Alternate-split CSV Column Using Powershell [closed] - powershell

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The task should be quite simple, yet I cannot figure out how to accomplish it.
Suppose I have a CSV file consisting of the following one-column data (there are actually hundreds of lines, not only six).
AAAAA
BBBBB
CCCCC
DDDDD
EEEEE
FFFFF
Using Powershell, I want to automate the creation of a new CSV file from the above file that splits the data into the following two tab-delimited columns.
AAAAA BBBBB
CCCCC DDDDD
EEEEE FFFFF
How can I achieve that? Thank You

Answer 1

What you show for the first file is not a CSV file, just a text file with values each on a new line.
The result you aparently want is a tab delimited file without headers.
In PowerShell, the easiest way to do that I think is to use an indexed loop like this:
$fileA = Get-Content -Path 'Path\To\The\File' # read the values as string array
$result = for ($i = 0; $i -lt $fileA.Count; $i += 2) { # loop through the lines in steps of 2
"{0}`t{1}" -f $fileA[$i], $fileA[$i + 1] # output the values delimited with a TAB character
}
# show in console window
$result
# write to file
$result | Set-Content -Path 'Path\To\The\New\File'
Output:
AAAAA BBBBB
CCCCC DDDDD
EEEEE FFFFF
If you want to create a real CSV file with headers, output objects instead of strings:
$fileA = Get-Content -Path 'Path\To\The\File' # read the values as string array
$result = for ($i = 0; $i -lt $fileA.Count; $i += 2) { # loop through the lines in steps of 2
# output an object with column headers
[PsCustomObject]#{ ColumnA = $fileA[$i]; ColumnB = $fileA[$i + 1] }
}
# show in console window
$result
# write to file
$result | Export-Csv -Path 'Path\To\The\New\File' -Delimiter "`t" -NoTypeInformation
Output:
ColumnA ColumnB
------- -------
AAAAA BBBBB
CCCCC DDDDD
EEEEE FFFFF

Answer 2

You used the batch-file tag, so I have to assume, a batch file solution is ok.
Read a line, remember it and print only every second run of the loop:
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set "first="
for /f "delims=" %%a in (w.csv) do (
if not defined first (
set "first=%%a"
) else (
echo !first! %%a
set "first="
)
)
if defined first echo %first% -----
The last line takes care of odd line counts.

Answer 3

What follows is a batch file solution, which does things a little differently.
Essentially, if it's an odd line number, outputs the content followed by a horizontal tab, if its an even number, it outputs the line content followed by a carriage return and line feed. It also was written not to have issues outputting content beginning with a ; character, or containing ! characters.
Please adjust only your source, and destination files on lines 4 and 5 to your own absolute, or relative, filenames before testing:
#Echo Off
SetLocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion
For /F "Delims==" %%G In ('"(Set {) 2>NUL"') Do Set "%%G="
Set "{s}=C:\Users\Robith\Documents\input.csv"
Set "{d}=C:\Users\Robith\Desktop\output.csv"
If Not Exist "%{s}%" GoTo :EOF
For /F %%G In ('Copy /Z "%~f0" NUL') Do Set "{r}=%%G"
For /F "Delims==" %%G In ('%SystemRoot%\System32\wbem\WMIC.exe OS Call /?
^| %SystemRoot%\System32\find.exe "=="') Do Set "{t}=%%G"
(Set {n}=^
% 0x0A %
)
( For /F Delims^=^ EOL^= %%G In ('Type "%{s}%"
^| %SystemRoot%\System32\find.exe /V ""') Do (
Set /A {i} += 1, {m} = {i} %% 2
Set "{l}=%%G"
SetLocal EnableDelayedExpansion
If !{m}! Equ 1 (Set /P "=!{l}!%{t}:~-1%"<NUL
) Else Set /P "=!{l}!%{r}%!{n}!"<NUL
EndLocal)) 1>"%{d}%"
For /F "Delims==" %%G In ('"(Set {) 2>NUL"') Do Set "%%G="