Import and Export CSV File

This section summarizes how GcExcel .NET handles the spreadsheet documents(.csv files).

While importing and exporting a workbook in order to open and save a csv file or stream, you can use the following properties and methods of the CsvOpenOptions class and the CsvSaveOptions class in order to configure several open and save options in a workbook.

Settings	Description
CsvOpenOptions.ConvertNumericData	This property can be used to get or set a value that indicates whether the string in text file is converted to numeric data.
CsvOpenOptions.ConvertDateTimeData	This property can be used to get or set a value that indicates whether the string in text file is converted to date data.
CsvOpenOptions.SeparatorString	This property can be used to get or set the string value as a separator.
CsvOpenOptions.Encoding	This property can be used to get or set the default encoding which is UTF-8.
CsvOpenOptions.ParseStyle	This property can be used to specify whether the style for parsed values should be applied while converting the string values to number or date time.
CsvOpenOptions.HasFormula	This property can be used to specify whether the text is formula if it starts with "=".
CsvSaveOptions.SeparatorString	This property can be used to get or set the string value as the separator. By default, this value is a comma separator.
CsvSaveOptions.Encoding	This property can be used to specify the default encoding which is UTF-8.
CsvSaveOptions.ValueQuoteType	This property can be used to get or set how to quote values in the exported text file. Note: GcExcel ignores this property when QuoteColumns property is set.
CsvSaveOptions.TrimLeadingBlankRowAndColumn	This property can be used to specify whether the leading blank rows and columns should be trimmed like in Excel.
CsvSaveOptions.QuoteColumns	This property can be used to specify which column values will be in quotes while the values in the remaining columns are not. The column number starts at 0, and specifying an invalid column number has no effect. Note: If the value contains special characters such as quotes or separators, it will be in quotes always.

Refer to the following example code in order to import a .csv file.

IWorkbook workbook = new Workbook();

//Method1 - Opening a csv file
workbook.Open(@"test.csv", OpenFileFormat.Csv);

//Method2 - Opening a csv file using several open options
CsvOpenOptions options = new CsvOpenOptions();
options.ConvertNumericData = false;
options.ParseStyle = false;
workbook.Open(@"test.csv", options);

Refer to the following example code in order to export a .csv file from a workbook or a particular worksheet in the workbook.

 // Save a csv file from workbook

 IWorkbook workbook1 = new Workbook();

 // Saving to a csv file 
 workbook1.Save(@"test.csv", SaveFileFormat.Csv);

 // Saving to a csv file with advanced settings
 CsvSaveOptions options1 = new CsvSaveOptions();
 options1.SeparatorString = "-";
 options1.ValueQuoteType = ValueQuoteType.Always;
 workbook1.Save(@"test.csv", options1);

// Save a csv file from worksheet

 IWorkbook workbook2 = new Workbook();
 IWorksheet worksheet = workbook2.Worksheets[0];

 // Saving to a csv file 
 worksheet.Save(@"test.csv", SaveFileFormat.Csv);

 // Saving to a csv file with advanced settings
 CsvSaveOptions options2 = new CsvSaveOptions();
 options2.SeparatorString = "-";
 options2.ValueQuoteType = ValueQuoteType.Always;
 options2.QuoteColumns = new int[] { 1, 3, 4 }; // ValueQuoteType is ignored when QuoteColumns is set.
 worksheet.Save(@"test.csv", options2);