tsntsumi / SimpleCSV

Simple CSV Reader and Writer for C#

SimpleCSV

Simple CSV Reader and Writer for C#.

Reading

Reading Records

You can loop the lines and read them.

using (var csvReader = new CSVReader(new StreamReader("/path/to/file.csv")))
{
    string[] line;
	while ((line = csvReader.ReadNext()) != null)
	{
	    Console.WriteLine("{0}, {1}, etc...", line[0], line[1]);
	}
}

If the end of line characters are CR/LF, CSVReader converts to LF. When single CR appeared, CSVReader reads CR as it is.

Writing

Writing Records

You can loop the lines and write them.

using (var csvWriter = new CSVWriter(new StreamWriter("/path/to/file.csv"), '\t'))
{
    foreach (string line in list)
	{
	    string[] fields = line.Split(',');
	    csvWriter.WriteNext(fields);
	}
}

CSVWriter#WriteNext() writes line end string specified lineEnd parameter of constructor. The default lineEnd parameter is LF.

Configuration

There are constructors and builder class to specify behavior.

Separator and Quote Character

You can use a tab for separator.

var reader = new CSVReader(new StreamReader("file.csv"), '\t');

You can use a single quote character rather than double quote character.

var reader = new CSVReader(new StreamReader("file.csv"), '\t', '\'');

Skip the First Few Lines

You may also skip the first few lines of the file.

var reader = new CSVReader(new StreamReader("file.csv"), '\t', '\'', 2);

Use the Builder Class

You can use the CSVParserBuilder and the CSVReaderBuilder to create the CSVReader.

var parser = new CSVParserBuilder()
    .WithSeparator('\t')
	.WithQuoteChar('\'')
	.Build();
var reader = new CSVReaderBuilder(new StreamReader("file.csv"))
    .WithSkipLines(2)
	.WithCSVParser(parser)
	.Build();

And you can also use the CSVWriterBuilder to create the CSVWriter.

var writer = new CSVWriterBuilder(new StreamWriter("file.csv"))
    .WithLineEnd("\r\n")
	.Build();

Escape Character

You can use the another character rather than back quote character for escaping a separator or quote.

var parser = new CSVParserBuilder()
    .WithEscapeChar('?')
	.Build();
var reader = new CSVReaderBuilder(new StreamReader("file.csv"))
	.WithCSVParser(parser)
	.Build();

Other Stuff

• Strict quotes - Characters outside the quotes are ignored.
• Ignore leading white space - White space in front of a quote in field is ignored.
• Ignore quotations - Treat quotations like any other character.
• Field as null - Which field content will be returned as null: EmptySeparators, EmptyQuotes, Both, Neither.

CSV Samples

For Reading

Quote Samples

CSV line(s)	Condition	Returns fields
a,"bcd",e		{ "a", "bcd", "e" }
a,"b,c",d		{ "a", "b,c", "d" }
a,"b c", d		{ "a", "b\nc", "d" }
"one",t"w"o,"three"	WithStrictQuotes(true)	{ "one", "w", "three" }
one, t"wo, t"hree		{ "one", "t\"wo, t\"hree" }
one, t"wo, t"hree	WithIgnoreQuotations(true)	{ "one", "t\"wo", "t\"hree" }
one, t"wo, three		throws IOException("Un-terminated quoted field at end of CSV line")

White Space Samples

CSV line(s)	Condition	Returns fields
"one", "two" , "three"	WithIgnoreLeadingWhiteSpace(false)	{ "one", " \"two\" ", " \"three\"" }
"one", "two" , "three"	WithStrictQuotes(true), WithIgnoreLeadingWhiteSpace(false)	{ "one", "two", "three" }

Empty Field Samples

CSV line(s)	WithFieldAsNull()	Returns fields
,,,"",		{ "", "", "", "", "" }
, ,," ",		{ "", " ", "", " ", "" }
, ,,"",	CSVReaderNullFieldIndicator.EmptySeparators	{ null, " ", null, "", null }
, ,,"",	CSVReaderNullFieldIndicator.EmptyQuotes	{ "", " ", "", null, "" }
, ,,"",	CSVReaderNullFieldIndicator.Both	{ null, " ", null, null, null }

For Writing

Quoting

CSV line(s)	Returns fields
{ "abc", "d,e,f", "ghi" }	"abc","d,e,f","ghi"
{ "a \" b", "cde" }	"a "" b","cde"
{ "a \n b", "cde" }	"a b","cde"

Auto Quoting

applyQuotesToAll parameter is false, like csvWriter.WriteNext(fields, false);.

CSV line(s)	Returns fields
{ "abc", "d,e,f", "g\"h\"i" }	abc,"d,e,f","g""h""i"