Add columns into a csv file using batch file

Question

I have a csv file with the below contents.

userid,userRole,ContentType
1,text1,value1,
2,text2,value2,

I want to write a batch file to add few column headers at the beginning of the csv file. I had this piece of code working to add only one additional column. Is it possible to add multiple columns based on column position?

e.g. I want to add a new column in 2nd and 5th position.

@echo off > newfile.csv & setLocal enableDELAYedeXpansion
for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in (input.csv) do (
>> newfile.csv echo.FirstName,%%a
)

Any help would be appriciated.

Your sample csv isn't valid - there are three columns in the header but the comma at the end of the rows marks an empty 4th column. Processing a csv file with for /f with possible empty columns ,, will fail because for /f ignores leading delimiters and treats successive delimiters as only one. — user6811411
– user6811411, Commented May 26, 2017 at 13:01

user6811411 · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-26 16:03:48Z

2

Despite my hints in the comment provided there are no empty columns:

you simply need to write the new header in the first row
and empty new columns in all other rows.

@Echo off&Setlocal EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
Set Row=0
( for /f "tokens=1-5 delims=," %%A in (input.csv) do (
    Set /A Row+=1
    If !Row! lss 2 (Rem new header
      echo %%A,NewSecond,%%B,%%C,%%D,NewFifth,%%E
    ) Else (Rem insert new empty columns
      echo %%A,"",%%B,%%C,%%D,"",%%E
    )
  )
) >newfile.csv

Sample output:

> type *.csv
input.csv

userid,userRole,ContentType,Col4,Col5
1,text1,value1,"",""
2,text2,value2,"",""

newfile.csv

userid,NewSecond,userRole,ContentType,Col4,NewFifth,Col5
1,"",text1,value1,"","",""
2,"",text2,value2,"","",""

answered May 26, 2017 at 16:03

user6811411

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Comments

Stephan · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-26 09:17:01Z

1

for /f "tokens=1-4,* delims=," %%a in (input.csv) do (
    >>newfile.csv echo %%a,NewSecond,%%b,%%c,%%d,NewFifth,%%e
)

%%e is "token *", that means "the rest of the line"

Are you sure, you want to have the same strings on column 2 and 5 in every line?

answered May 26, 2017 at 9:17

Stephan

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5 Comments

Rockstar Over a year ago

Not exactly, what I want is, to add headers in 2nd and 5th position and the header value should not be same. I checked your solution it worked in context of the column position but I want empty values for the newly added header.

Stephan Over a year ago

as we speak of empty values - may there be such in input.csv? That could ruin newfile.csv

Rockstar Over a year ago

ah! so is there any way we can add only headers but the header columns shouldn't have any value in it.

Stephan Over a year ago

yes: echo %%a,,%%b,%%c,%%d,,%%e. Note: will ruin your outputfile, if there are already emty values (because consecutive delimiters are treated as one)

Rockstar Over a year ago

I got the empty columns but now I lost the header.

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