Replace specific text in csv via commandline

Question

I have data in csv format that gets output from SQL Server. The data has some NULL and N.A. values written out which makes a column ch

Answer 1

@echo off
    setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion

    (for /f "tokens=*" %%f in (a.csv) do if not "%%f"=="" (
            set "line=%%f"
            set "line=!line:NULL=-1!"
            set "line=!line:N.A.=-2!"
            echo(!line!
    )) > b.csv

    endlocal

This will work if, as stated by OP, the file is in the format indicated, containing only integers, NULL and N.A., or at least it does not include special characters.

Answer 2

This uses a helper batch file called repl.bat from - https://www.dropbox.com/s/qidqwztmetbvklt/repl.bat

Place repl.bat in the same folder as the batch file or in a folder that is on the path.

It should be more robust and faster.

type file.csv |repl "NULL" "-1" |repl "N\.A\." "-2" >newfile.csv

Answer 3

Try this out:

@echo off
setLocal enableDelayedExpansion

set filename=input.txt
set originalText1=NULL
set "replacedText1=-1"
set "originalText2=N.A."
set "replacedText2=-2"

for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ('type %filename%') do (
    set "line=%%a"
    if defined line (
        call set "line=%%line:%originalText1%=%replacedText1%%%"
        call set "line=%%line:%originalText2%=%replacedText2%%%"
        echo !line!>> output.txt
    ) else (
        echo.
    )
)

This code will help you to replace all the instance of NULL to -1 and N.A. to -2. The result will then be stored in output.txt. Hope it helps.

P.S. Note that call set is needed as it will expand the variable that is passed on the same line.