VB.net delimiter "","" split strings

Question

I'm using the below code to split a line into an array but some of the elements contain commas like the example below.

Current code : output.Add(sr.ReadLine().Split(New Char() {","c}))

Every element has "" around it in the CSV and I can't change it as it is from a supplier. I'm splitting the line into an array then removing the " using this.

'data(iRow)(0) = data(iRow)(0).Replace(Chr(34), "")

I'm running into problems because the elements like my,park that need to remain same.

Example Data : The data is read like this from the CSV/Text file

"my,park","mydate","my school","myhome"

My full function is below if that helps, been stuck on it for 2 days now.

Dim output As New ArrayList()
Using sr As StreamReader = New StreamReader(fileName)
      While Not sr.EndOfStream
            output.Add(sr.ReadLine().Split(New Char() {","c}))
      End While
End Using
Return output

How can I complete this efficiently and get the correct output? The process is tripping up with the element containing commas and I don't know how to split on ","

Thanks in advance

Try the libraries Linq-To-Excel or FileHelpers. Don't reinvent the wheel. — Enigmativity, Mar 16 '16 at 13:14
I've never done it before and am a little lost now. Should I not just be able to split the string on "," ?? — user3351211, Mar 16 '16 at 13:22
Possible duplicate of [Parse Delimited CSV in .NET](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/736629/parse-delimited-csv-in-net) — MicroVirus, Mar 16 '16 at 13:32
A better duplicate might be [Reading a CSV file in .NET?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1405038/reading-a-csv-file-in-net). — MicroVirus, Mar 16 '16 at 13:36
Split by `""","""` (this will split by quotes and comma). Not until then replace the quotes in the splitted lines `Replace("""", "")`. Add the replaced result to your ArrayList. — Alex B., Mar 16 '16 at 13:39
Yes: [Try it online!](https://dotnetfiddle.net/FaLimN). The function SimulateFileStream is just for test since I could not use real files. — Alex B., Mar 16 '16 at 15:02

VB.net delimiter "","" split strings

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