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SetFileFormatProperties["fmt","prop"val]

sets the value of a property "prop" for the specified format "fmt".

SetFileFormatProperties["fmt",{"prop1"val1,"prop2"val2,…}]

sets the value of multiple properties "propi".

Details
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SetFileFormatProperties   

Listing of Formats »

SetFileFormatProperties["fmt","prop"val]

sets the value of a property "prop" for the specified format "fmt".

SetFileFormatProperties["fmt",{"prop1"val1,"prop2"val2,…}]

sets the value of multiple properties "propi".

Details

  • SetFileFormatProperties can set properties for a format that is used by Import and Export.
  • For the full list of supported import and export formats, see $ImportFormats and $ExportFormats.
  • Available format properties include:
  • "FileNamePatterns"list of file name patterns associated to a format
    "MIMETypes"list of MIME types associated to a format
  • Import properties:
  • "DefaultImportElement"the element used as the default import element

Examples

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Basic Examples  (1)

Change the default import element for CSV files to "Dataset":

Wolfram Language code: SetFileFormatProperties["CSV", "DefaultImportElement" -> "Dataset"]

Import a CSV using the new default element:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/financialtimeseries.csv"]

Reset the default element:

Wolfram Language code: SetFileFormatProperties["CSV", "DefaultImportElement" -> "Data"]

Scope  (2)

Check the default import element for CSV:

Wolfram Language code: elem = FileFormatProperties["CSV", "DefaultImportElement"]

Import a CSV file using the default element:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/financialtimeseries.csv"]//Short

Change the default import element for CSV files to "Dataset":

Wolfram Language code: SetFileFormatProperties["CSV", "DefaultImportElement" -> "Dataset"]

Import a CSV using the new default element:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/financialtimeseries.csv"]

Reset the default element:

Wolfram Language code: SetFileFormatProperties["CSV", "DefaultImportElement" -> elem]

Check the default import element and file name patterns for CSV:

Wolfram Language code: properties = FileFormatProperties["CSV", {"DefaultImportElement", "FileNamePatterns"}]

Change the default import element and file name patterns for CSV:

Wolfram Language code: SetFileFormatProperties["CSV", {"DefaultImportElement" -> "Tabular", "FileNamePatterns" -> {"*.csv", "*.txt"}}]

Reset the default element and file name patterns:

Wolfram Language code: SetFileFormatProperties["CSV", properties]
Wolfram Research (2021), SetFileFormatProperties, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetFileFormatProperties.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (2021), SetFileFormatProperties, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetFileFormatProperties.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2021. "SetFileFormatProperties." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetFileFormatProperties.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2021). SetFileFormatProperties. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetFileFormatProperties.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_setfileformatproperties, author="Wolfram Research", title="{SetFileFormatProperties}", year="2021", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetFileFormatProperties.html}", note=[Accessed: 09-October-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_setfileformatproperties, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={SetFileFormatProperties}, year={2021}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetFileFormatProperties.html}, note=[Accessed: 09-October-2026]}