Fluent API

Fluent API methods for CSVFile class in BoxLang Plus

The CSVFile class provides a fluent, chainable API for all CSV operations.

Static Constructors

CSVFile.empty()

• Creates an empty CSVFile instance

• Returns: CSVFile object

CSVFile.fromJson( jsonString )

• Creates CSVFile from JSON array of objects

• Parameters: jsonString (string) - JSON array

• Returns: CSVFile object

• Example: CSVFile.fromJson('[{"name":"John","age":30}]')

CSVFile.fromArray( arrayOfStructs )

• Creates CSVFile from array of structs

• Parameters: arrayOfStructs (array) - Array of structs

• Returns: CSVFile object

CSVFile.fromQuery( query )

• Creates CSVFile from BoxLang Query

• Parameters: query (Query) - Query object

• Returns: CSVFile object

File I/O Methods

load( path )

• Loads CSV file from specified path

• Parameters: path (string) - File path

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.load("data.csv")

loadFromString( csvContent )

• Loads CSV data from a string

• Parameters: csvContent (string) - CSV content

• Returns: this (for chaining)

loadFromJson( jsonString )

• Loads CSV data from JSON string

• Parameters: jsonString (string) - JSON array

• Returns: this (for chaining)

loadFromQuery( query )

• Loads CSV data from Query object

• Parameters: query (Query) - Query object

• Returns: this (for chaining)

loadFromArray( arrayOfStructs )

• Loads CSV data from array of structs

• Parameters: arrayOfStructs (array) - Array of structs

• Returns: this (for chaining)

save( path, [overwrite] )

• Saves CSV file to specified path

• Parameters:

  • path (string) - File path

  • overwrite (optional, boolean) - Whether to overwrite existing file

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.save("output.csv", true)

save()

• Saves CSV file using previously set path

• Returns: this (for chaining)

Configuration Methods

delimiter( char )

• Sets delimiter character

• Parameters: char (character) - Delimiter (e.g., ',', '|', '\t')

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.delimiter('|')

quote( char )

• Sets quote character

• Parameters: char (character) - Quote character (default: '"')

• Returns: this (for chaining)

escape( char )

• Sets escape character

• Parameters: char (character) - Escape character (default: '"')

• Returns: this (for chaining)

lineSeparator( string )

• Sets line separator string

• Parameters: string (string) - Line separator (e.g., "\n", "\r\n")

• Returns: this (for chaining)

trim( boolean )

• Sets whether to trim whitespace from values

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable trimming

• Returns: this (for chaining)

headers( boolean )

• Sets whether CSV has headers in first row

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable headers

• Returns: this (for chaining)

skipHeaderRecord( boolean )

• Sets whether to skip header record when parsing

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable skipping

• Returns: this (for chaining)

allowMissingColumnNames( boolean )

• Sets whether to allow missing column names

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable

• Returns: this (for chaining)

ignoreEmptyLines( boolean )

• Sets whether to ignore empty lines

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable

• Returns: this (for chaining)

nullString( string )

• Sets string representation for null values

• Parameters: string (string) - Null representation (e.g., "NULL", "N/A")

• Returns: this (for chaining)

commentMarker( char )

• Sets comment marker character

• Parameters: char (character) - Comment marker (e.g., '#')

• Returns: this (for chaining)

ignoreSurroundingSpaces( boolean )

• Sets whether to ignore spaces around values

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable

• Returns: this (for chaining)

quoteMode( string )

• Sets quote mode for writing

• Parameters: string (string) - Quote mode: "ALL", "MINIMAL", "NON_NUMERIC", "NONE", "ALL_NON_NULL"

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.quoteMode("ALL")

quoteMode( quoteModeEnum )

• Sets quote mode for writing using QuoteMode enum

• Parameters: quoteModeEnum (QuoteMode) - QuoteMode enum value

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Note: This is primarily for Java interoperability

allowDuplicateHeaderNames( boolean )

