CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#stringbuilder
user2521358
user2521358

Reputation: 289

How to output commas in CSV

So to output some attributes to a csv, I'm using stringbuilder which uses the commas as a natural delimiter for commas. The problem is when I add a string with commas inside in the string, it's splitting it into separate columns for me. so for ex

temp.Append("ab,cd,ef") is giving me 3 separate columns. How do I output it as a single column with the commas intact.

it's the result of a capture group

match = Regex.Match(amt, "^\"([\\d,]+),(\\d\\d\\d)\"$");

and then I did

amt = Convert.ToString(match.Groups[1].Value) + Convert.ToString(match.Groups[2].Value);

so it takes in something like 123,123,123,123 with an unknown number of commas and I want to output the exact same thing with the last commas replaced by a period. But it's still coming out as

123 123 123 123 123

in separate columns

Upvotes: 0

Views: 177

Answers (2)

Bob Vale
Bob Vale

Reputation: 18474

You need to wrap the entry in a quote

temp.Append("\"ab,cd,ed\"");

UPDATED AFTER REDITED QUESTION

From what you are saying you wish to convert 123,445,567,890 to 123,445,567.890 and you want to the CSV output to work:

You still need to wrap your result in quotes so you need

amt = string.Format("\"{0}.{1}\"", match.Groups[1].Value, match.Groups[2].Value);

Alternatively you could just replace the last ',' 

amt = new Regex(",(?=\\d{3}\"$)").Replace(x,".");

or without the regex.

char[] y = amt.ToCharArray();
y[amt.LastIndexOf(",")] = '.';
amt = string(y);

Upvotes: 7

Praveen Prasannan
Praveen Prasannan

Reputation: 7123

Fields with embedded commas must be delimited with double-quote characters.
example: "Anytown, WW" (if it is one field) had to be delimited in double quotes because it had an embedded comma.

Keep a look here

Upvotes: 0

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