclude the leading zeros.
{0:00000.00\|0000}	For counters type C: 10	For counters type C: 10

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:

Format modifier	Test date	Result	Comments
{0:ddMMyyyy}	10-Nov-2012	10112012
{0:ddMMyyyy hhmmss}	10-Nov-2012 12:25:18	10112012 122518

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.

Format specifier	Description	Examples
"d"	The day of the month, from 1 through 31.	6/1/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 1 6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 15
"dd"	The day of the month, from 01 through 31.	6/1/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 01 6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 15
"ddd"	The abbreviated name of the day of the week	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)
"dddd"	The full name of the day of the week.	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)
"f"	The tenths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 6 6/15/2009 13:45:30.050 -> 0
"ff"	The hundredths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 61 6/15/2009 13:45:30.005 -> 00
"fff"	The milliseconds in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 617 6/15/2009 13:45:30.0005 -> 000
"ffff"	The ten thousandths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.6175 -> 6175 6/15/2009 13:45:30.00005 -> 0000
"fffff"	The hundred thousandths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.61754 -> 61754 6/15/2009 13:45:30.000005 -> 00000
"ffffff"	The millionths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.617542 -> 617542 6/15/2009 13:45:30.0000005 -> 000000
"fffffff"	The ten millionths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.6175425 -> 6175425 6/15/2009 13:45:30.0001150 -> 0001150
"F"	If non-zero, the tenths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 6 6/15/2009 13:45:30.050 -> (no output)
"FF"	If non-zero, the hundredths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 61 6/15/2009 13:45:30.005 -> (no output)
"FFF"	If non-zero, the milliseconds in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.617 -> 617 6/15/2009 13:45:30.0005 -> (no output)
"FFFF"	If non-zero, the ten thousandths of a second in a date and time value.	6/1/2009 13:45:30.5275 -> 5275 6/15/2009 13:45:30.00005 -> (no output)
"FFFFF"	If non-zero, the hundred thousandths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.61754 -> 61754 6/15/2009 13:45:30.000005 -> (no output)
"FFFFFF"	If non-zero, the millionths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.617542 -> 617542 6/15/2009 13:45:30.0000005 -> (no output)
"FFFFFFF"	If non-zero, the ten millionths of a second in a date and time value.	6/15/2009 13:45:30.6175425 -> 6175425 6/15/2009 13:45:30.0001150 -> 000115
"g", "gg"	The period or era.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> A.D.
"h"	The hour, using a 12-hour clock from 1 to 12.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -> 1 6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 1
"hh"	The hour, using a 12-hour clock from 01 to 12.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -> 01 6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 01
"H"	The hour, using a 24-hour clock from 0 to 23.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -> 1 6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 13
"HH"	The hour, using a 24-hour clock from 00 to 23.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -> 01 6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 13
"K"	Time zone information.	With DateTime values: 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) With DateTimeOffset values: 6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM -07:00 --> -07:00 6/15/2009 8:45:30 AM +00:00 --> +00:00
"m"	The minute, from 0 through 59.	6/15/2009 1:09:30 AM -> 9 6/15/2009 1:09:30 PM -> 9
"mm"	The minute, from 00 through 59.	6/15/2009 1:09:30 AM -> 09 6/15/2009 1:09:30 PM -> 09
"M"	The month, from 1 through 12.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 6
"MM"	The month, from 01 through 12.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 06
"MMM"	The abbreviated name of the month.	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)
"MMMM"	The full name of the month.	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)
"s"	The second, from 0 through 59.	6/15/2009 1:45:09 PM -> 9
"ss"	The second, from 00 through 59.	6/15/2009 1:45:09 PM -> 09
"t"	The first character of the AM/PM designator	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)
"tt"	The AM/PM designator.	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)
"y"	The year, from 0 to 99.	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
"yy"	The year, from 00 to 99.	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
"yyy"	The year, with a minimum of three digits.	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
"yyyy"	The year as a four-digit number.	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
"yyyyy"	The year as a five-digit number.	1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM -> 00001 6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -> 02009
"z"	Hours offset from UTC, with no leading zeros.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -07:00 -> -7
"zz"	Hours offset from UTC, with a leading zero for a single-digit value.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -07:00 -> -07
"zzz"	Hours and minutes offset from UTC.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM -07:00 -> -07:00
":"	The time separator.	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)
"/"	The date separator.	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)
"string" 'string'	Literal string delimiter.	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
%	Defines the following character as a custom format specifier.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM (%h) -> 1
\	The escape character.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 PM (h \h) -> 1 h
Any other character	The character is copied to the result string unchanged.	6/15/2009 1:45:30 AM (arr hh:mm t) -> arr 01:45 A