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    SplFileObject::fgetcsv

    (PHP 5 >= 5.1.0, PHP 7, PHP 8)

    SplFileObject::fgetcsv — Gets line from file and parse as CSV fields

    Description

    public SplFileObject::fgetcsv(string $separator = ",", string $enclosure = "\"", string $escape = "\\"): array|false

    Gets a line from the file which is in CSV format and returns an array containing the fields read.

    Note:

    The locale settings are taken into account by this function. If LC_CTYPE is e.g. en_US.UTF-8, files in one-byte encodings may be read wrongly by this function.

    Parameters

    separator

    The field delimiter (one single-byte character only). Defaults as a comma or the value set using SplFileObject::setCsvControl().

    enclosure

    The field enclosure character (one single-byte character only). Defaults as a double quotation mark or the value set using SplFileObject::setCsvControl().

    escape

    The escape character (at most one single-byte character). Defaults as a backslash (\) or the value set using SplFileObject::setCsvControl(). An empty string ("") disables the proprietary escape mechanism.

    Note: Usually an enclosure character is escaped inside a field by doubling it; however, the escape character can be used as an alternative. So for the default parameter values "" and \" have the same meaning. Other than allowing to escape the enclosure character the escape character has no special meaning; it isn't even meant to escape itself.

    Return Values

    Returns an indexed array containing the fields read, or false on error.

    Note:

    A blank line in a CSV file will be returned as an array comprising a single null field unless using SplFileObject::SKIP_EMPTY | SplFileObject::DROP_NEW_LINE, in which case empty lines are skipped.

    Changelog

    Version Description
    7.4.0 The escape parameter now also accepts an empty string to disable the proprietary escape mechanism.

    Examples

    Example #1 SplFileObject::fgetcsv() example

    <?php
    $file     = new SplFileObject("data.csv");
    while (!    $file->eof()) {
    var_dump($file->fgetcsv());
    }
    ?>

    Example #2 SplFileObject::READ_CSV example

    <?php
    $file     = new SplFileObject("animals.csv");
    $file->setFlags(SplFileObject::READ_CSV);
    foreach (    $file as $row) {
    list(    $animal, $class, $legs) = $row;
    printf("A %s is a %s with %d legs\n", $animal, $class, $legs);
    }
    ?>

    Contents of animals.csv

    crocodile,reptile,4
dolphin,mammal,0
duck,bird,2
koala,mammal,4
salmon,fish,0

    The above example will output something similar to:

    A crocodile is a reptile with 4 legs
A dolphin is a mammal with 0 legs
A duck is a bird with 2 legs
A koala is a mammal with 4 legs
A salmon is a fish with 0 legs

    See Also

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    User Contributed Notes 6 notes

    up
    10
    android991 at gmail dot com
    5 years ago
    Be aware.
    There is bug 46569 persists that breaks usage of SplFileObject::fgetcsv() after SplFileObject::seek()-ing to a non-zero position and then returns the contents of wrong line - off by one
    <?php
    $file     = new SplFileObject('foo/bar.csv');
    $file->seek(1);
    print_r($file->fgetcsv()); // reads 3rd line against 2nd
    up
    3
    v-fpiris at teknober dot com
    13 years ago
    after setting the delimiter '\t' fgetcsv() truncates the value when it is empty string

    workaround:

    <?php
    $file     = new SplFileObject($path);
    $file->setFlags(SplFileObject::DROP_NEW_LINE);
    while (    $file->valid()) {
            $line = $file->fgets();
            $line = explode("\t", $line);

            print_r($line);
    }
    ?>
    up
    2
    Denitz
    6 years ago
    If your CSV doesn't have enclosures, you can face an issue with default " identified as enclosure in data. Empty $enclosure is not allowed, but you can use same $enclosure as $delimiter (\n by default) to emulate empty enclosure.
    up
    2
    vaughn dot clayton+php at servicetrade dot com
    12 years ago
    Note that due to bugs 55807 and 61032, introduced in 5.3.8, if the csv in example #2 has a newline character at the end of each line, the foreach will execute 6 times.

    The last time through the loop $row will be bool(false). This is true even if using SplFileObject::SKIP_EMPTY and SplFileObject::DROP_NEW_LINE.

    Until the bug is fixed, the workaround is to also add SplFileObject::READ_AHEAD to your setFlags() call.
    up
    2
    InvisibleSmiley
    3 years ago
    Not that this may return NULL instead of FALSE depending on the given SplFileObject flags in versions prior to PHP 8.1.

    Change: https://github.com/php/php-src/commit/188b1d4c7c7b3482584e248522d94e06ba616a1c

    Testcase: https://3v4l.org/6dQTT
    up
    1
    jbrauer
    4 years ago
    Also while the enclosure character cannot be NULL you can set it to ASCII NUL character chr(0) with the same practical effect.
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