#CSV

Since I started using Claude Code, my motivation to create things has skyrocketed.

Previously, even if I wanted to build something, actually doing the coding felt like a hassle, so unless there was a very strong need, I rarely went as far as programming. But now, if I just jot down the specifications, Claude Code handles the rest automatically, resulting in a dramatic improvement in productivity.

I come from a generation native to ObjectScript, so I used to feel some hesitation when it came to switching to Python.

Working with files often starts off simple. open the file, read, and process. That approach works perfectly well, until the file happens to be an Excel file.

A Common Assumption

At first, an Excel file (.xlsx) looks like just another data file, rows, columns and values. nothing unusual. So it's natural to assume it can be read the same way as a .txt ot .csv file. But that's where things start to break.

Why Excel files behave differently

The key difference is how the data is stored:

-> .txt / .csv - plain text, line-by-line.

-> .