---
title: "system.dataset.fromCSV"
description: "Converts a dataset stored in a CSV formatted string to a dataset that can be immediately assignable to a dataset property in your project."
---

# system.dataset.fromCSV

> Converts a dataset stored in a CSV formatted string to a dataset that can be immediately assignable to a dataset property in your project.

This function is used in **Python Scripting**.

## Description

Converts a [dataset](platform/scripting/python-scripting/variables-datatypes-and-objects/datasets.md) stored in a CSV formatted string to a dataset that can be immediately assignable to a dataset property in your project. Usually this is used in conjunction with [system.file.readFileAsString](appendix\scripting-functions\system-file\system-file-readFileAsString.md) when reading in a CSV file that was exported using [system.dataset.toCSV](appendix\scripting-functions\system-dataset\system-dataset-toCSV.md).  

The CSV string must be formatted in a specific way:

```
#NAMES
Col 1,Col 2,Col 3
#TYPES
I,str,D
#ROWS,6
44,Test Row 2,1.8713151369491254
86,Test Row 3,97.4913421614675
0,Test Row 8,20.39722542161364
78,Test Row 9,34.57127071614745
20,Test Row 10,76.41114659745085
21,Test Row 13,13.880548366871926
```
The first line must be #NAMES.

The second line must list the names of the columns of the dataset separated by commas.

The third line must be #TYPES.

The fourth line must list the type of each column of the dataset in order, separated by commas.

|Data Type|Alias|
|---|---|
|byte.class|`byt`|
|short.class|`s`|
|int.class|`i`|
|long.class|`l`|
|float.class|`f`|
|double.class|`d`|
|bool.class|`b`|
|Byte.class|`Byt`|
|Short.class|`S`|
|Integer.class|`I`|
|Long.class|`L`|
|Float.class|`F`|
|Double.class|`D`|
|Boolean.class|`B`|
|Object.class|`O`|
|Color.class|`clr`|
|Date.class|`date`|
|Cursor.class|`cur`|
|Dimension.class|`dim`|
|Rectangle.class|`rect`|
|Point.class|`pt`|
|String.class|`str`|
|Border.class|`border`|

The fifth line must be #ROWS followed by a comma and then the number of rows of data (i.e. #ROWS, 6).

The following lines will be your data, each column value separated by a comma, and each row on a separate line. The number of rows must match what was specified on line 5.

## Client Permission Restrictions
This scripting function has no [Client Permission](../../../ignition-modules/vision/vision-project-properties/vision-project-properties.md#vision-permissions-properties) restrictions.

## Syntax

`system.dataset.fromCSV( csv )`

### Parameters
Type | Parameter | Description 
------- | ------- | ------- 
String | `csv` | A string holding a CSV dataset in the format outlined above. 

### Returns
**Dataset** - A new dataset.

### Scope
Gateway, Vision Client, Perspective Session

## Code Examples

```python title="Code Snippet"
# This example assumes the CSV file being read was a dataset exported 
# using system.dataset.toCSV with the forExport flag set to True

# Specify file path.
file_path = "C:\\my_dataset.csv"
# Read in the file as a string.
data_string = system.file.readFileAsString(file_path)
# Convert the string to a dataset and store in a variable.
data = system.dataset.fromCSV(data_string)
# Assign the dataset to a table.
event.source.parent.getComponent('Table').data = data
```