Read .csv files where commas are missing. Base R

Question

I am reading .csv files into R that were produced by software that adds extra labels to the data it exports, without placing commas following these extra labels. A simplified version of the text file can be seen in the following image.

When I import using the read.csv() function and view the data I get the following:

I then tried read.csv2, and wrote a new file removing the first two rows:

Modified to:

This is displayed in a text file as:

This is becoming a laborious task, and I am wondering whether there is a more efficient way of tidying up the files (as I have a lot of them).

Basically what I am trying to do is create a .csv file that when read into R has two columns with the first headed "Time [s]" and the second column headed "Function" The header "x" is not followed by a comma when exported as a new .csv file and is preventing me from reading my file into R in the form that I described.

The data can be copied and pasted (I think), using:

structure(list(X.Name. = c("", "", "Function", "0.00E+00", "4.00E+00", "6.50E+00", "7.10E+00", "3.00E+00")), class = "data.frame", row.names = c("Series 1 at Function Used", "[Data]", "Time [ s ]", "0.00E+00", "5.00E+00", "1.00E+01", "1.50E+01", "2.00E+01"))

Maybe try using the `skip` argument in `read_csv()` or `read_csv2()`? Specifically, I would try `skip = 4` — Hansel Palencia, Dec 08 '21 at 14:58
Please read the information at the top of the [tag:r] tag page and note where it says that input should be shown in a way that can be copied and pasted using `dput`, NOT as images. — G. Grothendieck, Dec 08 '21 at 15:34
@G.Grothendieck No need for the block capitals when responding to people; please respond to questions as if you were conversing with the questioner adult to adult: with mutual respect (none of us are naughty children here!). But thank you, I didn't realise `dput()` was a thing. For other new users and questioners, [this thread](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/49994249/example-of-using-dput) explains how `dput` is used. — James.H, Dec 08 '21 at 16:01
One word in caps is not responding in block capitals. Given that this information is right at the top of the page yet was not followed even after accumulating 25 points and so have likely been told this before I think this warrants some emphasis. I did spend the time to give you a heads up rather than simply closing it. — G. Grothendieck, Dec 08 '21 at 16:32

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 08 '21 at 15:07

I think you're facing a common misconception of read_csv() that most people eventually come across when they begin programming in R.

There are a large number of arguments attached to the read family functions and they really need to be explored to understand the extent of {readr}.

In this specific problem, you have a very clear, 4 row jump before the headers of your data.

You can use the skip argument in the read_csv() function to skip 4 rows. Alternatively, let's say you wanted to change the name of your columns. You could also do this using different arguments within read_csv().

For further advice and functionality feel free to do ?read_csv() to look at the help file and has all the information around the different arguments for that function.

Relative to the amount of files that you have to "read in", I would recommend building your own function to automate the process.

Something like:


read_files <- function(my_file_paths) {

    read_csv(my_file_paths, skip = 4....)
    
    whatever else you want to do.....

}

Read .csv files where commas are missing. Base R

1 Answers1