Loading a datatable from a CSV file with uneven column numbers per row

Question

Hi,  I am trying to load a datatable from a CSV file with non-standard columns.  I have tried the below code.  I am able to see the data in the row string when I pause the app but it never loads in the dt Datatable...

Thanks!

    class CSVParser
    {
        public DataTable FullDT(string csvfile)
        {
            string lines = null;
            DataTable dt = new DataTable();
            StreamReader read = new StreamReader(csvfile);
            for (int i = 0; i < 95; i++)
            {
                dt.Columns.Add();
            }
            while ((lines = read.ReadLine()) != null)
            {
                string[] row = lines.Split(',');
                dt.NewRow();
                dt.Rows.Add(row);
            }
            return dt;
        }
    }

Answer 1

I think what you probably meant to do is this:

public DataTable FullDT(string csvfile)
{
    string lines = null;
    DataTable dt = new DataTable();
    StreamReader read = new StreamReader(csvfile);
    for (int i = 0; i < 95; i++)
    {
        dt.Columns.Add();
    }
    DataRow dataRow;
    while ((lines = read.ReadLine()) != null)
    {
        string[] row = lines.Split(',');
        dataRow = dt.NewRow();
        for (int i=0; i < row.Length, i++)
        {
            dataRow[i] = row;
        }
        dt.Rows.Add(dataRow);
    }
    return dt;
}

---

~~Bonnie Berent DeWitt [C# MVP]

geek-goddess-bonnie.blogspot.com

Answer 2

Thanks for the response, this is driving me nuts!

I tried it exactly as you typed it and I am getting an ArgumentException was unhandled Error.  Says this row already belongs to this table on the dt.Rows.Add(dataRow); line...  Any ideas?

Answer 3

Woops, sorry, I have been starring at this too long; I didn't have it exactly as above...  Now I do and I get an IndexOutOfRangeException was unhandled on the dataRow[i] = row; line

Answer 4

Nevermind, I needed to make the count 96 instead of 95.  

Thanks for the help!

Answer 5

You're welcome ... glad I could help!  =0)

Don't forget to mark my post as the Answer ...

---

~~Bonnie Berent DeWitt [C# MVP]

geek-goddess-bonnie.blogspot.com

Answer 6

@Bhaskar -- I don't know if @tlitterio wanted/needed column names for his DataTable. There was no specification in his post that the first line of data from his CSV file contained column names. But, if he needs that (or if any lurkers on this thread need that), then your article certainly demonstrates one way to do that ...

---

~~Bonnie Berent DeWitt [C# MVP]

geek-goddess-bonnie.blogspot.com

Answer 7

Please check following link.

It may be helpful you.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7535178_load-csv-file-dataset.html

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1050112/how-to-read-a-csv-file-into-a-net-datatable

Answer 8

No, I did not need column headers.  Thanks!

Answer 9

You're welcome! Glad I could help. =0)

---

~~Bonnie Berent DeWitt [C# MVP]

geek-goddess-bonnie.blogspot.com