How to load a CSV file created from a dictionary with entities using ServiceStack.Text

Question

I have a Dictionary that has key: a string, value: a List of Entity, where Entity is a class:

public class Entity
{
    public string myString { get; set; }
    public int myInt { get; set; }
}

Dictionary<string, List<Entity>> myDictionary = new Dictionary<string, List<Entity>>();

List<Entity> aList = new List<Entity>();
Entity entity1 = new Entity( myString = "hi", myInt = 111);
Entity entity2 = new Entity( myString = "hello", myInt = 222);
aList.Add(entity1);
aList.Add(entity2);
myDictionary.Add("keyOne", aList);

I am trying to use ServiceStack.Text's CsvSerializer.SerializeToCsv() to serialise the dictionary and save it to a csv file.

string csv = CsvSerializer.SerializeToCsv(myDictionary);
File.WriteAllText(@"testsave.csv", csv);

But when run it and check the testsave.csv file, each entry in the dictionary is saved as a single element in a cell, and the element is saved horizontally:

Example: there are 3 entries in the dictionary and it will be stored to csv like this

So my question is, am I doing it right? and if I am, how do I deserealize the csv file and store it back into myDictionary later on.

Answer 1

CSV is not a very good match for hierarchical data storage. It is working as expected.

You may consider switching to json or xml serialization both of which do support hierarchical data and have feature complete serialization libraries available.

• JSON.Net
• System.Text.Json
• System.Xml.*

Answer 2

Yes, this is correct. You can deserealize it using the FromCsv method:

var dictionary = File.ReadAllText("path/to/testsave.csv")
                     .FromCsv<Dictionary<string, List<Entity>>>();

You can read about this method here.

It is remarkable to note here that the derived file, when you use CsvSerializer.SerializeToCsv is not a CSV file with the strict definition of a CSV file, but the file that ServiceStack's class CsvSerializer generates.