Using CSVHelper to output stream to browser

Question

I\'m trying to use CSVHelper to generate a CSV file and send it back to a browser, so the user can select a save location and filename and save the data.

The websit

Answer 1

Try below code:

    public FileStreamResult  ExportPayments()
    {
        var result = WriteCsvToMemory(_commonService.GetPayments()()); 
        var memoryStream = new MemoryStream(result);
        return new FileStreamResult(memoryStream, "text/csv") { FileDownloadName = "export.csv" };
    }


    public byte[] WriteCsvToMemory(IEnumerable<Payment_dto> records)
    {
        using (var memoryStream = new MemoryStream())
        using (var streamWriter = new StreamWriter(memoryStream))
        using (var csvWriter = new CsvWriter(streamWriter))
        {
            csvWriter.WriteRecords(records);
            streamWriter.Flush();
            return memoryStream.ToArray();
        }
    }

Update

Below is how to pass a complex type model to an action method which is using GET HTTP method. I don't prefer this approach, it just gives you an idea there is an approach to achieve this.

Model

    public class Data
    {
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public string Value { get; set; }

        public static string Serialize(Data data)
        {
            var serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
            return serializer.Serialize(data);
        }
        public static Data Deserialize(string data)
        {
            var serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
            return serializer.Deserialize<Data>(data);
        }
    }

Action:

    [HttpGet]
    public FileStreamResult ExportPayments(string model) 
    {
        //Deserialize model here 
        var result = WriteCsvToMemory(GetPayments()); 
        var memoryStream = new MemoryStream(result);
        return new FileStreamResult(memoryStream, "text/csv") { FileDownloadName = "export.csv" };
    }

View:

@{
    var data = new Data()
    {
        Id = 1,
        Value = "This is test"
    };
}
@Html.ActionLink("Export", "ExportPayments", new { model = Data.Serialize(data) })

Answer 2

Could also user dynamic keyword for converting any data

Code from @Lin

public FileStreamResult  ExportPayments()
{
    var result = WriteCsvToMemory(_commonService.GetPayments()()); 
    var memoryStream = new MemoryStream(result);
    return new FileStreamResult(memoryStream, "text/csv") { FileDownloadName = "export.csv" };
}


public byte[] WriteCsvToMemory(dynamic records)
{
    using (var memoryStream = new MemoryStream())
    using (var streamWriter = new StreamWriter(memoryStream))
    using (var csvWriter = new CsvWriter(streamWriter))
    {
        csvWriter.WriteRecords(records);
        streamWriter.Flush();
        return memoryStream.ToArray();
    }
}

Answer 3

Try in the controller:

HttpContext.Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=payments.csv");