Text::LooseCSV 1.5

Text::LooseCSV is a highly forgiving variable length record text parser; compare to MS Excel.

SYNOPSIS

use Text::LooseCSV;
use IO::File;

$fh = new IO::File $fname;
$f = new Text::LooseCSV($fh);

# Some optional settings
$f->word_delimiter("t");
$f->line_delimiter("n");
$f->no_quotes(1);

# Parse/split a line
while ($rec = $f->next_record())
{
if ($rec == -1)
{
warn("corrupt rec: ", $f->cur_line);
next;
}

# process $rec as arrayref
...
}


# Or, (vice-versa) create a variable-length record file
$line = $f->form_record( [ Debbie Does Dallas,30.00,VHS,Classic ] );

Why another variable-length text record parser? Ive had the privilege to parse some of the gnarliest data ever seen and everything else I tried on CPAN choked (at the time I wrote this module). This module has been munching on millions of records of the filthiest data imaginable at several production sites so I thought Id contribute.

This module follows somewhat loose rules (compare to MS Excel) and will handle embedded newlines, etc. It is capable of handling large files and processes data in line-chunks. If MAX_LINEBUF is reached, however, it will mark the current record as corrupt, return -1 and start over again at the very next line. This will (of course) process tab-delimited data or whatever value you set for word_delimiter.
Methods are called in perl OO fashion.

WARNING this module messes with $/ line_delimiter sets $/ and is always called during construction. Dont change $/ during program execution!