This lightweight library helps to work with data formatted as Comma Separated Values (CSV). The focus is on standard-compliance (RFC 4180) and performance (by providing tools to stream csv for both reading and writing).

Features include:

• supports CSV special symbols within data values (linebreaks, commas and quotes)
• can work with csv streams for both reading and writing
• can customize field separator symbol
• can customize quoting character
• can customize row delimiter (i.e. windows vs linux)
• supports cultures for autoformatting for dates, numbers, etc.

This implementation is based on RFC 4180 (http://tools.ietf.org/rfc/rfc4180.txt). Requires .Net Framework 3.5 Client profile, can be used in strongly named projects. Licenced under Apache Licence v2.0.

To install Nortal.Utilities.Csv download built package from https://www.nuget.org/packages/Nortal.Utilities.Csv or run the following command in the Package Manager Console:

PM> Install-Package Nortal.Utilities.Csv

To parse whole csv file:

String csvString = File.ReadAllText(sampleFilePath);
String[][] data = CsvParser.Parse(csvString);

For larger files you can stream one row at a time:

using (var parser = new CsvParser(stream))
{
	String[] line1 = parser.ReadNextRow();
	String[] line2 = parser.ReadNextRow();
	...
}

To write values in CSV format:

using (var writer = new StringWriter())
{
	var csv = new CsvWriter(writer, new CsvSettings());
	csv.Write("MyValue");                    // writing one value at a time
	csv.Write(2, "N2");                      // or with explicit format
	csv.WriteLine(DateTime.Now);             // or with automatic formatting
	csv.WriteLine(1,2,3,4, DateTime.Now);    // another line with many values at once
	File.WriteAllText(@"C:\my.csv", writer.ToString());
}

To use non-default setting, for example TAB as field separator:

var settings = new CsvSettings() { FieldDelimiter = '\t' };
var csv = new CsvWriter(writer, settings); // .. or similarly CsvParser for reading