Simplify CSV Handling in C# with CSVHelper

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Dealing with CSV files can sometimes be tricky, especially when the data includes commas within the values. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to handle CSV files in C# using the CSVHelper NuGet package, which simplifies the process and handles complex scenarios gracefully.

Reading a CSV File in C# Manually

Initially, I attempted to read a CSV file manually using basic C# code. The CSV file had a header with several attributes and rows of data. One of the values in the rows contained a comma, which posed a challenge when splitting the data by commas.

Here is the original approach:

var lines = File.ReadAllLinesAsync("Employee.csv");
foreach (var line in lines)
{
    foreach (var item in line.Split(','))
    {
        Console.WriteLine(item);
    }
}

Problem: This approach failed when a column value contained a comma, splitting the value into multiple columns.

Introducing CSVHelper

To address this issue, I turned to the CSVHelper NuGet package. This Nuget package is a powerful library for reading and writing CSV files in C#. It handles complex scenarios, such as values containing commas, with ease.

Installing CSVHelper:

  1. Open your project in Visual Studio.
  2. Install the CSVHelper NuGet package using the Package Manager Console
Install-Package CsvHelper

Reading CSV Files with CSVHelper

To read a CSV file using this Nuget package, you need to define a model that matches the structure of your CSV file. Here’s how you can do it:

Model Definition:

public record Employee
{
    public string Name { get; init; }
    public string Address { get; init; }
    public int Age { get; init; }
}

Reading the CSV File:

using System.Globalization;
using CsvHelper;

// Define the path to your CSV file
var path = "Employee.csv";

using var reader = new StreamReader(path);
using var csv = new CsvReader(reader, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
var records = csv.GetRecords<Employee>().ToList();

foreach (var record in records)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"{record.Name} - {record.Address} - {record.Age}");
}

Handling Column Name Mismatches: 

If your CSV file has different column names than your model properties, you can use the Name attribute to map them:

public record Employee
{
    [Name("Employee Name")]
    public string Name { get; init; }
    public string Address { get; init; }
    public int Age { get; init; }
}

Writing CSV Files with CSVHelper

Writing data to a CSV file is just as straightforward with CSVHelper.

Creating a List of Records:

var employees = new List<Employee>
{
    new Employee { Name = "John Doe", Address = "123 Main St, Suite 1", Age = 30 },
    new Employee { Name = "Jane Smith", Address = "456 Elm St", Age = 25 }
};

Writing to a CSV File:

using var writer = new StreamWriter("Employee1.csv");
using var csvWriter = new CsvWriter(writer, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
csvWriter.WriteRecords(employees);

Output Handling: This Nuget package automatically handles values containing commas by enclosing them in double quotes.

Conclusion

Using CSVHelper simplifies the process of reading and writing CSV files in C#. It handles edge cases, such as values with commas, effortlessly and provides a clean and efficient API. If you found this guide helpful, please head over to my YouTube channel, give it a thumbs up, and subscribe to our channel for more insights and tutorials. Thank you for reading!

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