# FasterCSV problem **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [28 August 2006 20:40 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/fastercsv-problem/30423 "2006-08-28T20:40:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mark\_Van\_Holstyn1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mark\_Van\_Holstyn1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Mark_Van_Holstyn1)\ **Post date:** [28 August 2006 20:40 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/fastercsv-problem/30423/1 "2006-08-28T20:40:54Z")
Is there any way to make the faster CSV library parse this line? 20 6" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4 I know i can use the :col\_sep options to change the column separator to a tab, but it fails to parse this because of an unclosed quoted field. It seems like there should be an option to say that the fields are not quoted. Thanks, > **···** > > -- > Mark Van Holstyn > [mvette13@gmail.com](mailto:mvette13@gmail.com) > [http://lotswholetime.com](http://lotswholetime.com) ---
**Author:** ![Ara.T.Howard6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/958977/32.png) [@Ara.T.Howard6](https://rubytalk.org/u/Ara.T.Howard6)\ **Post date:** [28 August 2006 21:23 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/fastercsv-problem/30423/2 "2006-08-28T21:23:20Z")
it that's indeed the case why not simply do it yourself?      harp:~ \> cat a.rb      require 'rubygems'      require 'fastercsv'      def munge line        line.gsub!(%r/"+/){|q| q.size % 2 == 0 ? q : '"' + q}        line.gsub!(%r/\ \*\t\ \*/, '","')        "%s%s%s" % ['"', line, '"']      end      def show line        puts line        munged = munge line        puts munged        p(FCSV.parse(munged).first)        puts      end      lines = \<\<-lines      20 6" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4      20 6"" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4      20 6""" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4      20 6"""" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4      lines      lines.each{|line| show line.strip}      harp:~ \> ruby a.rb      20 6" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4      "20","6""","Multibrand","Pricer","Insert","2","4"      ["20", "6\"", "Multibrand", "Pricer", "Insert", "2", "4"]      20 6"" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4      "20","6""","Multibrand","Pricer","Insert","2","4"      ["20", "6\"", "Multibrand", "Pricer", "Insert", "2", "4"]      20 6""" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4      "20","6""""","Multibrand","Pricer","Insert","2","4"      ["20", "6\"\"", "Multibrand", "Pricer", "Insert", "2", "4"]      20 6"""" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4      "20","6""""","Multibrand","Pricer","Insert","2","4"      ["20", "6\"\"", "Multibrand", "Pricer", "Insert", "2", "4"] if fastercsv handled \_\_all\_\_ the 'simple' exectptions is would be slow and complicated to maintain. kind regards. -a > **···** > > On Tue, 29 Aug 2006, Mark Van Holstyn wrote: > > > Is there any way to make the faster CSV library parse this line? > > > > 20 6" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4 > > > > I know i can use the :col\_sep options to change the column separator to a > > tab, but it fails to parse this because of an unclosed quoted field. It > > seems like there should be an option to say that the fields are not quoted. > > > > Thanks, > > -- > to foster inner awareness, introspection, and reasoning is more efficient than > meditation and prayer. > - h.h. the 14th dalai lama ---
**Author:** ![James\_Edward\_Gray\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@James\_Edward\_Gray\_II](https://rubytalk.org/u/James_Edward_Gray_II)\ **Post date:** [28 August 2006 21:25 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/fastercsv-problem/30423/3 "2006-08-28T21:25:24Z")
Well, if quotes aren't quoted it's not CVS and all the parser you really need is:    line.split("\t") right? 😉 FasterCSV uses a very strict parser, so no it won't allow this. Sorry. James Edward Gray II > **···** > > On Aug 28, 2006, at 3:40 PM, Mark Van Holstyn wrote: > > > Is there any way to make the faster CSV library parse this line? > > > > 20 6" Multibrand Pricer Insert 2 4 > > > > I know i can use the :col\_sep options to change the column separator to a > > tab, but it fails to parse this because of an unclosed quoted field. It > > seems like there should be an option to say that the fields are not quoted. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Van\_Holstyn1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mark\_Van\_Holstyn1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Mark_Van_Holstyn1)\ **Post date:** [28 August 2006 22:22 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/fastercsv-problem/30423/4 "2006-08-28T22:22:28Z")
I did end up cleaning the row myself. I just wondered if I was missing the option somewhere. The only reason I ask is because Excel/OOCalc allow you to say whether or not fields are surrounded by "'s. It would be a nice option. mark > **···** > > -- > Mark Van Holstyn > [mvette13@gmail.com](mailto:mvette13@gmail.com) > [http://lotswholetime.com](http://lotswholetime.com) ---
**Author:** ![James\_Edward\_Gray\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@James\_Edward\_Gray\_II](https://rubytalk.org/u/James_Edward_Gray_II)\ **Post date:** [28 August 2006 22:30 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/fastercsv-problem/30423/5 "2006-08-28T22:30:47Z")
I guess I'm dense today... FasterCSV is for parsing CSV. Without quoting, we are not talking about CSV. Can you please explain how `fields = line.split("\t")` fails you? If there's a real need for this, I'll consider it. But right now I would implement it as the above and I hope that's not what your asking for. 😉 James Edward Gray II > **···** > > On Aug 28, 2006, at 5:22 PM, Mark Van Holstyn wrote: > > > I did end up cleaning the row myself. I just wondered if I was missing the > > option somewhere. The only reason I ask is because Excel/OOCalc allow you to > > say whether or not fields are surrounded by "'s. It would be a nice option. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Van\_Holstyn1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mark\_Van\_Holstyn1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Mark_Van_Holstyn1)\ **Post date:** [28 August 2006 22:42 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/fastercsv-problem/30423/6 "2006-08-28T22:42:05Z")
> FasterCSV is for parsing CSV. Without quoting, we are not talking > about CSV. Technically, yes. Can you please explain how `fields = line.split("\t")` fails you? This would work in my situation just fine. If there's a real need for this, I'll consider it. But right now I > would implement it as the above and I hope that's not what your > asking for. 😉 If this is something you dont thinks should be in the CSV library, because is it not actually "official" csv, then that is fine. I look at that file as being "almost" CSV (with the exception of putting "'s around fields). The only reason I even ran into this is because mysql outputs bad csv mark > **···** > > -- > Mark Van Holstyn > mvette13@gmail.com > [http://lotswholetime.com](http://lotswholetime.com) ---
**Author:** ![James\_Edward\_Gray\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@James\_Edward\_Gray\_II](https://rubytalk.org/u/James_Edward_Gray_II)\ **Post date:** [28 August 2006 22:57 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/fastercsv-problem/30423/7 "2006-08-28T22:57:57Z")
> If this is something you dont thinks should be in the CSV library, because > is it not actually "official" csv, then that is fine. Well, it's more that I don't see what I can give you that split() doesn't. Hard for me to improve on that, you know? 😉 > I look at that file as > being "almost" CSV (with the exception of putting "'s around fields). In proper CSV the 6" field would really be:    "6""" It's pretty different. Without the quotes it's illegal to use \t, \r, and \n in fields (I assume). There's just really nothing there you need a parser for, in my opinion. James Edward Gray II > **···** > > On Aug 28, 2006, at 5:42 PM, Mark Van Holstyn wrote: