Reading csv file with multiple values in a column with Perl

Question

I want to delete a column from csv file using perl, for that I am splitting the line on ",", but there are some columns with multiple values and hence multiple commas. That is each line may have different number of commas, so its hard to delete a column that I want to be deleted. Can you help in doing so?

Miller · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-11 06:02:41Z

2

For processing CSV files, use an actual csv parser like Text::CSV.

This will take care of the instances of fields enclosed in quotes because they contain commas.

answered Jun 11, 2014 at 6:02

Miller

35.3k4 gold badges42 silver badges61 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Chankey Pathak · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-11 06:32:50Z

Suppose your file looks like

Tudor,Vidor,10,Hapci
Szundi,Morgo,7,Szende
Kuka,"Hofeherke, alma",100,Kiralyno
Boszorkany,Herceg,9,Meselo

and you want to find sum of 3rd column, but in 3rd row you see the 2nd column has value with comma so to handle that use Text::CSV as:

#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use warnings;

use Text::CSV;
my $csv = Text::CSV->new({ sep_char => ',' });

my $file = $ARGV[0] or die "Need to get CSV file on the command line\n";

my $sum = 0;
open(my $data, '<', $file) or die "Could not open '$file' $!\n";
while (my $line = <$data>) {
  chomp $line;

  if ($csv->parse($line)) {

      my @fields = $csv->fields();
      $sum += $fields[2];

  } else {
      warn "Line could not be parsed: $line\n";
  }
}
print "$sum\n";

If you'd prefer to access the fields in your CSV file by name, use Tie:Handle::CSV

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Reading csv file with multiple values in a column with Perl

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related