I submitted the following file (note the blanks): $ cat testblanks.csv 1997, Ford, E350

The following was returned: CREATE TABLE testblanks (Column_1 NUMERIC(32, 16),Column_2 VARCHAR(5) CHARACTER SET utf8,Column_3 VARCHAR(5) CHARACTER SET utf8); INSERT INTO testblanks VALUES (1997,' Ford',' E350');

That was in accordance with http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4180

Cool!

But the CSV format has a lot of "gotchas." See, for example, http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware3/default.asp?cmd=.... Especially the rant about the Microsoft version of CSV.