python - import csv with different number of columns per row using Pandas

Question

What is the best approach for importing a CSV that has a different number of columns for each row using Pandas or the CSV module into a Pandas DataFrame.

"H","BBB","D","Ajxxx Dxxxs"
"R","1","QH","DTR"," "," ","spxxt rixxls, raxxxd","1"

Using this code:

import pandas as pd
data = pd.read_csv("smallsample.txt",header = None)

the following error is generated

Error tokenizing data. C error: Expected 4 fields in line 2, saw 8

Answer 1

Supplying a list of columns names in the read_csv() should do the trick.

ex: names=['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e']

https://github.com/pydata/pandas/issues/2981

Edit: if you don't want to supply column names then do what Nicholas suggested