c# datatable to csv

Question

Could somebody please tell me why the following code is not working. The data is saved into the csv file, however the data is not separated. It all exists within the first cell of each row.

StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

foreach (DataColumn col in dt.Columns)
{
    sb.Append(col.ColumnName + ',');
}

sb.Remove(sb.Length - 1, 1);
sb.Append(Environment.NewLine);

foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows)
{
    for (int i = 0; i < dt.Columns.Count; i++)
    {
        sb.Append(row[i].ToString() + ",");
    }

    sb.Append(Environment.NewLine);
}

File.WriteAllText("test.csv", sb.ToString());

Thanks.

Answer 1

A new extension function based on Paul Grimshaw's answer. I cleaned it up and added the ability to handle unexpected data. (Empty Data, Embedded Quotes, and comma's in the headings...)

It also returns a string which is more flexible. It returns Null if the table object does not contain any structure.

    public static string ToCsv(this DataTable dataTable) {
        StringBuilder sbData = new StringBuilder();

        // Only return Null if there is no structure.
        if (dataTable.Columns.Count == 0)
            return null;

        foreach (var col in dataTable.Columns) {
            if (col == null)
                sbData.Append(",");
            else
                sbData.Append("\"" + col.ToString().Replace("\"", "\"\"") + "\",");
        }

        sbData.Replace(",", System.Environment.NewLine, sbData.Length - 1, 1);

        foreach (DataRow dr in dataTable.Rows) {
            foreach (var column in dr.ItemArray) {
                if (column == null)
                    sbData.Append(",");
                else
                    sbData.Append("\"" + column.ToString().Replace("\"", "\"\"") + "\",");
            }
            sbData.Replace(",", System.Environment.NewLine, sbData.Length - 1, 1);
        }

        return sbData.ToString();
    }

You call it as follows:

var csvData = dataTableOject.ToCsv();

Answer 2

Possibly, most easy way will be to use:

https://github.com/ukushu/DataExporter

especially in case of your data of datatable containing /r/n characters or separator symbol inside of your dataTable cells.

only you need is to write the following code:

Csv csv = new Csv("\t");//Needed delimiter 

var columnNames = dt.Columns.Cast<DataColumn>().
    Select(column => column.ColumnName).ToArray();

csv.AddRow(columnNames);

foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows)
{
    var fields = row.ItemArray.Select(field => field.ToString()).ToArray;
    csv.AddRow(fields);   
}

csv.Save();

Answer 3

FYR

private string ExportDatatableToCSV(DataTable dtTable)
{
    StringBuilder sbldr = new StringBuilder();
    if (dtTable.Columns.Count != 0)
    {
        foreach (DataColumn col in dtTable.Columns)
        {
            sbldr.Append(col.ColumnName + ',');
        }
        sbldr.Append("\r\n");
        foreach (DataRow row in dtTable.Rows)
        {
            foreach (DataColumn column in dtTable.Columns)
            {
                sbldr.Append(row[column].ToString() + ',');
            }
            sbldr.Append("\r\n");
        }
    }
    return sbldr.ToString();
}

Answer 4

if all data still in the first cell, it means that the application you opened the file with is expecting another delimiter. MSExcel can handle the comma as delimiter unless you specified otherwise.

Answer 5

Try changing sb.Append(Environment.NewLine); to sb.AppendLine();.

StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();          
foreach (DataColumn col in dt.Columns)         
{             
    sb.Append(col.ColumnName + ',');         
}          

sb.Remove(sb.Length - 1, 1);         
sb.AppendLine();          

foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows)         
{             
    for (int i = 0; i < dt.Columns.Count; i++)             
    {                 
        sb.Append(row[i].ToString() + ",");             
    }              

    sb.AppendLine();         
}          

File.WriteAllText("test.csv", sb.ToString());

Answer 6

Try to put ; instead of ,

Hope it helps