Use different display format for specific columns

[cool-RR]

The display format I use for floats is like 0.1234, i.e. 4 days after the decimal point. Sometimes I have columns with tiny numbers, which I want to show as e.g. 4.34e-29. Is it possible to mark specific columns to show with a different format?

[saulpw]

Yes, change the fmtstr on the Columns Sheet.

[cool-RR]

Thank you!

[cool-RR]

I had Claude Code write a command to toggle that:

@Column.api
def toggle_exp_format(col: Column) -> None:
    """Toggle between regular float format and exponential notation."""
    if col.type != float:
        col.type = float
    
    # Check if current format is exponential
    if col.fmtstr and 'e' in col.fmtstr.lower():
        # Switch back to default (None)
        col.fmtstr = None
    else:
        # Switch to exponential format
        # Extract precision from regular format if possible
        if col.fmtstr:
            match = re.match(r'%.([0-9]+)f', col.fmtstr)
            if match:
                precision = int(match[1])
                col.fmtstr = f'%.{precision}e'
            else:
                col.fmtstr = f'%.{DEFAULT_FLOAT_PRECISION}e'
        else:
            col.fmtstr = f'%.{DEFAULT_FLOAT_PRECISION}e'

BaseSheet.addCommand('', 'toggle-column-exp-format', 'cursorCol.toggle_exp_format()', 
                     'toggle between regular and exponential notation for current column')

[frosencrantz]

@cool-RR are you using any sort of base prompt that explains the layout and structure for the VisiData source?

Is that something you would be willing to share? I am wondering if something like that would be useful to add to the source code, like an llms.txt?

[cool-RR]

No base prompt, but it does see the rest of the .visidatarc file. I would love such a base prompt

…

On Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 08:58 Felix Rosencrantz ***@***.***> wrote: @cool-RR <https://github.com/cool-RR> are you using any sort of base prompt that explains the layout and structure for the VisiData source? Is that something you would be willing to share? I am wondering if something like that would be useful to add to the source code, like an llms.txt? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2838 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAAN3SRVBGECUYG3GT3DK233M5T4BAVCNFSM6AAAAACDQXZBH6VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTIMBWGQ4DMNQ> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[frosencrantz]

I found this: https://context7.com/saulpw/visidata

I'm not sure how useful it is. I have not gone through the about 340 snippets. And some of the first items are installation instructions, but there are some Python snippets.