How to insert single value in single cell to CSV file?

Question

I have this problem. I would like to create a csv file by using C#. So I try to development this code:

        public static void creaExcel(Oggetto obj)
        {
           string filePath = @"C:\Temp\test.csv";   
             string delimiter = ",";   

             string[][] output = new string[][]{   
                 new string[]{"TobRod Porosity", "Batch code", "Nu.","PAD","G.Po","L.PoD "},   
                 new string[]{"Col1 Row 2", "Col2 Row 2", "Col3 Row 2"}   
             };   
             int length = output.GetLength(0);   
             StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();   
             for (int index = 0; index < length; index++)   
                 sb.AppendLine(string.Join(delimiter, output[index]));   

             File.WriteAllText(filePath, sb.ToString());  

            // open xls file


        }

This code found but I would like to insert single value in a single cell, so with this code I insert all value ([]{"TobRod Porosity", "Batch code", "Nu.","PAD","G.Po","L.PoD "}, ) in a single row, in a single cell, instead I would like to insert every value a single cell.

Can we help me?

Best reguards

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 18 '14 at 13:31

The code is working fine because the result is:

TobRod Porosity,Batch code,Nu.,PAD,G.Po,L.PoD 
Col1 Row 2,Col2 Row 2,Col3 Row 2

Can you confirm this?

Here is how it is displayed on my PC:

enter image description here

If you see all the values in a single cell on your machine, this means that there is a problem identifying the correct separator. In order to fix this, add this line: sep=, at the beginning of your CSV content, so the resulting content would be:

sep=,
TobRod Porosity,Batch code,Nu.,PAD,G.Po,L.PoD 
Col1 Row 2,Col2 Row 2,Col3 Row 2

This way you can force certain devices (I know for sure that iPhones have an issue with this) to use the correct separator.

I would also suggest you to use " as a string qualifier. Example:

sep=,
"TobRod Porosity","Batch code","Nu.","PAD","G.Po","L.PoD"
"Col1 Row 2","Col2 Row 2","Col3 Row 2"

Hi have fixed it by changing the delimiter. So I have change delimiter="," to delimiter=";" now, I have every value in a single cell. There is a mode to setting the with of every cell??? — bircastri, Nov 18 '14 at 13:33
You cannot. A CSV has no formatting. If you want to format your exported file, I would suggest you to use http://epplus.codeplex.com/ or a similar component and generate XLSX files. — SmartDev, Nov 18 '14 at 13:36

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:33

the created file is a - more or less - correct csv (comma separated values) file. however if you open that file with excel and it puts all values in one cell, it doesn't know that you want to separate it with the comma. you can however teach it to. with excel 2013 you mark the cell and go to the tab DATA and the "text to Columns" button.

edit: however, i have the feeling that you would like to use CSV to create excel documents. thats not what CSV is made for. if you want to create real excel sheets have a look here: Create Excel (.XLS and .XLSX) file from C#

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 18 '14 at 13:36

the thing is that you are selection the full array when you make the insertion

Here you accesing to the global array and getting or the first array or the second

output[index]

If you want to insert each value of the chosen array , you just have to loop again the selected array

output[index][anotherIndex]

For example

output[0][0]

Will return "TobRod Porosity" as selected value

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 20 '14 at 10:36

I have fixed my error, so I have write this method

public static void creaExcel(Oggetto obj)
        {
            try
            {
                string filePath = @"TOBROD_POROSITY_" + Utility.getData() + ".csv";
                string delimiter = ";";

                string[][] output = new string[][]{   
                 new string[]{"TobRod Porosity", "Batch code", "Nu.","PAD","G.Po","L.PoD "}
             };
                int length = output.GetLength(0);
                StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
                for (int index = 0; index < length; index++)
                    sb.Append(string.Join(delimiter, output[index]));
                sb.AppendLine("");
                //una volta, settato l'header del file bisogna inserire i valori
                if (obj != null && obj.listaMisure != null)
                {
                    for (int i = 0; i < obj.listaMisure.Count(); i++)
                    {
                        ValoriMisure v = obj.listaMisure[i];
                        sb.AppendLine(obj.tobaccoPorosity
                            + delimiter + obj.batchCode
                            + delimiter + v.nu
                            + delimiter + v.pad
                            + delimiter + v.gPo
                            + delimiter + v.lPod);
                    }
                }
                File.WriteAllText(filePath, sb.ToString());
                //muovi il file nel percorso di destinazione
                File.Move(filePath, pathFolderDestination+"\\"+filePath);
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                log.Error(e);
            }    
        }

We should see this code:

string delimiter = ";";

because if you insert this delimiter ";" you can write a value in different cell on CSV file.

How to insert single value in single cell to CSV file?

4 Answers4