Writing a .CSV file usingt the LinqtoCSV DLL

Question

I'm trying to write to a CSV file from a list using the LinqToCSV library found on http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/25133/LINQ-to-CSV-library#Installation .

When I try and run my program I keep getting a CsvColumnAtrributeRequiredException exception. So it's not filling a CSV file.

Here is my code:

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) // merge files button
{
    if(System.IO.File.Exists("OUTPUT.csv"))
    {
        System.IO.File.Delete("OUTPUT.csv");
        output = new System.IO.StreamWriter("OUTPUT.csv");
    }

    else
    {
        output = new System.IO.StreamWriter("OUTPUT.csv");
    }


    String[] parts = new String[1000];
    String[] parts2 = new String[1000];

    parts = File.ReadAllLines(textBox1.Text);       //gets filepath from top textbox
    parts2 = File.ReadAllLines(textBox2.Text);      //gets filepath from middle textbox




    String[] head = File.ReadAllLines(headingFileBox.Text); //header file array


    //merging the two files onto one list, there is no need to merge the header file because no math is being
    //computed on it
    var list = new List<String>();
    list.AddRange(parts);
    list.AddRange(parts2);



    //foreach loop to write the header file into the output file
    foreach (string h in head)
    {
        output.WriteLine(h);
    }

    //prints 3 blank lines for spaces
    output.WriteLine();
    output.WriteLine();
    output.WriteLine("LEASE NAME" + "," + "FIELD NAME" + "," + "RESERVOIR" + "," + "OPERATOR" + "," +"COUNTY" + "," + "ST" + "," + "MAJO" + "," + "RESV CAT" + "," + "DISCOUNT RATE"
        + "," + "NET OIL INTEREST" + "," + "NET GAS INTEREST" + "," + " WORKING INTEREST" + "," + "GROSS WELLS" + "," + "ULT OIL" + "," + "ULT GAS" + "," + "GROSS OIL" + "," 
        + "GROSS NGL" + "," + "GROSS GAS" + "," + "NET OIL" + "," + "NET GAS" + "," + "NET NGL" + "," +"REVENUE TO INT." + "," + "OPER. EXPENSE" + "," + "TOT INVEST." + "," 
        + "REVENUE OIL" + "," + "REVNUE GAS" + "," + "OPERATING PROFIT" + "," + "REVENUE NGL" + "," + "DISC NET INCOME" + "," + "SEQ" + "," + "WELL ID" + "," + "INC ASN" + "," 
        + "LIFE YEARS" + "," + "OWN QUAL" + "," + "PRODUCTION TAX" + "," + "AD VALOREM TAX");
    output.WriteLine();
    output.WriteLine();

    String[] partsComb = list.ToArray(); // string array that takes in the list
    Array.Sort(partsComb);

    CsvFileDescription outputFileDescription = new CsvFileDescription
    {
        SeparatorChar = '\t',
        FirstLineHasColumnNames = false, 
    };

    CsvContext cc = new CsvContext();
    cc.Write(partsComb ,output, outputFileDescription);

I'm just trying to get this up and running to output it correctly to a CSV file. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Your code doesn't appear to be using any of the features of Linq2Csv.

You get the error because you're just trying to write a string out which doesn't have csvcolumn attribute.

Why do you think you need linq2csv? From your code you read in 2 files sort the lines from those files then try to write the result back out. You're not using any of Linq2csv's features. You could just write this result straight to a file & not use linq2csv.

Alternatively, create a class that matches the data you are reading, then follow the instructions in the article to read the file into a list of that class. merge & write back out again using linq2csv.

More Info

This line from the article reads the data in

IEnumerable<Product> products = cc.Read<Product>("products.csv", inputFileDescription);

You need to do this for each file you want to read into 2 lists eg parts & parts2 from your code.

having done this, follow the example for writing a file, but pass parts.union(parts2) instead of products2 .

cc.Write(products2, "products2.csv", outputFileDescription);