DeltaWare.SDK.Serialization.Csv 5.0.0.2

This package provides an easy to use high performance approach to Deserializing and Serializing CSV files whilst being highly extensible for that annoying edge case.

Currently the Serializer has the following features.

• Implemented using the RFC 4180 standard.
• Deserialize and Serialize standard CSVs.
• Deserialize and Serialize record CSVs.
• Column and Header Name Indexing.
• Validation
• Allows for custom serializtion of types.
• Nullable Types
• Standalone Reader and Writer
• Async and Sync operations.

Creating a Model

There are several ways to declared a model and we'll go over each of them.

Barebones

In this scenario how the CSV data will be written or read depends on what the HasHeader parameter has been set to during deserialization or serialization.

If this parameter has been set to true, the serializer will add and or expected headers matching the property names of your model. The below model would create or expect a header like this Id,FirstName,LastName,BirthDate.

If this parameter has been set to false, the serializer will match the column index to the order that the properties are declared in. As an example, Id would be column 0 and LastName would be Column 2.

public class Student
{
        public int Id { get; set; }

        public string FirstName { get; set; }

        public string LastName { get; set; }

        public DateTime? BirthDate { get; set; }
}

Using Attributes

A model can be created using several attributes. The attributes that are support are listed below.

• ColumnHeader (Property) Declares the Header to be used for this property.

• ColumnIndex (Property) - If this property is declared it must be used on ALL properties. Declares the Index of this property

• HeaderRequired (Class) Enforces the use of a header, overriding the HasHeader parameter.

• Required (Property) Validates that the CSV data contains this property.

• MaxLength (Property) Validates that the CSV data has a length that is smaller or equal to this value.

• MinLength (Property) Validates that the CSV data has a length that is larger or equal than this value.

• UseTransformer (Property) Allows an object transformer to be specified. Either for custom type serialization or to change the default serialization.

Deserializing CSVs

CsvSerializer serializer = new CsvSerializer();

IEnumerable<Foo> myFoos = await serializer.DeserializeAsync<Foo>(csvString);

CsvSerializer serializer = new CsvSerializer();

using (Stream stream = new FileStream(filePath, FileMode.Open))
{
	IEnumerable<Foo> myFoos = await serializer.DeserializeAsync<Foo>(stream);
}

Serializing CSVs

CsvSerializer serializer = new CsvSerializer();

string csvString = await serializer.SerializeAsync(myFoos)

CsvSerializer serializer = new CsvSerializer();

using (Stream stream = new FileStream("~/foo.csv", FileMode.Create))
{
	await serializer.SerializeAsync(myFoos, stream);
}

Deserializing and Serializing Records

A Record type CSV contains multiple different data types and no header. The following section will outline how to serialize, deserialize and create models so that you can quickly and easily handle this form of CSV.

Example of a Record Type CSV

users,5,John,Doe,1970/04/24
users,172,Debra,Thompson
orders,A95A067E-A77C-43FE-BAFF-211725608AA7,2020/07/24,516
transactions,553245234,true
orders,5B24142F-B003-4CF2-81E8-E036D9A0E3A1,2021/01/15,12572.15
users,59,Grant,Burk,1985/11/15
transactions,3482739487,false

Example of the users Report Type model

[RecordType("users")]
public class UserRecord
{
		// Note in this example, the Column Index attribute isn't necessary.
		// By default a column index is applied to Properties in order of there declaration.
        [ColumnIndex(0)]
        public int Id { get; set; }

        [ColumnIndex(1)]
        public string FirstName { get; set; }

        [ColumnIndex(2)]
        public string LastName { get; set; }

        [ColumnIndex(3)]
        public DateTime? BirthDate { get; set; }
}

Deserializing a Record

CsvSerializer serializer = new CsvSerializer();

IEnumerable<object> myRecords = await serializer.DeserializeAsync(csvString, new[] { typeof(UserRecord), typeof(OrderRecord), typeof(TransactionRecord) });

foreach(object myRecord in myRecords)
{
	if (myRecord is UserRecord user)
	{
		// Do a thing with user.
	}
	else if (myRecord is OrderRecord order)
	{
		// Do a thing with order.
	}
	else if (myRecord is TransactionRecord transaction)
	{
		// Do a thing with transaction.
	}
}

Or alternatively you can use a Record Container. Below is an overview of its usage.

public class RecordContainer
{
    public List<UserRecord> Users { get; set; }

    public List<OrderRecord> Orders { get; set; }

    public List<TransactionRecord> Transactions { get; set; }
}

CsvSerializer serializer = new CsvSerializer();

RecordContainer myRecords = await serializer.DeserializeAsync(csvString, typeof(RecordContainer));

// Do a thing with user.
myRecords.Users;
// Do a thing with order.
myRecords.Orders;
// Do a thing with transaction.
myRecords.Transactions;

Serializing a Record

Below are some examples of serializing a Record Type.

NOTE: If you're using a CsvWriter as the Stream ensure to set the Mode to WriteMode.Record during instantation.

Serializing a list of records

List<object> myRecords;

CsvSerializer serializer = new CsvSerializer();

string csvString = await serializer.SerializeRecordsAsync(myRecords);

Serializing a Record Container

CsvSerializer serializer = new CsvSerializer();

string csvString = await serializer.SerializeRecordsAsync(myRecordContainer);

CsvReader and CsvWriter

This section is not complete.