Getting CSV export to have different delimiter using ArcGIS Pro

Question

ArcGIS Pro, using Table to Table tool, I want to export to CSV. But one of my fields is a description field that often has commas in the content. When that is exported to CSV that uses commas as delimiters, it messes everything up.

Is there a way to specify that the delimiter for the export file should be a semi colon, or something else?

Answer 1

Create a pandas dataframe from your data and use to_csv. A workaround, but you can choose whatever delimiter you want:

import arcpy
import pandas as pd

fc = r'C:\GIS\data\Bakgrundskartor_LMV\Vagkartan.gdb\bs_riks'

#fields = ['KKOD', KATEGORI','SRIKT'] #Either list the field names manually
fields = [f.name for f in arcpy.ListFields(fc) if f.type not in ('GEOMETRY','OID') and not f.name.lower().startswith('sh')] #Or like this

df = pd.DataFrame.from_records(data=arcpy.da.SearchCursor(fc, fields), columns=fields)
sep = '|'
df.to_csv(path_or_buf=r'C:\GIS\data\bs_riks.csv', sep=sep, header=True, index=False)

Answer 2

There is an ArcGIS Pro Idea already submitted to Add More Delimiter Options in Table Export Tools (i.e., pipe delimiter):

There are several existing tools to export a table to a flat file .txt or .csv, such as copy rows, table to table, or export features rows to ASCII. The last option at least gives you the ability to choose comma, space, or semicolon delimiters. The first 2 tools default to commas with no configuration option.

Its current Status is In Product Plan and if you vote for it then you will be helping it to be implemented sooner rather than later.