# CSV nesting **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [21 April 2008 14:32 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/csv-nesting/46009 "2008-04-21T14:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Max\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Max\_Russell](https://rubytalk.org/u/Max_Russell)\ **Post date:** [21 April 2008 14:32 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/csv-nesting/46009/1 "2008-04-21T14:32:01Z")
I have a snippet of code that looks like this:     next if row.nil?     for i in 0...row.length       next if row[i].nil?       f.puts " \<#{fields[i]}\>#{row[i]}\"     end this is part of a small script that parses a CSV document and then creates an XML output file. However, I would like to add support for nesting elements in the output, so that if the current column/value is surname or forename I can write my output in a nested fashion: \   \Brown\   \Bobby\ \ The problem I'm having is with the identification of the current element as either SURNAME or FORENAME I've tried using: if #{fields[i]} == "\" (where fields is CSV.shift) and I've also tried if row[i].data == 'ORGANISATION\_PERSON\_SURNAME' What is the best way of acessing this please? I've attached my original script for perusal. Attachments: [http://www.ruby-forum.com/attachment/1765/csv\_xml.rb](http://www.ruby-forum.com/attachment/1765/csv_xml.rb) > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Jeremy\_Hinegardner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/65b543/32.png) [@Jeremy\_Hinegardner](https://rubytalk.org/u/Jeremy_Hinegardner)\ **Post date:** [21 April 2008 15:03 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/csv-nesting/46009/2 "2008-04-21T15:03:17Z")
> I have a snippet of code that looks like this: > >     next if row.nil? >     for i in 0...row.length >       next if row[i].nil? >       f.puts " \<#{fields[i]}\>#{row[i]}\" >     end > > this is part of a small script that parses a CSV document and then > creates an XML output file. > > However, I would like to add support for nesting elements in the output, > so that if the current column/value is surname or forename I can write > my output in a nested fashion: > > \ >   \Brown\ >   \Bobby\ > \ > > The problem I'm having is with the identification of the current element > as either SURNAME or FORENAME > > I've tried using: > > if #{fields[i]} == "\" > > (where fields is CSV.shift) and I've also tried > > if row[i].data == 'ORGANISATION\_PERSON\_SURNAME' > > What is the best way of acessing this please? I would use FasterCSV and loop over each row, and have some controlling information that shows which row fields should be grouped into a higher tag. > I've attached my original script for perusal. > > Attachments: > [http://www.ruby-forum.com/attachment/1765/csv\_xml.rb](http://www.ruby-forum.com/attachment/1765/csv_xml.rb) Completely off the cuff, untested, but this is the approach I'm thinking of.   [http://p.ramaze.net/1154](http://p.ramaze.net/1154) enjoy, -jeremy > **···** > > On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 11:32:01PM +0900, Max Russell wrote: > > # -- > > Jeremy Hinegardner jeremy@hinegardner.org ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Max\_Russell](https://rubytalk.org/u/Max_Russell)\ **Post date:** [22 April 2008 13:05 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/csv-nesting/46009/3 "2008-04-22T13:05:24Z")
Jeremy Hinegardner wrote: > Completely off the cuff, untested, but this is the approach I'm thinking > of. > >   [http://p.ramaze.net/1154](http://p.ramaze.net/1154) > > enjoy, > > -jeremy Thanks, although after looking at the FasterCSV docs. I'm thinking of working with an array or arrays instead of a Hash. > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Max\_Russell](https://rubytalk.org/u/Max_Russell)\ **Post date:** [23 April 2008 11:00 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/csv-nesting/46009/4 "2008-04-23T11:00:05Z")
Max Russell wrote: > Jeremy Hinegardner wrote: > > > Completely off the cuff, untested, but this is the approach I'm thinking > > of. > > > >   [http://p.ramaze.net/1154](http://p.ramaze.net/1154) > > > > enjoy, > > > > -jeremy > > Thanks, although after looking at the FasterCSV docs. I'm thinking of > working with an array or arrays instead of a Hash. I've attached what I'm now using. I'm finding however that, due to the condition execution, my current code spits out all the other attributes before the two conditions: for i in 1..rows.length   next if rows[i].nil?   if not rows[surname] or rows[forename]     puts rows[i]#"Current attribute: #{rows[i]}"   end   if rows[surname]     puts "\"     #puts "row #{i}"     puts " \"     puts " #{rows[i][surname]}"     puts " \"   end   if rows[forename]     #puts "row #{i}"     puts " \"     puts " #{rows[i][forename]}"     puts " \"   end end The problem being that an if, elsif else construction doesn't seem to work... Attachments: [http://www.ruby-forum.com/attachment/1769/fstcsv\_xml\_arrarrs.rb](http://www.ruby-forum.com/attachment/1769/fstcsv_xml_arrarrs.rb) > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C).