VB - Sorting Alphabetically From a CSV File - vb.net

Question

I don't know a lot about the subject of sorting but here goes: I am trying to sort a music library (comma seperated in a csv file. Some examples):
1,Sweet Home Alabame,Lynyrd Skynyrd,4:40,Classic Rock
2,Misirlou,Dick Dale,2:16,Surf Rock
I need to sort them alphabetically (by title of track) but I don't know two things: 1. Why my current technique isn't working:
Dim array() As String = {}
sr = New StreamReader("library.csv")
counter = 1
Do Until sr.EndOfStream
array(counter) = sr.ReadLine()
counter += 1
Loop
System.Array.Sort(Of String)(array)
Dim value As String
For Each value In array
Console.WriteLine(value)
Next
Console.ReadLine()
I don't know if this is the best way of sorting. I then need to display them as well. I can do this without sorting, but can't figure out how to do it with sorting.
Help please (from people who, unlike me, know what they're doing).

Answer 1

Right now you're putting all fields in one long string of text (each row).
In order to sort by a particular field, you'll need to build a matrix of rows and columns. For example, a DataTable.
Here's a class that should do the trick for you:
https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/11698/A-Portable-and-Efficient-Generic-Parser-for-Flat-F
Here's the sample usage code from the article, translated to VB:
Public Class CsvImporter
Public Sub Import()
Dim dsResult As DataSet
' Using an XML Config file.
Using parser As New GenericParserAdapter("MyData.txt")
parser.Load("MyData.xml")
dsResult = parser.GetDataSet()
End Using
' Or... programmatically setting up the parser for TSV.
Dim strID As String, strName As String, strStatus As String
Using parser As New GenericParser()
parser.SetDataSource("MyData.txt")
parser.ColumnDelimiter = vbTab.ToCharArray()
parser.FirstRowHasHeader = True
parser.SkipStartingDataRows = 10
parser.MaxBufferSize = 4096
parser.MaxRows = 500
parser.TextQualifier = """"c
While parser.Read()
strID = parser("ID")
strName = parser("Name")
' Your code here ...
strStatus = parser("Status")
End While
End Using
' Or... programmatically setting up the parser for Fixed-width.
Using parser As New GenericParser()
parser.SetDataSource("MyData.txt")
parser.ColumnWidths = New Integer(3) {10, 10, 10, 10}
parser.SkipStartingDataRows = 10
parser.MaxRows = 500
While parser.Read()
strID = parser("ID")
strName = parser("Name")
' Your code here ...
strStatus = parser("Status")
End While
End Using
End Sub
End Class
There's also this from here, demonstrating DataTable usage:
Dim csv = "Name, Age" & vbCr & vbLf & "Ronnie, 30" & vbCr & vbLf & "Mark, 40" & vbCr & vbLf & "Ace, 50"
Dim reader As TextReader = New StringReader(csv)
Dim table = New DataTable()
Using it = reader.ReadCsvWithHeader().GetEnumerator()
If Not it.MoveNext() Then
Return
End If
For Each k As var In it.Current.Keys
table.Columns.Add(k)
Next
Do
Dim row = table.NewRow()
For Each k As var In it.Current.Keys
row(k) = it.Current(k)
Next
table.Rows.Add(row)
Loop While it.MoveNext()
End Using
And this Q&A illustrates how to sort the DataTable by a given column.