---
title: "Tools.Parse.Csv"
slug: "toolsparsecsv"
updated: 2026-02-06T14:01:47Z
published: 2026-02-06T14:01:47Z
canonical: "support.lusid.com/toolsparsecsv"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.lusid.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tools.Parse.Csv

| **Type** | **Read/write** | **Author** | **Availability** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Direct provider](/v1/docs/what-are-a-data-provider-and-a-direct-provider) | Read | Finbourne | Provided with LUSID |

The `Tools.Parse.Csv` provider enables you to write a [Luminesce query](/v1/docs/understanding-the-luminesce-sql-query-syntax) that reads CSV, text and more from cells within a table.

**See also:** [Tools.Parse.Xml](/v1/docs/toolsparsexml)

## Basic usage

```sql
@data = 
select 
  '<filename>' as Filename,
  '<column-name>[, <column-name>...]
<some-data>[, <some-data>...]' as Content;

@parsed = 
use Tools.Parse.Csv with @input
--<optional-arguments>  
enduse;

select * from @parsed;
```

## Input tables

`Tools.Parse.Csv` takes in one input table and outputs a table of data, [see example 1](/v1/docs/toolsparsecsv#example-1-reading-a-single-csv).

## Options

`Tools.Parse.Csv` has options that enable you to refine a query.

An option takes the form `--&lt;option&gt;=&lt;value&gt;`, for example `--file=trade-file.csv`. Note no spaces are allowed either side of the `=` operator. If an option:

- takes a boolean value, then specifying that option (for example `--noHeader`) sets it to True; omitting the option specifies False
- takes multiple string values, then specify a comma-separated list, for example `--names=My,Column,Names`

Current options at article update time are listed in the table below. For the very latest information, run the following query using a [suitable tool](/v1/docs/what-tools-are-available-to-write-luminesce-queries) and examine the online help:

```sql
@x = use Tools.Parse.Csv 
--help
enduse;
select * from @x;
```

| Current options | Explanation |
| --- | --- |
| `fileFilter` (`-f`) | A regex for the filenames to process [String] |
| `addFileName` | Adds a column (the first column) to the result set which contains the file the row came from. [Boolean] |
| `names` | Column Names either overrides the header row or steps in when there is no header row (comma-delimited list) [String] |
| `select` | Column (by Name) that should be returned (comma delimited list) [String] |
| `types` | Column types (comma delimited list of: 'Boolean, Date, DateTime, Decimal, Double, Int, BigInt, Text, Table', some columns may be left blank while others are specified) [String] |
| `inferTypeRowCount` | If non-zero and 'types' is not specified (or not specified for some columns) this will look through N rows to attempt to work out the column types for columns not pre-specified [Int32] |
| `trim` | Trim both leading and trailing whitespace when reading values [Boolean] |
| `noHeader` | Set this if there is no header row [Boolean] |
| `delimiter` | The delimiter between values (\t for tab) [String, Default: ,] |
| `escape` | Character used to escape the 'Quote' character when within a value [String, Default: "] |
| `encoding` | Specific name of a file encoding. Supported are: utf-16, utf-16BE, utf-32, utf-32BE, us-ascii, iso-8859-1, utf-8 [String] |
| `quote` | Character used around any field containing the 'delimiter' or a line break. [String, Default: "] |
| `valuesToMakeNull` | Regex of values to map to 'null' in the returned data. [String, Default: (^[nN][uU][lL]{1,2}$)\|((\r\n\|\n\|\r)$)\|(^(\r\n\|\n\|\r))\|(^\s*$)] |
| `skipPreHeader` | Number of rows to ignore before the header row [Int32] |
| `skipPostHeader` | Number of rows to ignore after the header row [Int32] |
| `skipInvalidRows` | Skip invalid data rows (totally invalid ones). This also allows for potentially wrong data if it can be handled somewhat e.g. embedded quotes misused (and still returns such rows). In either case a warning will show in the progress feedback. [Boolean] |

## Examples

> **Note:** For more example Luminesce queries, visit our [GitHub repo](https://github.com/finbourne/luminesce-examples/tree/master/examples).

### Example 1: Reading a single CSV

```sql
@data = 
select 
  'MyFile.Csv' as Filename,
  'TextColumn1, TextColumn2, NumberColumn1, NumberColumn2
some text, more text, 1, 2' as Content
;

@parsed = 
use Tools.Parse.Csv with @data 
enduse;

select * from @parsed;
```

The table of data returned looks like this:

![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/715d384f-8e3d-460f-bfc1-d1767c414fb6.png)

### Example 2: Reading multiple CSVs at the same time

In this example, the `--addFileName` option is specified to ensure the first column in the table of results contains the filename corresponding to each row of data.

```sql
@data = 
select 
  'MyFile.Csv' as Filename,
  'TextColumn1, TextColumn2, NumberColumn1, NumberColumn2
some text, more text, 1, 2' as Content
union all
select
  'MyOtherFile.Csv' as Filename,
  'TextColumn1, TextColumn2, NumberColumn1, NumberColumn2
text from my other file, more text from my other file, 10, 20' as Content
union all
select
  'MyThirdFile.Csv' as Filename,
  'TextColumn1, TextColumn2, NumberColumn1, NumberColumn2
some text from my third file, more text from my third file, 100, 200' as Content
;

@parsed = 
use Tools.Parse.Csv with @data
--addFileName 
enduse;

select * from @parsed;
```

The table of data returned looks like this:

![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/1cb38fda-1544-4e23-abe8-70b311f4cbdc.png)

### Example 3: Returning only rows with a particular filename

In this example, the `--fileFilter` option is specified to only select rows with a `Filename` value that contains `ReportFile`.

```sql
@data = 
select 
  'ReportFile_1.Csv' as Filename,
  'EmployeeName, Id
Jane Bloggs, 26' as Content
union all
select
  'ReportFile_2.Csv',
  'EmployeeName, Id
Joe Bloggs, 58'
union all
select
  'UnrelatedFile.Csv' as Filename,
'UnrelatedColumn1, UnrelatedColumn2
some unrelated text, some more text'
;

@parsed = 
use Tools.Parse.Csv with @data
--fileFilter=ReportFile.* 
enduse;

select * from @parsed;
```

The table of data returned looks like this, with `UnrelatedFile.Csv` being ignored for not matching the specified `--fileFilter` value:

![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/b9196c6c-ae08-43af-bc63-93a23de7d92c.png)

### Example 4: Returning only particular rows without any filenames

In this example, the `--fileFilter` option is specified to only select particular rows to process. As no `Filename` column is specified in `@data`, `Tools.Parse.Csv` gives each row a sequential name which can then be referred to in the `--fileFilter` option.

```sql
@data = 
select 
  'EmployeeName, Id
Jane Bloggs, 26' as Content
union all
select
  'EmployeeName, Id
Joe Bloggs, 58'
union all
select 
  'EmployeeName, Id 
Jane Doe, 73'
union all 
select 
  'EmployeeName, Id
John Doe, 107'
;

@parsed = 
use Tools.Parse.Csv with @data
--fileFilter=File[2,4] 
enduse;

select * from @parsed;
```

The table of data returned looks like this, containing only the second and fourth rows from `@data`: ![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/116d64e1-fb45-4c68-80d6-3ae7ada3c638.png)