RE: Help with parsing CSV

["Dixon, Tom" <dixont at Jostens dot com>]

A CSV file is just a text file with commas delimiting the data elements
so you can TextInputStream. Below is an example of putting a CSV file
into a listbox. You can just as easily read a line and then insert it
into your REALdb but to start off with it may be wise to import the data
into a listbox to insure you have read your CSV file correctly before
inserting the data into the database.

Here is a PushButton Action to launch a method called ImportList which
will import a CSV file into a ListBox.

Sub Action()
  Dim dlg as OpenDialog
  Dim f as FolderItem
  Dim fName,pName As String
  
  dlg=New OpenDialog
  dlg.InitialDirectory = Volume(0).Child("Desktop")
  dlg.Title = "Select a CSV text file"
  dlg.Filter = "Text Documents (*.txt)" // file type defined in File
Types dialog
  f=dlg.ShowModal()
  If f <> Nil then 
    fName = f.Name
    pName = f.AbsolutePath
    ImportList(fName,pName,Window1.ListBox1)
  Else
    //User Cancelled
  End if
End Sub

Here is the Import List method that also strips off enclosing quotes. If
your CSV file doesn't have enclosing quotes you can eliminate that
section.

Sub ImportList(FileName As String,FilePath As String,List As ListBox)
  Dim f as FolderItem
  Dim TextIn As TextInputStream
  Dim count,i,n,r, x As Integer
  Dim line,c,s As String
  
  count = List.ColumnCount
  List.DeleteAllRows
  f = GetFolderItem(FilePath)
  If f <> Nil then // check to make sure the file exists
    TextIn = f.OpenAsTextFile
    If TextIn <> NIL Then
      Do
        // read a line
        line = TextIn.ReadLine
        // add a row in the listbox
        List.AddRow ""
        For i = 1 To count
          // read the data
          c = NthField(line,Chr(44),i)
          r = List.LastIndex
          // strip off the enclosing quotes
          x = Len(c)
          s = Mid(c,2,(x-2))
          // put the data in the cell
          List.Cell(r,(i-1)) = s
        Next
      Loop Until TextIn.EOF = True
    End If
  Else
    // error message
    MsgBox "Error Reading input file: " + FileName
  End If
End Sub

You then will need to to insert your data into the correct table(s) from
the listbox. If you need help with that email me off list. I am in and
out today so no guarantee ho fast I will get bac to you.

Tom


-----Original Message-----
From: gettingstarted-bounces at lists dot realsoftware dot com
[mailto:gettingstarted-bounces at lists dot realsoftware dot com] On Behalf Of 
Trev
X
Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2005 2:11 PM
To: gettingstarted at lists dot realsoftware dot com
Subject: Help with parsing CSV

I have a large amount of information stored in a .csv file.  I need to
be able to move the information from that .csv file to my realdatabase
in my program.  Several times a week I will have an updated csv file,
and will need to open it and write over the old information.

I realize there is Seth's csv parser and Norman's parser, but I'm a
newbie and don't know how to implement this on a practical level.  Can
someone please give me some sample code or general ideas on how to open
up the csv file and then import all the data into a realdb?

Thanks for your help!

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