parsing - How can I read and parse CSV files in C++? -

i need load , use csv file data in c++. @ point can comma-delimited parser (ie don't worry escaping new lines , commas). main need line-by-line parser return vector next line each time method called.

i found article looks quite promising: http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_35_0/libs/spirit/example/fundamental/list_parser.cpp

i've never used boost's spirit, willing try it. if there isn't more straightforward solution i'm overlooking.

if don't care escaping comma , newline,
, can't embed comma , newline in quotes (if can't escape then...)
3 lines of code (ok 14 ->but 15 read whole file).

std::vector<std::string> getnextlineandsplitintotokens(std::istream& str) {     std::vector<std::string>   result;     std::string                line;     std::getline(str,line);      std::stringstream          linestream(line);     std::string                cell;      while(std::getline(linestream,cell, ','))     {         result.push_back(cell);     }     // checks trailing comma no data after it.     if (!linestream && cell.empty())     {         // if there trailing comma add empty element.         result.push_back("");     }     return result; } 

i create class representing row.
stream object:

#include <iterator> #include <iostream> #include <fstream> #include <sstream> #include <vector> #include <string>  class csvrow {     public:         std::string const& operator[](std::size_t index) const         {             return m_data[index];         }         std::size_t size() const         {             return m_data.size();         }         void readnextrow(std::istream& str)         {             std::string         line;             std::getline(str, line);              std::stringstream   linestream(line);             std::string         cell;              m_data.clear();             while(std::getline(linestream, cell, ','))             {                 m_data.push_back(cell);             }             // checks trailing comma no data after it.             if (!linestream && cell.empty())             {                 // if there trailing comma add empty element.                 m_data.push_back("");             }         }     private:         std::vector<std::string>    m_data; };  std::istream& operator>>(std::istream& str, csvrow& data) {     data.readnextrow(str);     return str; }    int main() {     std::ifstream       file("plop.csv");      csvrow              row;     while(file >> row)     {         std::cout << "4th element(" << row[3] << ")\n";     } } 

but little work technically create iterator:

class csviterator {        public:         typedef std::input_iterator_tag     iterator_category;         typedef csvrow                      value_type;         typedef std::size_t                 difference_type;         typedef csvrow*                     pointer;         typedef csvrow&                     reference;          csviterator(std::istream& str)  :m_str(str.good()?&str:null) { ++(*this); }         csviterator()                   :m_str(null) {}          // pre increment         csviterator& operator++()               {if (m_str) { if (!((*m_str) >> m_row)){m_str = null;}}return *this;}         // post increment         csviterator operator++(int)             {csviterator    tmp(*this);++(*this);return tmp;}         csvrow const& operator*()   const       {return m_row;}         csvrow const* operator->()  const       {return &m_row;}          bool operator==(csviterator const& rhs) {return ((this == &rhs) || ((this->m_str == null) && (rhs.m_str == null)));}         bool operator!=(csviterator const& rhs) {return !((*this) == rhs);}     private:         std::istream*       m_str;         csvrow              m_row; };   int main() {     std::ifstream       file("plop.csv");      for(csviterator loop(file); loop != csviterator(); ++loop)     {         std::cout << "4th element(" << (*loop)[3] << ")\n";     } }