• Sets whether to allow duplicate column names

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable

• Returns: this (for chaining)

autoFlush( boolean )

• Sets whether to flush after each record write

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable

• Returns: this (for chaining)

trailingDelimiter( boolean )

• Sets whether to add trailing delimiter at end of records

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable

• Returns: this (for chaining)

headerComments( ...comments )

• Sets header comments to write before CSV data

• Parameters: comments (string...) - Variable arguments of comment strings

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.headerComments("File created on " & now(), "Author: System")

headerComments( commentsArray )

• Sets header comments to write before CSV data

• Parameters: commentsArray (array) - Array of comment strings

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.headerComments(["File created on " & now(), "Author: System"])

overwrite( boolean )

• Sets whether to overwrite existing files when saving

• Parameters: boolean (boolean) - Enable/disable overwriting

• Returns: this (for chaining)

setPath( path )

• Sets file path for future operations

• Parameters: path (string) - File path

• Returns: this (for chaining)

Data Manipulation Methods

setHeaders( ...headers )

• Sets header columns for the CSV

• Parameters: headers (string...) - Variable arguments of header names

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.setHeaders("Name", "Email", "Age")

setHeaders( headersArray )

• Sets header columns for the CSV

• Parameters: headersArray (array) - Array of header names

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.setHeaders(["Name", "Email", "Age"])

setRowData( rowNumber, rowData )

• Sets data for a specific row (1-based indexing)

• Parameters:

  • rowNumber (number) - Row number (1-based)

  • rowData (array) - Array of values for the row

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.setRowData(1, ["A", "B", "C"])

addRow( rowData )

• Adds a new row to the CSV

• Parameters: rowData (array) - Array of values for the row

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.addRow(["John", "[email protected]", 30])

getRowData( rowNumber )

• Gets data for a specific row (1-based indexing)

• Parameters: rowNumber (number) - Row number (1-based)

• Returns: Array of values

getRowCount()

• Gets the number of rows in the CSV

• Returns: Number of rows

getColumnCount()

• Gets the number of columns in the CSV

• Returns: Number of columns

getHeaders()

• Gets the header columns

• Returns: Array of header names, or null if no headers

clear()

• Clears all data from the CSV

• Returns: this (for chaining)

Filtering and Mapping Methods

filter( predicate )

• Sets a filter predicate to apply when loading CSV data

• Parameters: predicate (function) - Function that receives a row array and returns boolean

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.filter((row) => row[2] >= 18)

map( mapper )

• Sets a mapper function to transform rows when loading CSV data

• Parameters: mapper (function) - Function that receives and returns a row array

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.map((row) => { row[0] = row[0].toUpperCase(); return row; })

Streaming Methods

process( path, consumer )

• Streams through CSV file row-by-row without loading into memory

• Parameters:

  • path (string) - Path to CSV file

  • consumer (function) - Function that receives each row array

• Returns: this (for chaining)

• Example: csv.process("large.csv", (row) => println(row[0]))

process( consumer )

• Streams through CSV file using previously set path

• Parameters: consumer (function) - Function that receives each row array

• Returns: this (for chaining)

Export Methods

toArray()

• Converts CSV data to array of arrays

• Returns: Array

toJson( [pretty] )

• Converts CSV data to JSON string

• Parameters: pretty (optional, boolean) - Pretty-print JSON (default: false)

• Returns: JSON string

toQuery()

• Converts CSV data to BoxLang Query object

• Returns: Query object with VARCHAR columns

toString()

• Converts CSV data to string representation

• Returns: CSV string

Information Methods

getPath()

• Gets the current file path

• Returns: File path string or null

getDelimiter()

• Gets the current delimiter character

• Returns: Character

hasHeaders()

• Gets whether the CSV has headers

• Returns: Boolean

getData()

• Gets the raw CSV data as list of string arrays

• Returns: List of string arrays