CSV to Array

Convert data in CSV (comma separated value) format to a javascript array.

Columns are separated by a comma or a custom delimeter. Rows are separated by a new line character "\n". Values can be enclosed by single quotes ' or double quotes ". Inside a quoted value, the escape character \ can be used.

Note that this code can be easily ported to C++, Java, or your own favorite programming language.

Author: Jos de Jong, 2010

Try it yourself

"x", "y", "value" 0, 0, 50 0, 10.47, 50 0, 20.93, 50 0, 31.4, 50 0, 41.87, 50 0, 52.33, 50 0, 62.8, 50 0, 73.27, 50 0, 83.73, 50 0, 94.2, 50

Sourcecode

You can download the sourcecode from here, or by copying the following code.

/**
 * Convert data in CSV (comma separated value) format to a javascript array.
 * Columns are separated by a comma or a custom delimeter.
 * Rows are separated by a new line character "\n".
 *
 * Values can be enclosed by single quotes ' or double quotes ".
 * Inside a quoted value, the escape character \ can be used.
 *
 * Example usage:
 *   var csv = '"x", "y", "z"\n12.3, 2.3, 8.7\n4.5, 1.2, -5.6\n';
 *   var array = csv2array(csv);
 * 
 * Author: Jos de Jong, 2010
 * 
 * @param {string} data      The data in CSV format.
 * @param {string} delimeter [optional] a custom delimeter. Comma ',' by default
 *                           The Delimeter must be a single character.
 * @return {Array} array     A two dimensional array containing the data
 */ 
function csv2array(data, delimeter) {
  // Retrieve the delimeter
  if (delimeter == undefined) 
    delimeter = ',';
  if (delimeter && delimeter.length > 1)
    delimeter = ',';

  // initialize variables
  var newline = '\n';
  var eof = '';
  var i = 0;
  var c = data.charAt(i);
  var row = 0;
  var col = 0;
  var array = new Array();
  
  /**
   * Set the pointer to the next character
   */ 
  var next = function() {
    c = data.charAt(++i);
  }
  
  while (c != eof) {
    // skip whitespaces
    while (c == ' ' || c == '\t') {
      next();
    }
    
    // get value
    var value = "";
    if (c == '\'') {
      // value enclosed by single quotes
      next();
      while (c != eof && c != '\'') {
        // check for escape character
        if (c == '\\')
          next();
          
        value += c;
        next();
      }      
      next();
    } 
    else if (c == '\"') {
      // value enclosed by double quotes
      next();
      while (c != eof && c != '\"') {
        // check for escape character
        if (c == '\\')
          next();

        value += c;
        next();
      }      
      next();      
    }
    else {
      // value without quotes
      while (c != eof && c != delimeter && c!= newline && c != ' ' && c != '\t') {
        value += c;
        next();
      }
    }

    // add the value to the array
    if (array.length <= row) 
      array.push(new Array());
    array[row].push(value);
    
    // skip whitespaces
    while (c == ' ' || c == '\t') {
      next();
    }

    // go to the next row or column
    if (c == delimeter) {
      // to the next column
      col++;
    }
    else if (c == newline) {
      // to the next row
      col = 0;
      row++;
    }
    else {
      // eof reached
    }
    next();
  }  
  
  return array;
}