Standards for Importing a CSV File

The imported comma-separated values (CSV) file must adhere to the following standards.

File Requirements

  • Save the file using UTF-8 encoding to maintain character compatibility.
  • Keep the file formatted as a CSV file, adhering to RFC 4180 standards.
  • The header row is predefined in the CSV template file. Do not delete nor modify the content of this row.
  • You can include comment lines before the header. Begin each comment line with a # symbol. The importer will automatically skip these lines.
  • Use double quotation marks as follows:
    • If a field includes a double quotation mark, represent it as two consecutive double quotation marks ("") within the quoted field.
    • Enclose any field in double quotation marks if it contains a comma, a new line (line break), or a double quotation mark (as per RFC 4180 specifications). For example, to name an AP as: "VIP" Guest AP, you must enter the entire AP name as follows: """VIP"" Guest AP".
    Note: RUCKUS strongly recommends adhering to the RFC 4180 standard for field encapsulation in CSV files. Only the exemplified formatting method is officially supported and guaranteed to work correctly with the importer.

Editing in Microsoft Excel

Before entering or pasting any data, set the format of every column to Text by navigating to Format Cells.. > Number > Text. This step prevents Excel from automatically reformatting long numbers or trimming characters. After editing, save the file as CSV UTF-8 (.csv) to ensure proper encoding.

Rules for Mandatory Field: AP Name

  • AP Name must be unique and cannot be duplicated.
  • Enter between 2 and 32 characters.

  • You may use letters, numbers, spaces, and the following symbols:

    !"#$%'()*+&,-./:;<=>?@[]^_{|}~

  • Do not use ` or the sequence "$(".
  • If the AP Name includes a comma or double quotation marks, apply the RFC 4180 quoting rules described in section File Requirements.

Rules for Mandatory Field: Serial Number

  • Only digits (0–9) are allowed.
  • Enter exactly 12 digits.
  • The number must not begin with 0.

Rules for Optional Field: Descriptions

  • Enter up to 180 characters.
  • If the content includes commas or double quotation marks, apply the RFC 4180 quoting rules as described in section File Requirements.

Rules for Optional Field: AP Group

If you specify an AP group, ensure that the group already exists in the system. File import fails if you provide an AP group that does not exist. AP group names are case-sensitive unless your system specifies otherwise.

Rules for Optional Field: Tags

  • Separate multiple tags using a semicolon (;) — for example: tag1;tag2;tag3.
  • The system ignores blank spaces before or after each tag.

Rules for Optional Fields: Latitude and Longitude

  • Enter a numeric value between -90 and 90, inclusive, for latitude.
  • Enter a numeric value between -180 and 180, inclusive, for longitude.
  • You may include up to six decimal places for precision.
  • Provide both latitude and longitude for each AP to ensure accurate results.
  • Verify that coordinates fall within the country where the venue is registered.

Editing in Apple Numbers

When exporting your data (File > Export To > CSV...), ensure the following:
  • Do not check the Include table name option. Enabling the option inserts an extra line above the header row, which breaks the expected file format and causes import errors.
  • Set Encoding to Unicode (UTF-8) to ensure proper character formatting.

Handling Special Characters

  • Enclose the field in double quotes if it contains a comma, newline, or double quote character.
  • To represent a double quote within an encapsulated field, use two consecutive double quotes ("").
  • RUCKUS strongly recommends adhering to the RFC 4180 standard for field encapsulation in CSV files.
  • Only the formatting methods outlined below are officially supported and guaranteed to work correctly with the importer.

    Example: For a name containing double quotes, such as "VIP" Guest AP, format it as: """VIP"" Guest AP".