csv_fix

Quick and dirty solution to fix broken line csv files using PowerShell

What is it

A PowerShell script (not even a CmdLet yet) that will create a fixed version of csv or any other text files that has broken lines.

For example: If we have a line broken into three separate lines like below:

field1,field2,fi
eld3,fie
ld4,field5,field6

This script is able to spot it and append the later two lines to the first line.

field1,field2,field3,field4,field5,field6

What it is not

It is not a CmdLet that accepts arguments and stuff, I wrote this just in case I need to fix some csv files really quickly. I might wrap it into a nice CmdLet afterwards.

What does it not fix

A csv file with non-full text qualifiers, for example:

field1,field2,field3,"some field with, well, some comma in it", field5,field6

How to use

Replace the value in $path variable with the file you want to fix.
$Header_Sep is for header delimiter IMPORTANT: The script runs on the assumption that the header is not broken
$Data_Sep is for the delimiter in the actual data lines.
Script will automatically create a file with _fixed suffix with the fixed file, or an additional file with _abnormal suffix. If it finds a line with delimiters more than expected.

Limitations

In addition to the "what does it not fix" section, the script can't fix a broken line like this:

field1,field2,field3,fied5,fie
ld6