(MFC) CSV Special Chars - Comma, Double-Quotes

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.

Chilkat C/C++ Library Downloads MS Visual C/C++ Libs

See Also: Using MFC CString in Chilkat

#include <CkCsv.h>

void ChilkatSample(void)
    {
    CkString strOut;

    // 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

    CkCsv csv;

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

    // Load the CSV records from the file:
    bool success;
    success = csv.LoadFile("sample.csv");
    if (success != true) {
        strOut.append(csv.lastErrorText());
        strOut.append("\r\n");
        SetDlgItemText(IDC_EDIT1,strOut.getUnicode());
        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
    success = csv.SetCell(0,3,"cheese,baguette");

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

    // Write the updated CSV to a string and display:
    const char *csvDoc = 0;
    csvDoc = csv.saveToString();
    strOut.append(csvDoc);
    strOut.append("\r\n");

    // Save the CSV to a file:
    success = csv.SaveFile("out.csv");
    if (success != true) {
        strOut.append(csv.lastErrorText());
        strOut.append("\r\n");
    }

    // 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,sush


    SetDlgItemText(IDC_EDIT1,strOut.getUnicode());

    }