Read a CSV File in C#

When you need to read CSV files in C#, IronXL is an easy answer. You can read a CSV file with commas, or any other delimiter, as seen in the code segments below.

How to Read a CSV File in C#

Download and install the C# CSV reading library
Create a C# or VB project
Add the code example from this page to your project
In the code, specify the path to the CSV, and the output name & file format
Run the C# project to view the document

Reading CSV Files in .NET Applications

Install a C# library for Reading CSV Files (IronXL)
Read CSV files in C#
Specify file format and delimiter

Step 1

1. Install the IronXL Library

Before you can make use of IronXL to read CSV files in MVC or ASP or dotnet core, you need to install it first. Here is a quick walk-through.

In Visual Studio, select the Project menu
Manage NuGet Packages
Search for IronXL.Excel
Install

Figure 1 - IronXL.Excel NuGet Package

Or Download from the Iron Software website, here: https://ironsoftware.com/csharp/excel/packages/IronXL.zip

How to Tutorial

2. Read CSV Files Programmatically

Now for the project!

Add the IronXL Namespace

using IronXL;

using IronXL;

Imports IronXL

VB C#

Add code to read a CSV file programmatically with IronXL and C#

/**
Read a CSV file
anchor-read-csv-files-programmatically
**/
private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    WorkBook workbook = WorkBook.LoadCSV("Read_CSV_Ex.csv", fileFormat: ExcelFileFormat.XLSX, ListDelimiter: ",");
    WorkSheet ws = workbook.DefaultWorkSheet;
    workbook.SaveAs("Csv_To_Excel.xlsx");
}

/**
Read a CSV file
anchor-read-csv-files-programmatically
**/
private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    WorkBook workbook = WorkBook.LoadCSV("Read_CSV_Ex.csv", fileFormat: ExcelFileFormat.XLSX, ListDelimiter: ",");
    WorkSheet ws = workbook.DefaultWorkSheet;
    workbook.SaveAs("Csv_To_Excel.xlsx");
}

'''
'''Read a CSV file
'''anchor-read-csv-files-programmatically
'''*
Private Sub button2_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
	Dim workbook As WorkBook = WorkBook.LoadCSV("Read_CSV_Ex.csv", fileFormat:= ExcelFileFormat.XLSX, ListDelimiter:= ",")
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = workbook.DefaultWorkSheet
	workbook.SaveAs("Csv_To_Excel.xlsx")
End Sub

VB C#

Figure 2 - A CSV file opened in Notepad

A Workbook object is created. The LoadCSV method of the Workbook object is then used to specify the name of the CSV file to be read, in format to read it into, and what the delimiter is for the file. In this case, a comma is used as a separator.

A Worksheet object is then created. This is where the contents of the CSV file will be placed. Then the file is saved under a new name and format.