Add standalone CSV conversion

.gitignore

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/.project

csvtable.py

@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+
+# Convert PFS:First Choice database (.FOL) to CSV format
+# David Schmidt 2026
+
+try:
+    import sys
+except:
+    print("Please install the sys module")
+    print("\tit should be part of the standard python3 distribution")
+    raise
+
+try:
+    import csv
+except:
+    print("Please install the csv module")
+    print("\tit should be part of the standard python3 distribution")
+    raise
+
+try:
+    import argparse
+except:
+    print("Please install the argparse module")
+    print("\tit should be part of the standard python3 distribution")
+    raise
+
+try:
+    import signal
+except:
+    print("Please install the signal module")
+    print("\tit should be part of the standard python3 distribution")
+    raise
+
+import first
+import common
+
+def signal_handler(signal, frame):
+    """Signal handler for clean exit on Ctrl-C"""
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+def FOL_to_CSV(fol_handler, csv_file):
+    """Convert FOL data to CSV format
+
+    Args:
+        fol_handler: FOL_handler instance with loaded data
+        csv_file: Open file object for CSV output
+    """
+    # Get field names from form definition
+    field_names = [f['field'] for f in fol_handler.form['fields']]
+
+    # Create CSV writer
+    writer = csv.writer(csv_file)
+
+    # Write header row
+    writer.writerow(field_names)
+
+    # Write data rows
+    for record in fol_handler.data:
+        writer.writerow(record)
+
+def CommandLine():
+    """Setup argparser object to process the command line"""
+    cl = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description="Convert PFS:First Choice v3 database file (.FOL) to CSV format. 2021 by Paul H Alfille"
+    )
+
+    cl.add_argument(
+        "In",
+        help="Input database file (type .FOL)",
+        type=argparse.FileType('rb')
+    )
+
+    cl.add_argument(
+        "Out",
+        help="Output CSV file (default: stdout)",
+        nargs='?',
+        type=argparse.FileType('w', encoding='utf-8'),
+        default=sys.stdout
+    )
+
+    cl.add_argument(
+        "-v", "--verbose",
+        help="Verbose output",
+        action="count",
+        default=0
+    )
+
+    return cl.parse_args()
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    """
+    First Choice FOL to CSV converter
+    """
+    common.args = CommandLine()
+
+    # Set up keyboard interrupt handler
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, signal_handler)
+
+    # Read in database (FOL file already open from command line)
+    try:
+        dbase_class = first.FOL_handler(common.args.In)
+    except common.User_Error as error:
+        print("Error parsing database file: {}".format(error), file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except Exception as error:
+        print("Unexpected error: {}".format(error), file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Convert to CSV
+    try:
+        FOL_to_CSV(dbase_class, common.args.Out)
+        if common.args.verbose:
+            print(
+                "Converted {} records with {} fields".format(
+                    len(dbase_class.data),
+                    len(dbase_class.form['fields'])
+                ),
+                file=sys.stderr
+            )
+    except Exception as error:
+        print("Error writing CSV: {}".format(error), file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    sys.exit(0)

first.py

@@ -160,7 +160,8 @@ def Parse( self, inputstring ):
         if not self.FitOld(sl):
             sl = self.wrap(ss)
             # get rid of fake indent that takes place of field name
-            sl[0] = ' '+sl[0].lstrip()
+            if len(sl) > 0:
+                sl[0] = ' '+sl[0].lstrip()
 
         if not self._final:
             self.PadLines( sl )
@@ -1043,7 +1044,7 @@ def CommandLine():
 
     # Read in databaase (FOL file already open from command line)
     try:
-        dbase_class = FOL_handler( args.In, args.Out )
+        dbase_class = FOL_handler( common.args.In, common.args.Out )
     except common.User_Error as error:
         print("Error processing file: {}".format(error))
         dbase_class = None

readme.md

@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ While extracting data is nice, it would be nice to have a server-based multiuser
 ## Alternatives
 * [FirstOut](https://file-convert.com/fout.htm) -- Comercial, extract only
 * [First2html](http://first2html.sourceforge.net/) -- Open Source, extract only
-* The module first.py can as standalone to parse and write a FOL file. It is used by web program for the FOL parsing.
+* The module first.py can be used standalone to parse and write a FOL file. It is used by web program for the FOL parsing
+* The module csvtable.py can be used standalone to parse a FOL file and write an equivalent .csv file.
 
 ## License