CodedUI test does not read data from CSV input file

Question

I am having difficulty mapping a CSV file with the Coded UI test method. This is most likely a stupid question but I cannot seem to find a solution for my problem, at least not one that works. I have made sure to set the property of the CSV file to Copy always. I have also imported the CSV file by writing the following line above the test method.

[DataSource("Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.DataSource.CSV", "|DataDirectory|\\Data\\login.csv", "login#csv", DataAccessMethod.Sequential), DeploymentItem("login.csv"), TestMethod]

The file name is login.csv and it resides in the Data folder.

The test will compile without any problem but once the test executes the fields that should receive input from the CSV file are left empty and the execution is interrupted. I've tried replacing the data from the CSV file by using Strings and it works perfectly fine. The piece of code I am using to import each parameter is:

TestContext.DataRow["Username"].ToString()

Also, the CSV file contains something along the following lines:

Username,Password,Fullname
[email protected],password,Admin

Is there anyone who can point what it is I am forgetting.

Update: I pinpointed the issue, it seems like the issue only revolves around the first column in the csv file. When I try to import any of the other values it works perfectly fine.

Answer 1

Some text files start with a Byte Order Mark (BOM). The CSV reader within Coded UI does not handle the BOM and treats it as part of the first field name. The screen shot below shows the debug trace of a CSV file with a BOM and that same file shown in Notepad++. The DataRow.ItemArray[...] values are as expected. The DataRow.Table.Columns.ResultsView[...] shows the field names, but the first field name includes the BOM.

This CSV file with a BOM was created in Visual Studio using Solution Explorer => Add => New item => C# => General => Text file. Previously I have created a spread sheet with Microsoft Excel and saved it as a CSV file, that file did not have a BOM. I have also created files with Notepad++ and saved as CSV and they did not have a BOM. It appears that Visual Studio creates files with a BOM but when editing CSV files it does not add a BOM.

---

Visual Studio can create files with the correct encoding. Within "Step 2 - Create a data set" of this Microsoft page it states the text below. (Thanks also to Holistic Developer for providing very similar details in a comment.):

3. It is important to save the .csv file using the correct encoding. On the FILE menu, choose Advanced Save Options and choose Unicode (UTF-8 without signature) – Codepage 65001 as the encoding.