Hi All:
This is a discussion to see if we should remove the requirement to use the
builder pattern.
Right now, the CSVParser Javadoc has this simple example:
Reader in = new StringReader("a\tb\nc\td");
CSVFormat format = new CSVFormat('\t', '"', '#');
List<CSVRecord> records = new CSVParser(in, format).getRecords();
This does not compile because we force the builder API on users but it
shows the previous intent of the API before the builder was made a
requirement.
The CSVFormat ctor is not public and takes 9 parameters.
So today, you have to write:
Iterable<CSVRecord> parse =
CSVFormat.newBuilder().withCommentStart('#').withDelimiter('\t').withQuoteChar('"').build().parse(in);
for (CSVRecord csvRecord : parse) {
// ...
}
If you use a predefined format, like Excel, then it's simpler:
final Iterable<CSVRecord> parse2 = CSVFormat.EXCEL.parse(in);
I see the issue flowing like this:
- Let's make sure we provide the best set of CSVFormat preconfigured
instances. Do we need different Excel formats for different Excel versions
for example? My claim here is that if you use a preconfigured format, like
CSVFormat.EXCEL, then the API is OK. Today we have:
- EXCEL
- MYSQL
- RFC4180
- RFC4180_EMPTY_LINES
- If you cannot use a preconfigured format, then this is when we need to
talk...
One way to make the builder API optional is to make the CSVFormat ctor
public. It has 9 param ctor so it's not very user friendly and does not do
validation ATM.
As soon as we do this, we run into the issue of adding ctors for 'common'
or 'simpler' uses, which means adding a lot of ctors. At this point, we
then have two APIs: the raw ctor (the one or a set) and the fluent builder
API.
So I have two questions:
Should the CSVFormat be made public? Would that make Emmanuel happy? I am
guessing not due to the 9 params.
If the ctor is made public, should we add a bunch of ctors for simpler or
all cases?
Gary
--
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