FileConversionLibrary

File Conversion Library

A powerful .NET library for converting CSV and XML files to various formats including XML, PDF, Word, JSON, and YAML. Now with enhanced Stream API and In-Memory conversion capabilities!

New Features in v1.5.0

• Stream API: Convert data directly from streams without temporary files (Currently In Testing Mode)
• In-Memory Conversion: Work with data objects directly in memory (Currently In Testing Mode)
• Advanced Options: Comprehensive configuration options for all formats
• Enhanced Performance: Optimized for large datasets
• Type-Safe Configuration: Strongly-typed options classes

Usage

Basic File Conversion (Original API)

// Create a new instance of the FileConverter
var fileConverter = new FileConverter();

CSV Conversions

        // Convert CSV to PDF
        await fileConverter.ConvertCsvToPdfAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\csv_input.csv",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output1.pdf"
        );

        // Convert CSV to JSON
        await fileConverter.ConvertCsvToJsonAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\csv_input.csv",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output1.json"
        );

        // Convert CSV to Word
        await fileConverter.ConvertCsvToWordAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\csv_input.csv",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output1.docx"
        );

        // Convert CSV to XML
        await fileConverter.ConvertCsvToXmlAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\csv_input.csv",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output1.xml");

        // Convert CSV to YAML
        await fileConverter.ConvertCsvToYamlAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\csv_input.csv",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output1.yaml"
        );

XML Conversions

        // Convert XML to CSV
        await fileConverter.ConvertXmlToCsvAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\xml_input.xml",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output2.csv"
        );

        // Convert XML to JSON
        await fileConverter.ConvertXmlToJsonAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\xml_input.xml",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output2.json"
        );

        // Convert XML to PDF
        await fileConverter.ConvertXmlToPdfAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\xml_input.xml",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output2.pdf"
        );

        // Convert XML to Word
        await fileConverter.ConvertXmlToWordAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\xml_input.xml",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output2.docx"
        );

        // Convert XML to YAML
        await fileConverter.ConvertXmlToYamlAsync(
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\xml_input.xml",
            @"C:\Users\User\Desktop\output2.yaml"
        );

Stream API

For web applications, cloud services, and scenarios where you work with streams:

var fileConverter = new FileConverter();

// Convert from stream to stream
using var inputStream = File.OpenRead("input.csv");
var options = new ConversionOptions 
{ 
    SourceFormat = "csv", 
    TargetFormat = "json" 
};

using var outputStream = await fileConverter.ConvertStreamAsync(inputStream, options);

// Convert stream to bytes (for HTTP responses)
var pdfBytes = await fileConverter.ConvertStreamToBytesAsync(inputStream, new ConversionOptions 
{ 
    SourceFormat = "csv", 
    TargetFormat = "pdf" 
});

// Convert stream to string
var jsonString = await fileConverter.ConvertStreamToStringAsync(inputStream, new ConversionOptions 
{ 
    SourceFormat = "csv", 
    TargetFormat = "json" 
});

Web API Example

[HttpPost("convert")]
public async Task<IActionResult> ConvertFile(IFormFile file, string targetFormat)
{
    var options = new ConversionOptions 
    { 
        SourceFormat = "csv", 
        TargetFormat = targetFormat 
    };
    
    using var inputStream = file.OpenReadStream();
    var result = await fileConverter.ConvertStreamToBytesAsync(inputStream, options);
    
    return File(result, GetMimeType(targetFormat), $"converted.{targetFormat}");
}

💾 In-Memory API

Work directly with data objects for maximum performance and flexibility:

CSV In-Memory Conversions

var fileConverter = new FileConverter();

// Create CSV data in memory
{ 
    Headers = new[] { "Name", "Age", "City" },
    Rows = new List<string[]> 
    {
        new[] { "John Doe", "25", "New York" },
        new[] { "Jane Smith", "30", "London" }
    }
};

// Convert to different formats with advanced options
var jsonOptions = new JsonConversionOptions 
{ 
    ConvertValues = true,
    UseIndentation = true,
    IncludeRowNumbers = true,
    CreateNestedObjects = true,
    NestedSeparator = ".",
    ConvertArrays = true,
    ArrayDelimiter = ";"
};
var json = fileConverter.ConvertCsvToJson(csvData, jsonOptions);

var pdfOptions = new PdfConversionOptions 
{ 
    FontSize = 12f,
    Title = "Sales Report",
    IncludeTimestamp = true,
    AlternateRowColors = true,
    LandscapeOrientation = true,
    FontFamily = "Arial"
};
var pdfBytes = fileConverter.ConvertCsvToPdf(csvData, pdfOptions);

var wordOptions = new WordConversionOptions 
{ 
    UseTable = true,
    FontFamily = "Calibri",
    FontSize = 11,
    AlternateRowColors = true,
    PageOrientation = "Landscape"
};
var wordBytes = fileConverter.ConvertCsvToWord(csvData, wordOptions);

var xmlOptions = new XmlConversionOptions 
{ 
    OutputFormat = "Elements",
    UseCData = true,
    IncludeTimestamp = true,
    NamingConvention = "CamelCase",
    AddComments = true
};
var xml = fileConverter.ConvertCsvToXml(csvData, xmlOptions);

var yamlOptions = new YamlConversionOptions 
{ 
    Structure = "Dictionary",
    NamingConvention = "CamelCase",
    ConvertDataTypes = true,
    IncludeComments = true,
    SortKeys = true
};

var yaml = fileConverter.ConvertCsvToYaml(csvData, yamlOptions);

