CSV to multidimensional array with ColdFusion

Question

I am trying to load a CSV file into an array using ColdFusion (version 7.0.2.142559). Right now I am getting the following error:

A scalar value of type coldfusion.runtime.Struct cannot be assigned to a 2-dimensional ColdFusion array. A ColdFusion 2-dimensional array can only hold 1-dimensional ColdFusion arrays and Java List objects.

My CSV file is setup in this format:

a,b
c,d
e,f

This is my first go with ColdFusion so I probably have some simple syntax error that I just cannot see. Code is below.

<!--- get the current full path of the current --->
<cfset currentPath = getCurrentTemplatePath()>
<cfset currentDirectory = getDirectoryFromPath(currentPath)>
<!--- get and read the CSV-TXT file --->
<cffile action="read" file="#currentDirectory#/smalltest.csv" variable="csvfile">
<!--- create a new array --->
<cfset array=ArrayNew(2)>
<!--- loop through the CSV-TXT file on line breaks and insert into database --->
<cfloop index="index" list="#csvfile#" delimiters="#chr(10)##chr(13)#">

    <cfset array[#index#][1]=#listgetAt('#index#',1, ',')#>
    <cfset array[#index#][2]=#listgetAt('#index#',2, ',')#>

</cfloop>

<cfdump var=#array#>

Bonus:

On a side note it would save me a lot of time if there were some way to call upon a PHP file from within ColdFusion since I already have this entire script completed (this is just a small portion) in PHP. I read about ColdFusion custom tags (the tag <cf_php> would work perfect for me) but admin says no, thus I must work with ColdFusion or find some way to render PHP through ColdFusion. Frames, JavaScript, or the <cfhttp> tag are all things I think might work... if you have an idea let me know.

If you can explain what your existing PHP script does after loading the CSV array we can probably tell you whether it will be possible to call your PHP script from CF. — Antony
– Antony, Commented Mar 9, 2011 at 0:56
@Anthony the PHP script take the info from the CSV file and sorts it in a certain way (base on a variable passed in the URL) then outputs it to an HTML table. @Henry <cf_php> seemed like a good idea, if my server supported custom tags, but that isn't the case. Why else should I forget about <cf_php>> — ubiquibacon
– ubiquibacon, Commented Mar 9, 2011 at 2:25

Leigh · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-09 04:49:29Z

5

Actually I think you could simplify Henry's example even further using a one dimensional array and arrayAppend.

<cfset array=ArrayNew(1)>
<cfloop index="line" list="#csvfile#" delimiters="#chr(10)##chr(13)#">
    <cfset arrayAppend(array, listToArray(line))>
</cfloop>

A scalar value of type coldfusion.runtime.Struct cannot be assigned to a 2-dimensional ColdFusion array.

FYI: The original code is mixing loop types. With <cfloop list=".."> the index value is an element of the list like "a,b" (not a line number). Obviously "a,b" is not the expected numeric index, hence the error.

<!--- what the code is actually doing --->
<cfset array['a,b'][1]=#listgetAt('#index#',1, ',')#>
<cfset array['a,b'][2]=#listgetAt('#index#',2, ',')#>
<cfset array['c,d'][1]=#listgetAt('#index#',1, ',')#>
....

Having nothing to do with your error, none of those # signs are necessary. The code will work either way, but it is cleaner to write:

<cfset array[lineNum][1]= listgetAt( index, 1, ',')>

instead of

<cfset array['#lineNum#'][1]=#listgetAt('#index#',1, ',')#>

answered Mar 9, 2011 at 4:49

Leigh

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11 Comments

Leigh Over a year ago

Thanks. Not quite a one-liner, but close ;-)

ubiquibacon Over a year ago

@Leigh @Henry both of your answers work great, thanks a lot. I see that misuse of index was my error, but I want to make sure I understand your answer correctly. The third line of your answer is copying all elements of the current line to the array, and since the default delimiter of listToArray is a comma two elements are read in instead of one. The process repeats until the end of the list has been reached. Is that correct?

Leigh Over a year ago

@typoknig - Essentially, yes.

ubiquibacon Over a year ago

@Leigh @Henry after messing with this a bit more I found that both of your solutions have an unfortunate side effect. If an element of the CSV file contains a comma then things get messed up :( Do you guys have any other ideas? Please keep in mind too that I need to sort this data once it has been loaded into the array, via ColdFusion or JavaScript.

Leigh Over a year ago

@typoknig - That is going to be a problem in any language. Obviously the delimiter value should never be used in the data itself, because it makes it near impossible to identify. Are the values at least quoted?

|

Henry · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-09 02:00:40Z

1

<cfset array=ArrayNew(2)>
<cfset lineNum=1>
<cfloop index="line" list="#csvfile#" delimiters="#chr(10)##chr(13)#">
    <cfset array[lineNum] = listToArray(line)>
    <cfset lineNum = lineNum + 1>
</cfloop>

answered Mar 9, 2011 at 2:00

Henry

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