Update: The code in this answer is for Super CSV 1.52. Updated code examples for Super CSV 2.4.0 can be found at the project website:
http://super-csv.github.io/super-csv/index.html
The SuperCSV project directly supports the parsing and structured manipulation of CSV cells. From http://super-csv.github.io/super-csv/examples_reading.html you'll find e.g.
given a class
public class UserBean {
String username, password, street, town;
int zip;
public String getPassword() { return password; }
public String getStreet() { return street; }
public String getTown() { return town; }
public String getUsername() { return username; }
public int getZip() { return zip; }
public void setPassword(String password) { this.password = password; }
public void setStreet(String street) { this.street = street; }
public void setTown(String town) { this.town = town; }
public void setUsername(String username) { this.username = username; }
public void setZip(int zip) { this.zip = zip; }
}
and that you have a CSV file with a header. Let's assume the following content
username, password, date, zip, town
Klaus, qwexyKiks, 17/1/2007, 1111, New York
Oufu, bobilop, 10/10/2007, 4555, New York
You can then create an instance of the UserBean and populate it with values from the second line of the file with the following code
class ReadingObjects {
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception{
ICsvBeanReader inFile = new CsvBeanReader(new FileReader("foo.csv"), CsvPreference.EXCEL_PREFERENCE);
try {
final String[] header = inFile.getCSVHeader(true);
UserBean user;
while( (user = inFile.read(UserBean.class, header, processors)) != null) {
System.out.println(user.getZip());
}
} finally {
inFile.close();
}
}
}
using the following "manipulation specification"
final CellProcessor[] processors = new CellProcessor[] {
new Unique(new StrMinMax(5, 20)),
new StrMinMax(8, 35),
new ParseDate("dd/MM/yyyy"),
new Optional(new ParseInt()),
null
};