LinqToCsv - Writing single objects to the file

Question

I am using the LinqToCsv library for creating a comma delimited file and ran into a problem. I read the article about it here: http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/25133/LINQ-to-CSV-library

In my case my class design is something like this:

class AddressIndo
{
   public string City { get; set;}
   public string Street {get;set;}
}

class PersonInfo
{
   public PersonInfo()
   {
       this.AddressList = new List<AddressInfo> ; 
   }
   public string Name{get;set;}
   public string Phone {get;set;}
   public List AddressList <AddressInfo>  {get; set;}
}

So PersonInfo class itself has a list of addresses for that person. So now I want to write that PersonInfo objects to the file and looks like Write method of this library only takes an IEnumerable, but for example if the person has three addresses I want it to also create three rows in the output file. (yes the common info will be duplicated for each row). But I couldn't figure out how to do that? Because Write method only took an IEnumerable.

maybe I should first iterate through my list of ProviderInfo and create a bigger list that is now flat and then pass that one to the Write method? — Bohn, Oct 19 '15 at 15:05
@Ric nop, they want them to be in new rows, so if the guy has three addresees we will have three rows, Of course his common info line first name, last name, phone etc.. will be again duplicated in each row. — Bohn, Oct 19 '15 at 15:34
Hmmm, then from what I see, how about changing your classes so that an `AddressInfo` object has a `PersonInfo` reference - then for multiple address, assigned to the same `PersonInfo` can produce multiple lines for the same object? You can ofcourse change the ordering of the csv columns using that library using the attribute `CsvColumn()` — Ric, Oct 19 '15 at 15:35
@Ric can you please explain more with some sample code? Thanks. — Bohn, Oct 19 '15 at 15:38

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 19 '15 at 17:06

Not super ideal but if you have a single object and need to make several rows each with the same info except addresses you could do something like this:

void Main()
{
    var csvList = new List<PersonInfoCSVModel>();
    var yourPersonObject; //already filled with the data you want

    yourPersonObject.AddressList.ForEach(address =>
    {
        csvList.Add(new PersonInfoCSVModel()
        {
            Name = yourPersonObject.Name,
            Phone = yourPersonObject.Phone,
            City = address.City,
            Street = address.Street
        });
    });

    yourCSVContext.Write(csvList, "yourFile.csv");
}

class PersonInfoCSVModel
{
    [CsvColumn(Name = "Name", FieldIndex = 1)]  
    public string Name{get;set;}

    [CsvColumn(Name = "Phone", FieldIndex = 2)] 
    public string Phone {get;set;}

    [CsvColumn(Name = "City", FieldIndex = 3)]  
    public string City { get; set;}

    [CsvColumn(Name = "Street", FieldIndex = 2)]    
    public string Street {get;set;}
}

LinqToCsv - Writing single objects to the file

1 Answers1