title: How to export 'date lookalike' text columns to csv
body: <p>I have the .net code written to export data to a csv file. The problem is that one of the columns has data like 5-8-13</p>
  
  <p>When I double click the .csv file in excel this column shows data as 5/8/2013 i.e. it is misinterpreted as a date column which is not what I want. Is there some escape character which I can use while exporting so that when the file is opened the column data is 5-8-13</p>
  
  <p>I have tried putting this value in double quotes, but this does not work. </p>
  
  <p>Any help is appreciated. Thanks </p>