Reading comma in content of csv file (E.g. $1,23,456)

Question

Using C# program I am reading CSV File with value like (Name, Salary, Age) (A, $1,200, 27) (B, 2300, 27)

In the header row there are three columns. I want to validate that the number of columns in data rows is also three. (C, 28) should be an invalid file.

Currently I am doing this by counting the number of commas. But when the content itself is having comma ($1,200), this logic is failing. How do I solve this issue?

Use the right tool for the job: [A CSV parser](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3507498/reading-csv-file/3508572#3508572) — Tim Pietzcker, Sep 29 '11 at 12:24
Its homework or something similar? If not there are libraries you can use in commercial applications without paying. — Piotr Auguscik, Sep 29 '11 at 12:27
What do you mean, third party? That's in the .NET BCL. Or is this perhaps a homeword assignment? — Tim Pietzcker, Sep 29 '11 at 12:27
If the file is actually formatted like that, it isn't valid CSV. Please copy and paste an actual sample from your file in your question and format it using Ctrl-K. — Tim Pietzcker, Sep 29 '11 at 12:31

Piotr Auguscik · Answer 1 · 2011-09-29T12:32:20.343

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Use library for reading csv files. Why are you wrintg it on yourown when someone already did it for you?. Last time i was reading csv i used CsvHelper.

edited Sep 29 '11 at 12:32

answered Sep 29 '11 at 12:26

Piotr Auguscik

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score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 29 '11 at 12:36

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As a fast answer why don you split by (", ")

var s  = "Name, Salary, Age";
var t = "A, $1,200, 27";
var x = "B, 2300, 27";

string[] stringSeparators = new string[] {", "};

s.Split(stringSeparators, StringSplitOptions.None).Dump();
t.Split(stringSeparators, StringSplitOptions.None).Dump();
x.Split(stringSeparators, StringSplitOptions.None).Dump();

Not the best solution but it's one that fits....

As was commented by @Tim Pietzcker it's not a valid csv file....

Anyway....

answered Sep 29 '11 at 12:36

jjchiw

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This might work for names like `A` and `B`, but not names like `Smith, Bob`. – Gabe Sep 29 '11 at 12:39
Dump(), method is an Extension method added by Linqpad – jjchiw Sep 29 '11 at 12:49

pmcilreavy · Answer 3 · 2011-09-30T08:21:53.790

Could you perhaps do this?...where fileLine would be "A, $1,200, 27". This is assuming that each column is delineated by a comma then a space.

        int lastCommaIdx = fileLine.LastIndexOf(",");
        string agePart = fileLine.Substring(lastCommaIdx + 1, fileLine.Length - (lastCommaIdx + 1)).Trim();
        int age = Convert.ToInt32(agePart);

        fileLine = fileLine.Substring(0, lastCommaIdx);
        int dollarIdx = fileLine.LastIndexOf("$");
        string salary = fileLine.Substring(dollarIdx, fileLine.Length - dollarIdx).Trim();

        string name = fileLine.Substring(0, dollarIdx).Trim().TrimEnd(new char[1] { ',' });

        Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("Name={0}, Salary={1}, Age={2}", name, salary, age));

What about names like `Smith, Bob`? – Gabe Sep 29 '11 at 12:58 — Gabe, Sep 29 '11 at 12:58

Reading comma in content of csv file (E.g. $1,23,456)

3 Answers3