asp.net / Csharp Export to CSV from generic List

original post : http://www.joe-stevens.com/2009/08/03/generate-a-csv-from-a-generic-list-of-objects-using-reflection-and-extension-methods/

in my Utils.cs class :

public static void ExportCSV<T>(this List<T> list, string filename)
{
	string csv = GetCsv(list);
	CSVHelper(csv, filename);
}


private static string GetCsv<T>(this List<T> list)
{
	StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

	//Get the properties for type T for the headers
	PropertyInfo[] propInfos = typeof(T).GetProperties();
	for (int i = 0; i <= propInfos.Length - 1; i++)
	{
		sb.Append(propInfos[i].Name);

		if (i < propInfos.Length - 1)
		{
			sb.Append(",");
		}
	}

	sb.AppendLine();

	//Loop through the collection, then the properties and add the values
	for (int i = 0; i <= list.Count - 1; i++)
	{
		T item = list[i];
		for (int j = 0; j <= propInfos.Length - 1; j++)
		{
			object o = item.GetType().GetProperty(propInfos[j].Name).GetValue(item, null);
			if (o != null)
			{
				string value = o.ToString();

				//Check if the value contans a comma and place it in quotes if so
				if (value.Contains(","))
				{
					value = string.Concat("\"", value, "\"");
				}

				//Replace any \r or \n special characters from a new line with a space
				if (value.Contains("\r"))
				{
					value = value.Replace("\r", " ");
				}
				if (value.Contains("\n"))
				{
					value = value.Replace("\n", " ");
				}

				sb.Append(value);
			}

			if (j < propInfos.Length - 1)
			{
				sb.Append(",");
			}
		}

		sb.AppendLine();
	}

	return sb.ToString();
}

private static void CSVHelper(string csv, string filename)
{
	HttpContext.Current.Response.Clear();
	HttpContext.Current.Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", string.Format("attachment; filename={0}.csv", filename));
	HttpContext.Current.Response.ContentType = "text/csv";
	HttpContext.Current.Response.AddHeader("Pragma", "public");
	HttpContext.Current.Response.Write(csv);
	HttpContext.Current.Response.End();
}

in my controller:

public void ExportCSV(string StartDate, string EndDate, string DaysLate, string IncludeFreelancers)
{
	var list = GetDefaultTimeReportList(StartDate, EndDate, DaysLate, IncludeFreelancers);
	list.ExportCSV(string.Format("TimeReport_{0}_to_{1}", StartDate, EndDate));
}

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