(Delphi ActiveX) 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 for Delphi Downloads Chilkat ActiveX DLL for Delphi Chilkat non-ActiveX DLL for Delphi * The examples here use the ActiveX DLL.

uses
    Winapi.Windows, Winapi.Messages, System.SysUtils, System.Variants, System.Classes, Vcl.Graphics,
    Vcl.Controls, Vcl.Forms, Vcl.Dialogs, Vcl.StdCtrls, Chilkat_TLB;

...

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
csv: TChilkatCsv;
success: Integer;
csvDoc: WideString;

begin
// 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 := TChilkatCsv.Create(Self);

// Prior to loading the CSV file, indicate that the 1st row
// should be treated as column names:
csv.HasColumnNames := 1;

// Load the CSV records from the file:

success := csv.LoadFile('sample.csv');
if (success <> 1) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(csv.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

// 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:

csvDoc := csv.SaveToString();
Memo1.Lines.Add(csvDoc);

// Save the CSV to a file:
success := csv.SaveFile('out.csv');
if (success <> 1) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(csv.LastErrorText);
  end;

// 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
end;