Exporting data containing line feeds as CSV from PostgreSQL - sql

Question

I'm trying to export data From postgresql to csv.
First i created the query and tried exporting From pgadmin with the File -> Export to CSV. The CSV is wrong, as it contains for example :
The header : Field1;Field2;Field3;Field4
Now, the rows begin well, except for the last field that it puts it on another line:
Example :
Data1;Data2;Data3;
Data4;
The problem is i get error when trying to import the data to another server.
The data is From a view i created.
I also tried
COPY view(field1,field2...) TO 'C:\test.csv' DELIMITER ',' CSV HEADER;
It exports the same file.
I just want to export the data to another server.
Edit:
When trying to import the csv i get the error :
ERROR : Extra data after the last expected column. Context Copy
actions, line 3: <<"Data1, data2 etc.">>
So the first line is the header, the second line is the first row with data minus the last field, which is on the 3rd line, alone.

Answer 1

In order for you to export the file in another server you have two options:
Creating a shared folder between the two servers, so that the
database also has access to this directory.
COPY (SELECT field1,field2 FROM your_table) TO '[shared directory]' DELIMITER ',' CSV HEADER;
Triggering the export from the target server using the STDOUT of
COPY. Using psql you can achieve this running the following
command:
psql yourdb -c "COPY (SELECT * FROM your_table) TO STDOUT" > output.csv
EDIT: Addressing the issue of fields containing line feeds (\n)
In case you wanna get rid of the line feeds, use the REPLACE function.
Example:
SELECT E'foo\nbar';
?column?
----------
foo +
bar
(1 Zeile)
Removing the line feed:
SELECT REPLACE(E'foo\nbaar',E'\n','');
replace
---------
foobaar
(1 Zeile)
So your COPY should look like this:
COPY (SELECT field1,REPLACE(field2,E'\n','') AS field2 FROM your_table) TO '[shared directory]' DELIMITER ',' CSV HEADER;

Answer 2

the described above export procedure is OK, e.g:
t=# create table so(i int, t text);
CREATE TABLE
t=# insert into so select 1,chr(10)||'aaa';
INSERT 0 1
t=# copy so to stdout csv header;
i,t
1,"
aaa"
t=# create table so1(i int, t text);
CREATE TABLE
t=# copy so1 from stdout csv header;
Enter data to be copied followed by a newline.
End with a backslash and a period on a line by itself, or an EOF signal.
>> i,t
1,"
aaa"
>> >> >> \.
COPY 1
t=# select * from so1;
i | t
---+-----
1 | +
| aaa
(1 row)