(PowerBuilder) 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 ActiveX Downloads ActiveX for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

integer li_rc
oleobject loo_Csv
integer li_Success
string ls_CsvDoc

// 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

loo_Csv = create oleobject
// Use "Chilkat_9_5_0.Csv" for versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0
li_rc = loo_Csv.ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.Csv")
if li_rc < 0 then
    destroy loo_Csv
    MessageBox("Error","Connecting to COM object failed")
    return
end if

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

// Load the CSV records from the file:

li_Success = loo_Csv.LoadFile("sample.csv")
if li_Success <> 1 then
    Write-Debug loo_Csv.LastErrorText
    destroy loo_Csv
    return
end if

// 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
li_Success = loo_Csv.SetCell(0,3,"cheese,baguette")

// A field may also contain double-quotes:
// Change blue to shiny "metallic" blue
li_Success = loo_Csv.SetCell(1,1,"shiny ~"metallic~" blue")

// Write the updated CSV to a string and display:

ls_CsvDoc = loo_Csv.SaveToString()
Write-Debug ls_CsvDoc

// Save the CSV to a file:
li_Success = loo_Csv.SaveFile("out.csv")
if li_Success <> 1 then
    Write-Debug loo_Csv.LastErrorText
end if

// 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


destroy loo_Csv