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Maintenance Ruby 3.3 gets fixes, but no new features. Switch to Ruby 4.0 →

instance method

CSV#convert

convert(converter_name) → array_of_procs
convert {|field, field_info| ... } → array_of_procs
  • With no block, installs a field converter (a Proc).

  • With a block, defines and installs a custom field converter.

  • Returns the Array of installed field converters.

  • Argument converter_name, if given, should be the name of an existing field converter.

See Field Converters.


With no block, installs a field converter:

Example
csv = CSV.new('')
csv.convert(:integer)
csv.convert(:float)
csv.convert(:date)
csv.converters # => [:integer, :float, :date]

The block, if given, is called for each field:

  • Argument field is the field value.

  • Argument field_info is a CSV::FieldInfo object containing details about the field.

The examples here assume the prior execution of:

Example
string = "foo,0\nbar,1\nbaz,2\n"
path = 't.csv'
File.write(path, string)

Example giving a block:

Example
csv = CSV.open(path)
csv.convert {|field, field_info| p [field, field_info]; field.upcase }
csv.read # => [["FOO", "0"], ["BAR", "1"], ["BAZ", "2"]]

Output:

["foo", #<struct CSV::FieldInfo index=0, line=1, header=nil>]
["0", #<struct CSV::FieldInfo index=1, line=1, header=nil>]
["bar", #<struct CSV::FieldInfo index=0, line=2, header=nil>]
["1", #<struct CSV::FieldInfo index=1, line=2, header=nil>]
["baz", #<struct CSV::FieldInfo index=0, line=3, header=nil>]
["2", #<struct CSV::FieldInfo index=1, line=3, header=nil>]

The block need not return a String object:

Example
csv = CSV.open(path)
csv.convert {|field, field_info| field.to_sym }
csv.read # => [[:foo, :"0"], [:bar, :"1"], [:baz, :"2"]]

If converter_name is given, the block is not called:

Example
csv = CSV.open(path)
csv.convert(:integer) {|field, field_info| fail 'Cannot happen' }
csv.read # => [["foo", 0], ["bar", 1], ["baz", 2]]

Raises a parse-time exception if converter_name is not the name of a built-in field converter:

Example
csv = CSV.open(path)
csv.convert(:nosuch) => [nil]
# Raises NoMethodError (undefined method `arity' for nil:NilClass)
csv.read