Option col_sep

Specifies the String field separator to be used for both parsing and generating. The String will be transcoded into the data’s Encoding before use.

Default value:

CSV::DEFAULT_OPTIONS.fetch(:col_sep) # => "," (comma)

Using the default (comma):

str = CSV.generate do |csv|
  csv << [:foo, 0]
  csv << [:bar, 1]
  csv << [:baz, 2]
end
str # => "foo,0\nbar,1\nbaz,2\n"
ary = CSV.parse(str)
ary # => [["foo", "0"], ["bar", "1"], ["baz", "2"]]

Using : (colon):

col_sep = ':'
str = CSV.generate(col_sep: col_sep) do |csv|
  csv << [:foo, 0]
  csv << [:bar, 1]
  csv << [:baz, 2]
end
str # => "foo:0\nbar:1\nbaz:2\n"
ary = CSV.parse(str, col_sep: col_sep)
ary # => [["foo", "0"], ["bar", "1"], ["baz", "2"]]

Using :: (two colons):

col_sep = '::'
str = CSV.generate(col_sep: col_sep) do |csv|
  csv << [:foo, 0]
  csv << [:bar, 1]
  csv << [:baz, 2]
end
str # => "foo::0\nbar::1\nbaz::2\n"
ary = CSV.parse(str, col_sep: col_sep)
ary # => [["foo", "0"], ["bar", "1"], ["baz", "2"]]

Using '' (empty string):

col_sep = ''
str = CSV.generate(col_sep: col_sep) do |csv|
  csv << [:foo, 0]
  csv << [:bar, 1]
  csv << [:baz, 2]
end
str # => "foo0\nbar1\nbaz2\n"

Raises an exception if parsing with the empty String:

col_sep = ''
# Raises ArgumentError (:col_sep must be 1 or more characters: "")
CSV.parse("foo0\nbar1\nbaz2\n", col_sep: col_sep)

Raises an exception if the given value is not String-convertible:

col_sep = BasicObject.new
# Raises NoMethodError (undefined method `to_s' for #<BasicObject:>)
CSV.generate(line, col_sep: col_sep)
# Raises NoMethodError (undefined method `to_s' for #<BasicObject:>)
CSV.parse(str, col_sep: col_sep)