A CSV file specifies a database’s contents in text format. Each line of the CSV file is one database entry. Within each line, field values are separated by a comma (or by another punctuation character which you can select). If a field needs to contain a separator character as literal text, the field can be enclosed in "double quotes". (You can quote any field anyway, whether it needs it or not.) To include a literal double-quote character in a field (whether the field itself is quoted or not), use pairs of double quotes ""like this"".
If you use a template along with the CSV file, your fields can have types other than text. Checkbox fields should contain a 1 (if the box is checked) or 0 (if it is not). Popup fields (including DB Popups) contain the text of one of the items in the popup menu. Date and time fields should contain a string in a format such as "1:35 pm" or "12/25/1999". (Several different formats are available for both times and dates; you can pick ones you like from the popup menus in the Make PDB and Make CSV windows. All time fields in a CSV file must use the same time format, and all date fields must use the same date format.) Numeric fields should be ordinary decimal numbers, with a decimal point if the field type is "Float". Image fields cannot be specified in CSV and must be left empty.
You can choose to have the first line of the CSV contain field names instead of field values. (If you use a template when creating a database, the field names in the CSV file will be ignored in favor of the field names in the template file.)
Here's an example of a few lines from a CSV file, with field names in the first line:
Media,Artist,Album Title,Date Purchased,Duration in Minutes
CD,Louis Armstrong,Satch Plays Fats,4/22/1998,63
Tape,Fink St. Five,"So Long, Sucker",10/19/1982,87
LP,South Frisco Jazz Band,Too ""Hot"" To Handle,7/4/1985,45
