# Format specification items Each format specification item defines a certain property of the table file: fspec-item ::= [ ansi | oem | mac | UTF-8 | Unicode | txt | fix | dif | biff | ooxml | html | xml | qvd | qvx | delimiter is char | no eof | embedded labels | explicit labels | no labels | table is [tablename] | header is n | header is line | header is n lines | comment is string | record is n | record is line | record isn lines | no quotes |msq ] Use the drop-down on each function to see a brief description and the syntax of each function. Click the function name in the syntax description for further details. [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### Character set Character set is a file specifier for the LOAD statement that defines the character set used in the file. ansi | oem | mac | UTF-8 | Unicode | codepage is | [Character set](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/character-set.htm) [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### Table format The table format is a file specifier for the LOAD statement that defines the file type. If nothing is specified, a .txt file is assumed. txt | fix | dif | biff | ooxml | html | xml | qvd | qvx [Table format](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/table-format.htm) [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### Delimiter For delimited table files, an arbitrary delimiter can be specified through the delimiter is specifier. This specifier is relevant only for delimited .txt files. [**delimiter**](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/delimiter.htm) is char [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### Header is Specifies the header size in table files. An arbitrary header length can be specified through the header is specifier. A header is a text section not used by QlikView. [**header-is**](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/header-is.htm) n Header is line Header is n lines [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### Comment is If you have lines in your source data file that are comments, you can define a comment prefix with Comment is. Set commentprefix to the character or string that comment lines start with, and these lines will be ignored when you load data. Comment is commentprefix [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### labels Labels is a file specifier for the LOAD statement that defines where in a file the field names can be found. [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm)embedded [**labels**](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/labels.htm) |[](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) explicit labels|[](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm)no labels [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### no eof The no eof specifier is used to disregard end-of-file character when loading delimited .txt files. [**no-eof**](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/no-eof.htm) [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### quotes Quotes is a file specifier for the LOAD statement that defines whether quotes can be used and the precedence between quotes and separators. For text files only. [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm)[](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm)no [**quotes**](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/quotes.htm) [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm)[](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm)msq [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### Record is For fixed record length files, the record length must be specified through the record is specifier. [**record-is**](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/record-is.htm) n Record is line Record is n lines [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/format-specification-items.htm) #### XML This script specifier is used when loading xml files. Valid options for the XML specifier are listed in syntax. xmlsax xmlsimple pattern is path [XML](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptSpecifiers/XML.htm) ## Learn more * [Load](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptRegularStatements/Load.htm) * [Select](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/September2026/Subsystems/Client/Content/QV_QlikView/Scripting/ScriptRegularStatements/Select.htm)