parse .csv

[EchoCola]

Hey guys i have this subrouting to parse a comma delimited file. I'm just confused on the pattern, could someone explain this part?

"([^\"\\]*(?:\\.[^\"\\]*)*)",?
           |  ([^,]+),?
           | ,
       }gx;

sub parse_csv {
    my $text = shift;      # record containing comma-separated values
    my @new  = ();
    push(@new, $+) while $text =~ m{
        # the first part groups the phrase inside the quotes.        
        "([^\"\\]*(?:\\.[^\"\\]*)*)",?
           |  ([^,]+),?
           | ,
       }gx;
       push(@new, undef) if substr($text, -1,1) eq ',';
       return @new;      # list of values that were comma-separated

 

[MikeLacey]

Way too hard EchoCola - be lazy and use the Text::CSV module from CPAN, you can find it at:

http://cpan.uwinnipeg.ca/module/Text::CSV

Mike

"Deliver me from the bane of civilised life; teddy bear envy."

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at faq219-2884

 

[dmazzini]

Hi EchoCola

To be honest I have used this routine many times, and it is working very good! But I have never tried to understand how it does the csv.

Cheers!

PD:You could start reading the book " Mastering regular Expressions " from O'reilly. If you really need to know how to use it. It's not a simpl regex.

 

[EchoCola]

Yeah, I know its from that o'reily book i just don't have the actual book. I think I will go look at CPAN and see what that module has to offer.

Thanks for your replies