The csv module seems to recommend using the csv sniffer for this problem.
They give the following example, which I've adapted for your case.
with open('example.csv', 'rb') as csvfile: # python 3: 'r',newline=""
dialect = csv.Sniffer().sniff(csvfile.read(1024), delimiters=";,")
csvfile.seek(0)
reader = csv.reader(csvfile, dialect)
# ... process CSV file contents here ...
Let's try it out.
[9:13am][wlynch@watermelon /tmp] cat example
#!/usr/bin/env python
import csv
def parse(filename):
with open(filename, 'rb') as csvfile:
dialect = csv.Sniffer().sniff(csvfile.read(), delimiters=';,')
csvfile.seek(0)
reader = csv.reader(csvfile, dialect)
for line in reader:
print line
def main():
print 'Comma Version:'
parse('comma_separated.csv')
print
print 'Semicolon Version:'
parse('semicolon_separated.csv')
print
print 'An example from the question (kingdom.csv)'
parse('kingdom.csv')
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()
And our sample inputs
[9:13am][wlynch@watermelon /tmp] cat comma_separated.csv
test,box,foo
round,the,bend
[9:13am][wlynch@watermelon /tmp] cat semicolon_separated.csv
round;the;bend
who;are;you
[9:22am][wlynch@watermelon /tmp] cat kingdom.csv
ReleveAnnee;ReleveMois;NoOrdre;TitreRMC;AdopCSRegleVote;AdopCSAbs;AdoptCSContre;NoCELEX;ProposAnnee;ProposChrono;ProposOrigine;NoUniqueAnnee;NoUniqueType;NoUniqueChrono;PropoSplittee;Suite2LecturePE;Council PATH;Notes
1999;1;1;1999/83/EC: Council Decision of 18 January 1999 authorising the Kingdom of Denmark to apply or to continue to apply reductions in, or exemptions from, excise duties on certain mineral oils used for specific purposes, in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 8(4) of Directive 92/81/EEC;U;;;31999D0083;1998;577;COM;NULL;CS;NULL;;;;Propos* are missing on Celex document
1999;1;2;1999/81/EC: Council Decision of 18 January 1999 authorising the Kingdom of Spain to apply a measure derogating from Articles 2 and 28a(1) of the Sixth Directive (77/388/EEC) on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes;U;;;31999D0081;1998;184;COM;NULL;CS;NULL;;;;Propos* are missing on Celex document
And if we execute the example program:
[9:14am][wlynch@watermelon /tmp] ./example
Comma Version:
['test', 'box', 'foo']
['round', 'the', 'bend']
Semicolon Version:
['round', 'the', 'bend']
['who', 'are', 'you']
An example from the question (kingdom.csv)
['ReleveAnnee', 'ReleveMois', 'NoOrdre', 'TitreRMC', 'AdopCSRegleVote', 'AdopCSAbs', 'AdoptCSContre', 'NoCELEX', 'ProposAnnee', 'ProposChrono', 'ProposOrigine', 'NoUniqueAnnee', 'NoUniqueType', 'NoUniqueChrono', 'PropoSplittee', 'Suite2LecturePE', 'Council PATH', 'Notes']
['1999', '1', '1', '1999/83/EC: Council Decision of 18 January 1999 authorising the Kingdom of Denmark to apply or to continue to apply reductions in, or exemptions from, excise duties on certain mineral oils used for specific purposes, in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 8(4) of Directive 92/81/EEC', 'U', '', '', '31999D0083', '1998', '577', 'COM', 'NULL', 'CS', 'NULL', '', '', '', 'Propos* are missing on Celex document']
['1999', '1', '2', '1999/81/EC: Council Decision of 18 January 1999 authorising the Kingdom of Spain to apply a measure derogating from Articles 2 and 28a(1) of the Sixth Directive (77/388/EEC) on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes', 'U', '', '', '31999D0081', '1998', '184', 'COM', 'NULL', 'CS', 'NULL', '', '', '', 'Propos* are missing on Celex document']
It's also probably worth noting what version of python I'm using.
[9:20am][wlynch@watermelon /tmp] python -V
Python 2.7.2
