[MetaCRS] Quick and Dirty CSV File

[Martin Davis]

Landon Blake wrote:
>
> Martin wrote: "Instead of saying "None" or "Not Provided" just leave the
> field empty (null)"
>
> Now this makes parsing harder! If we leave "none" or "not provided" each
> row will always have the same number of values. If we don't include a
> value each row could have a different number of values or cells. This
> could make parsing a lot more difficult. For example, if I use the
> String.split function in Java I can get an array of Strings where the
> comma determines what goes in each element of the array. I can then use
> the same index position to always access the desired array element
> without having to look at the other elements in the array. I hope this
> makes sense.
>
>   
This isn't a problem in CSV files.  An empty field still has a field 
delimiter, so the number of columns is unchanged. 

-- 
Martin Davis
Senior Technical Architect
Refractions Research, Inc.
(250) 383-3022