Populating a dataset from a CSV file

Question

I would like to read the contents of a CSV file and create a dataset. I am trying like this:

var lines = File.ReadAllLines("test.csv").Select(a => a.Split(';'));
DataSet ds = new DataSet();
ds.load(lines);

but apparently this is not correct.

Answer 1

You need to add the reference Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll to use TextFieldParser Class.

 private static DataTable GetDataTabletFromCSVFile(string csv_file_path)
        {
            DataTable csvData = new DataTable();
            try
            {
              using(TextFieldParser csvReader = new TextFieldParser(csv_file_path))
                 {
                    csvReader.SetDelimiters(new string[] { "," });
                    csvReader.HasFieldsEnclosedInQuotes = true;
                    string[] colFields = csvReader.ReadFields();
                    foreach (string column in colFields)
                    {
                        DataColumn datecolumn = new DataColumn(column);
                        datecolumn.AllowDBNull = true;
                        csvData.Columns.Add(datecolumn);
                    }
                    while (!csvReader.EndOfData)
                    {
                        string[] fieldData = csvReader.ReadFields();
                        //Making empty value as null
                        for (int i = 0; i < fieldData.Length; i++)
                        {
                            if (fieldData[i] == "")
                            {
                                fieldData[i] = null;
                            }
                        }
                        csvData.Rows.Add(fieldData);
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
            }
            return csvData;
        }
      }

See this article for more info : http://www.morgantechspace.com/2013/08/how-to-read-data-from-csv-file-in-c.html

Answer 2

You need to run a SELECT statement against the CSV file to fill the dataset:

Edit: here's some sample code from http://carllbrown.blogspot.co.uk/2007/09/populate-dataset-from-csv-delimited_18.html

string FileName = ...
OleDbConnection conn = new OleDbConnection
       ("Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OleDb.4.0; Data Source = " + 
         Path.GetDirectoryName(FileName) + 
         "; Extended Properties = \"Text;HDR=YES;FMT=Delimited\"");

conn.Open();

OleDbDataAdapter adapter = new OleDbDataAdapter
       ("SELECT * FROM " + Path.GetFileName(FileName), conn);

DataSet ds = new DataSet("Temp");
adapter.Fill(ds);

conn.Close();