XML In-Memory Conversions

// Create XML data in memory
var xmlContent = @"<?xml version=""1.0"" encoding=""UTF-8""?>
<products>
    <product>
        <Product>Laptop</Product>
        <Price>999.99</Price>
        <Category>Electronics</Category>
    </product>
    <product>
        <Product>Book</Product>
        <Price>29.99</Price>
        <Category>Education</Category>
    </product>
</products>";

var xmlData = new XmlData 
{ 
    Document = XDocument.Parse(xmlContent),
    RootElementName = "products",
    XmlVersion = "1.0",
    Encoding = "UTF-8"
};

// Convert to different formats with advanced options
var csvOptions = new CsvConversionOptions 
{ 
    Delimiter = ';',
    IncludeHeaders = true,
    QuoteValues = true,
    FlattenHierarchy = true,
    IncludeAttributes = true
};
var csv = fileConverter.ConvertXmlToCsv(xmlData, csvOptions);

var jsonOptions = new JsonConversionOptions 
{ 
    ConvertValues = true,
    UseIndentation = true,
    RemoveWhitespace = true
};
var json = fileConverter.ConvertXmlToJson(xmlData, jsonOptions);

var pdfOptions = new PdfConversionOptions 
{ 
    Title = "Product Catalog",
    FontSize = 10f,
    AlternateRowColors = true,
    IncludeTimestamp = true,
    HierarchicalView = true
};
var pdf = fileConverter.ConvertXmlToPdf(xmlData, pdfOptions);

var wordOptions = new WordConversionOptions 
{ 
    UseTable = true,
    FontFamily = "Calibri",
    FontSize = 11,
    FormatAsHierarchy = true,
    AlternateRowColors = true
};
var word = fileConverter.ConvertXmlToWord(xmlData, wordOptions);

var yamlOptions = new YamlConversionOptions 
{ 
    Structure = "Dictionary",
    ConvertDataTypes = true,
    IncludeRootElement = true,
    IncludeAttributes = true,
    UseCamelCase = false,
    SortKeys = true
};
var yaml = fileConverter.ConvertXmlToYaml(xmlData, yamlOptions);

Use Cases

Web Applications

// ASP.NET Core file upload and conversion
[HttpPost("upload-convert")]
public async Task<IActionResult> UploadAndConvert(IFormFile file)
{
    using var stream = file.OpenReadStream();
    var options = new ConversionOptions { SourceFormat = "csv", TargetFormat = "pdf" };
    var result = await fileConverter.ConvertStreamToBytesAsync(stream, options);
    return File(result, "application/pdf", "report.pdf");
}

Microservices

// Convert data received from another service
public async Task<string> ProcessDataFromService(HttpResponseMessage response)
{
    using var stream = await response.Content.ReadAsStreamAsync();
    var options = new ConversionOptions { SourceFormat = "xml", TargetFormat = "json" };
    return await fileConverter.ConvertStreamToStringAsync(stream, options);
}

Data Processing Pipelines

// Process data in memory without file I/O
public byte[] GenerateReport(List<DataRecord> records)
{
    var csvData = new CsvData 
    { 
        Headers = new[] { "ID", "Name", "Value" },
        Rows = records.Select(r => new[] { r.Id, r.Name, r.Value.ToString() }).ToList()
    };
    
    return fileConverter.ConvertCsvToPdf(csvData, new PdfConversionOptions 
    { 
        Title = "Data Report",
        IncludeTimestamp = true 
    });
}

Configuration Options

JsonConversionOptions

• ConvertValues: Auto-detect and convert data types
• UseIndentation: Pretty-print JSON output
• IncludeRowNumbers: Add row numbers to output
• GroupByColumn: Group data by specific column
• CreateNestedObjects: Support for nested object structures
• ConvertArrays: Convert delimited values to arrays

PdfConversionOptions

• FontSize: Text font size
• Title: Document title
• AlternateRowColors: Zebra-striped rows
• LandscapeOrientation: Page orientation
• IncludeTimestamp: Add generation timestamp

WordConversionOptions

• UseTable: Format as table vs. paragraphs
• FontFamily & FontSize: Typography settings
• FormatAsHierarchy: Hierarchical data representation
• AlternateRowColors: Row styling

XmlConversionOptions

• OutputFormat: Elements, Attributes, Mixed, or Hierarchical
• UseCData: Wrap content in CDATA sections
• NamingConvention: Original, CamelCase, PascalCase, or SnakeCase
• IncludeMetadata: Add conversion metadata

YamlConversionOptions

• Structure: Array, Dictionary, Hierarchical, or Grouped
• ConvertDataTypes: Auto-detect data types
• SortKeys: Alphabetically sort keys
• IncludeComments: Add descriptive comments

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Author

Bohdan Harabadzhyu

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.