ConvertFrom-Csv
Converts object properties in comma-separated value (CSV) format into CSV versions of the original objects.
Syntax
ConvertFrom-Csv
[[-Delimiter] <Char>]
[-InputObject] <PSObject[]>
[-Header <String[]>]
[<CommonParameters>] ConvertFrom-Csv
-UseCulture
[-InputObject] <PSObject[]>
[-Header <String[]>]
[<CommonParameters>] Description
The ConvertFrom-Csv cmdlet creates objects from CSV variable-length strings that are generated by
the ConvertTo-Csv cmdlet.
You can use the parameters of this cmdlet to specify the column header row, which determines the property names of the resulting objects, to specify the item delimiter, or to direct this cmdlet to use the list separator for the current culture as the delimiter.
The objects that ConvertFrom-Csv creates are CSV versions of the original objects. The property
values of the CSV objects are string versions of the property values of the original objects. The
CSV versions of the objects do not have any methods.
You can also use the Export-Csv and Import-Csv cmdlets to convert objects to CSV strings in a
file (and back). These cmdlets are the same as the ConvertTo-Csv and ConvertFrom-Csv cmdlets,
except that they save the CSV strings in a file.
Examples
Example 1: Convert processes on the local computer to CSV format
This example shows how to convert the processes on the local computer into CSV format and then restore them to object form.
$P = Get-Process | ConvertTo-Csv
$P | ConvertFrom-CsvThe Get-Process cmdlet sends the processes down the pipeline to ConvertTo-Csv. The
ConvertTo-Csv cmdlet converts the process objects to a series of CSV strings. The
ConvertFrom-Csv cmdlet converts the CSV strings into CSV versions of the original process
objects. The CSV strings are saved in the $P variable.
Example 2: Convert a data object to CSV format and then to CSV object format
This example shows how to convert a data object to CSV format and then to CSV object format.
$Date = Get-Date | ConvertTo-Csv -Delimiter ';'
ConvertFrom-Csv -InputObject $Date -Delimiter ';'The first command uses Get-Date to send the current date and time down the pipeline to
ConvertTo-Csv. The ConvertTo-Csv cmdlet converts the date object to a series of CSV strings.
The Delimiter parameter is used to specify a semicolon delimiter. The strings are saved in the
$Date variable.
Example 3: Use the header parameter to change the names of properties
This example shows how to use the Header parameter of ConvertFrom-Csv to change the names of
properties in the resulting imported object.
$J = Start-Job -ScriptBlock { Get-Process } | ConvertTo-Csv -NoTypeInformation
$Header = 'State', 'MoreData', 'StatusMessage', 'Location', 'Command', 'StateInfo', 'Finished', 'InstanceId', 'Id', 'Name', 'ChildJobs', 'BeginTime', 'EndTime', 'JobType', 'Output', 'Error', 'Progress', 'Verbose', 'Debug', 'Warning', 'Information'
# Delete the default header from $J
$J = $J[1..($J.count - 1)]
$J | ConvertFrom-Csv -Header $Header
State : Running
MoreData : True
StatusMessage :
Location : localhost
Command : Get-Process
StateInfo : Running
Finished : System.Threading.ManualResetEvent
InstanceId : a259eb63-6824-4b97-a033-305108ae1c2e
Id : 1
Name : Job1
ChildJobs : System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Management.Automation.Job]
BeginTime : 12/20/2018 18:59:57
EndTime :
JobType : BackgroundJob
Output : System.Management.Automation.PSDataCollection`1[System.Management.Automation.PSObject]
Error : System.Management.Automation.PSDataCollection`1[System.Management.Automation.ErrorRecord]
Progress : System.Management.Automation.PSDataCollection`1[System.Management.Automation.ProgressRecord]
Verbose : System.Management.Automation.PSDataCollection`1[System.Management.Automation.VerboseRecord]
Debug : System.Management.Automation.PSDataCollection`1[System.Management.Automation.DebugRecord]
Warning : System.Management.Automation.PSDataCollection`1[System.Management.Automation.WarningRecord]
Information : System.Management.Automation.PSDataCollection`1[System.Management.Automation.InformationRecord]The Start-Job cmdlet starts a background job that runs Get-Process. A job object is sent down
the pipeline to ConvertTo-Csv and converted to a CSV string. The NoTypeInformation parameter
removes the type information header from CSV output and is optional in PowerShell v6 and higher. The
$Header variable contains a custom header that replaces the following default values:
HasMoreData, JobStateInfo, PSBeginTime, PSEndTime, and PSJobTypeName. The $J
variable contains the CSV string and is used to remove the default header. The ConvertFrom-Csv
cmdlet converts the CSV string into a PSCustomObject and uses the Header parameter to apply
the $Header variable.
Example 4: Convert CSV strings of service objects
This example shows how to use the ConvertFrom-Csv cmdlet with the UseCulture parameter.
(Get-Culture).TextInfo.ListSeparator
$Services = (Get-Service | ConvertTo-Csv)
ConvertFrom-Csv -InputObject $Services -UseCultureThe Get-Culture cmdlet uses the nested properties TextInfo and ListSeparator to get the
current culture's default list separator. The Get-Service cmdlet sends service objects down the
pipeline to ConvertTo-Csv. The ConvertTo-Csv converts the service objects to a series of CSV
strings. The CSV strings are stored in the $Services variable. The ConvertFrom-Csv cmdlet uses
the InputObject parameter and converts the CSV strings from the $Services variable. The
UseCulture parameter uses the current culture's default list separator.
When the UseCulture parameter is used, be sure that the current culture's default list
separator matches the delimiter used in the CSV strings. Otherwise, ConvertFrom-Csv cannot
generate objects from the CSV strings.
Parameters
-Delimiter
Specifies the delimiter that separates the property values in the CSV strings. The default is a
comma (,). Enter a character, such as a colon (:). To specify a semicolon (;) enclose it in
single quotation marks.
If you specify a character other than the actual string delimiter in the file, ConvertFrom-Csv
cannot create the objects from the CSV strings and will return the CSV strings.
| Type: | Char |
| Position: | 1 |
| Default value: | comma (,) |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Header
Specifies an alternate column header row for the imported string. The column header determines the
property names of the objects created by ConvertFrom-Csv.
Enter column headers as a comma-separated list. Do not enclose the header string in quotation marks. Enclose each column header in single quotation marks.
If you enter fewer column headers than there are data columns, the remaining data columns are discarded. If you enter more column headers than there are data columns, the additional column headers are created with empty data columns.
When using the Header parameter, omit the column header string from the CSV strings. Otherwise, this cmdlet creates an extra object from the items in the header row.
| Type: | String[] |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-InputObject
Specifies the CSV strings to be converted to objects. Enter a variable that contains the CSV
strings or type a command or expression that gets the CSV strings. You can also pipe the CSV
strings to ConvertFrom-Csv.
| Type: | PSObject[] |
| Position: | 0 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-UseCulture
Uses the list separator for the current culture as the item delimiter. To find the list separator
for a culture, use the following command: (Get-Culture).TextInfo.ListSeparator.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
You can pipe CSV strings to this cmdlet.
Outputs
This cmdlet returns the objects described by the properties in the CSV strings.
Notes
Because the imported objects are CSV versions of the object type, they are not recognized and formatted by the PowerShell type formatting entries that format the non-CSV versions of the object type.
In CSV format, each object is represented by a comma-separated list of the property values of the object. The property values are converted to strings (by using the ToString() method of the object), so they are represented by the name of the property value. This cmdlet does not export the methods of the object.