Java

CSV Special Chars - Comma, Double-Quotes

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The Chilkat CSV class/component automatically handles special characters which include double-quotes, and the delimiter character (comma or semicolon).

The Chilkat CSV library/component/class is freeware. The downloads for .NET, C++, Perl, Java, Ruby, and Python contain all of the Chilkat classes, some of which are freeware and some of which require licensing.

Chilkat2 Java

import com.chilkatsoft.chilkat2.ChilkatException;
import com.chilkatsoft.chilkat2.Csv;

public class ChilkatExample {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // This example program loads a file (sample.csv)
        // that contains this content:
        //
        // year,color,country,food
        // 2001,red,France,cheese
        // 2005,blue,"United States",hamburger
        // 2008,green,Italy,pasta
        // 1998,orange,Japan,sushi
        //
        // The first row contains the column names.
        // This file is available at:
        // http://www.chilkatsoft.com/testData/sample.csv

        Csv csv = new Csv();

        // Prior to loading the CSV file, indicate that the 1st row
        // should be treated as column names:
        csv.setHasColumnNames(true);

        // Load the CSV records from the file:

        try {
            csv.loadFile("sample.csv");
        } catch (ChilkatException e) {
            System.out.println(e.getLastErrorText());
            return;
        }

        // A field may contain the delimiter character (in this case
        // the delimiter is a comma):
        // Change "cheese" to "cheese,baguette"
        // ("cheese" is at row=0, column=3
        csv.setCell(0, 3, "cheese,baguette");

        // A field may also contain double-quotes:
        // Change blue to shiny "metallic" blue
        csv.setCell(1, 1, "shiny \"metallic\" blue");

        // Write the updated CSV to a string and display:
        String csvDoc = csv.saveToString();
        System.out.println(csvDoc);

        // Save the CSV to a file:
        try {
            csv.saveFile("out.csv");
        } catch (ChilkatException e) {
            System.out.println(e.getLastErrorText());
        }

        // The out.csv contains this:
        // year,color,country,food
        // 2001,red,France,"cheese,baguette"
        // 2005,"shiny ""metallic"" blue","United States",hamburger
        // 2008,green,Italy,pasta
        // 1998,orange,Japan,sushi
    }
}