[CSV] Re: First Cut at CSV PEP

[Andrew McNamara]

>Using dialects on import is of less importance if sniffing code is
>used.  They are two different approaches to the same problem.  If the
>user specifies the file as Excel compatible, then sniffing seems rather
>redundant, further, if the file is sniffed and the format discovered, it
>doesn't seem important which dialect it matches, as long as we are able
>to use the sniffed parameters to parse it.

A client of ours has CSV files being sent to him by many different
sources - a sniffer would be more valuable to him. 

I'd like to assume the rules are consistent within any given file, but I'm
not sure this is even certain in his application. I think the multiple
sources are merged into one file before he gets his hands on them -
it's a pathological situation - he has a diabolical pile of python that
iteratively attempts to produce something useful. Madness lies this way.

-- 
Andrew McNamara, Senior Developer, Object Craft
http://www.object-craft.com.au/