Excel VBA to Read CSV File into Array (4 Ideal Examples)

What Is a CSV File?

A CSV file is a comma-separated values file, which saves data in an organized format. CSV files are compatible with many worksheet programs, including Microsoft Excel and Google Spreadsheet. It’s essentially a text file in the background and can be opened by simple text editors like Notepad.

A CSV file uses commas to divide data. It is a mechanism that allows otherwise incompatible applications to share data sets, such as the elements of a database.

Read a CSV File into an Array with VBA: 4 Examples

To read the CSV file into an array, we will utilize the CSV file below to demonstrate our points. There are 4 columns in the file: Employee ID, First Name, Last Name, and Birth Date.

We saved our CSV file into the path shown in the picture below and named it Employee Details. While working with the VBA code, we need that specific file path, and the location for the file is “C:\Exceldemy\Employee Details.csv”. When testing these methods, you will need to change the file path and name accordingly.

Example 1 – Read the Entire Line of a CSV File into an Array Using Excel VBA

STEPS:

• Go to the Developer tab from the ribbon.
• From the Code category, click on Visual Basic to open the Visual Basic Editor, or press Alt + F11.
• You can also right-click on your worksheet name and go to View Code.

• Click on Module from the Insert drop-down menu.

• This will create a Module in your workbook.
• Copy and paste the VBA code shown below into the module.

VBA Code:

Sub Read_CSV()
Dim sf, fi
Set sf = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set fi = sf.opentextfile("C:\Exceldemy\Employee Details.csv")
value = fi.readline
End Sub

• Run the code by pressing the F5 key on your keyboard.

• This code will read the entire lines of the CSV file.

Sub Read_CSV()

Dim sf, fi

Set sf = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set fi = sf.opentextfile("C:\Exceldemy\Employee Details.csv")

value = fi.readline

End Sub

Method 2 – Excel VBA to Read Line by Line of a CSV File into an Array 

STEPS:

• Open a VBA window (press Alt + F11).
• Go to Insert and select Module from the drop-down menu.
• Copy and paste the VBA code below into the module.

VBA Code:

Private Sub Read_CSV2()
Dim fnam As String
Dim f As Integer
Dim fi As String
Dim ln As Variant
Dim fln As Variant
Dim row As Long
Dim col As Long
Dim arr() As String
Dim l As Long
Dim cl As Long
    fnam = "C:\Exceldemy\Employee Details.csv"
    If Right$(fnam, 1) <> "\" Then fnam = _
        fnam & "\"
    fnam = fnam & "Employee Details.csv"
    f = FreeFile
    Open fnam For Input As f
    fi = Input$(LOF(f), #f)
    Close f
    ln = Split(fi, vbCrLf)
    row = UBound(ln)
    fln = Split(ln(0), ",")
    col = UBound(fln)
    ReDim arr(row, col)
    For l = 0 To row
        If Len(ln(l)) > 0 Then
            fln = Split(ln(l), ",")
            For cl = 0 To col
                arr(l, cl) = fln(cl)
            Next cl
        End If
    Next l
End Sub

• Press the F5 key or click on the Run Sub button to run the code.

• This code will read from the first row of the array from the CSV File.

 f = FreeFile
    Open fnam For Input As f
    fi = Input$(LOF(f), #f)
    Close f

ln = Split(fi, vbCrLf)

 row = UBound(ln)
    fln = Split(ln(0), ",")
    col = UBound(fln)
    ReDim arr(row, col)

 For l = 0 To row
        If Len(ln(l)) > 0 Then
            fln = Split(ln(l), ",")
            For cl = 0 To col
                arr(l, cl) = fln(cl)
            Next cl

Read More: Excel VBA to Read CSV File Line by Line

Method 3 – Read a CSV File into an Array with Built-in VBA Statements

STEPS:

• Open a VBA window (press Alt + F11).
• Go to Insert and select Module from the drop-down menu.
• Copy and paste the VBA code below into the module.

VBA Code:

Sub Read_Csv1()
Dim sf As String
Dim arr() As String
Dim cnt As Long
sf = "c:\data\book1.csv"
ReDim arr(1)
Open sf For Input As #1
Do
cnt = cnt + 1
ReDim Preserve arr(cnt)
Line Input #1, arr(cnt)
Loop Until EOF(1)
Close #1
End Sub

• Press the F5 key to run the code.

sf = "c:\data\book1.csv"

ReDim arr(1)

Open sf For Input As #1

Do
cnt = cnt + 1

ReDim Preserve arr(cnt)

Line Input #1, arr(cnt)

Loop Until EOF(1)

Close #1

Method 4 – Use the VBA Macro Command Button to Read a CSV File

STEPS:

• Go to the Developer tab from the ribbon.
• Under the Controls category, click the Insert drop-down menu.
• Select the command button from the ActiveX Controls.

• Place the button in your desired place in the worksheet.

• Click on the button. This will take you to the Visual Basic Editor.
• Insert the following VBA code.

VBA Code:

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
    Dim a, mfile As String
    mfile = "C:\Exceldemy\Employee Details.csv"
        With GetObject(mfile).Sheets(1)
            a = .Range(.Cells(1, 1), .Cells(1, .Cells(1, .Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column))
            .Parent.Close
        End With
 End Sub

• Run the code by clicking the RubSub button or using the F5 keyboard shortcut.

With GetObject(mfile).Sheets(1)
            a = .Range(.Cells(1, 1), .Cells(1, .Cells(1, .Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column))
            .Parent.Close
End With

Read More: Excel VBA to Convert CSV File to XLSX

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