Add a header to existing CSV file with powershell

Question

I have a CSV file with five columns and hundreds of rows. I would like to add a header to each column. such as

number	Test	data1	data2	DataNs
zero	test0	random	random	random
firster	test1	random	random	random
First	test2	random	random	random
Second	test3	random	random	random

I have tried the following code, which does add the headers successfully, however, it is also combining all columns into one. which is not what I want

import-csv $NoHeadersExport -Header 'number', 'Test', 'data1', 'data2', 'DataNs' | export-csv $exportPath  -NoTypeInformation

this code is leading to following table

number	Test	data1	data2	DataNs
zerotest0randomrandomrandom
firstertest1randomrandomrandom
Firsttest2randomrandomrandom
Secondtest3randomrandomrandom

what is the raw data of the csv? what is the separator/delimiter? — Guenther Schmitz
– Guenther Schmitz, Commented Apr 15, 2021 at 20:55
that's very strange. 1. where do the semicolon come from? 2. why are there none in line two? — Guenther Schmitz
– Guenther Schmitz, Commented Apr 15, 2021 at 21:07
@GuentherSchmitz Sorry, those semicolons were a output from another trial-error code. I fixed the table now. — user3594235
– user3594235, Commented Apr 15, 2021 at 21:39

Guenther Schmitz · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-15 21:17:31Z

2

using plain text you could do it like so:

get the csv (wihtout the header) and store it in a variable
```
$csvContent = Get-Content C:\path\to\file.csv -Raw
```

create the header line as string

$csvHeader = '"number","Test","data1","data2","DataNs"'

combine these two variables

$csvContentWithHeader = $csvHeader,$csvContent -join "`n"

save the CSV with header as file

Out-File -FilePath C:\path\to\fileWithHeader.csv -InputObject $csvContentWithHeader

answered Apr 15, 2021 at 21:17

Guenther Schmitz

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2 Comments

user3594235 Over a year ago

This is doing the opposite now, columns are all there but its adding headers to only first column with following syntax number,"Test","data1",data2","DataNs"

Guenther Schmitz Over a year ago

Then please provide raw data

user3594235 · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-16 00:02:45Z

0

I have instead created another CSV file and then merged both with Add-Content command which somehow worked.

#file that has all the columns but no header
$withoutheaders = "C:\export.csv"
#blank csv
$headersonly = "C:\headers.csv"
Set-Content $headersonly -Value "number,Test,data1,data2,DataNs"
$addheaders = Get-Content -Path $withoutheaders
Add-Content -Path $headersonly -Value $addheaders

answered Apr 16, 2021 at 0:02

user3594235

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Comments

Fernando Barajas · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-16 04:17:18Z

0

Your method should work if you remove the single quotes from the header names.

    import-csv $NoHeadersExport -Header number,Test,data1,data2,DataNs | export-csv $exportPath  -NoTypeInformation

answered Apr 16, 2021 at 4:17

Fernando Barajas

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