An example python script to show how to parse CSV data into JSON. Used as part of project BorisBoard (http://www.borisboard.com).

Example_CSVtoJSON_Parser.py

# Part of BORIS BOARD Project
# Visit http://www.borisboard.com for more details
#
# By Coolgarif Tech Ltd
# Author: Richie Barter
# 21 Aug 2013
# Sample script for parsing a CSV into JSON for data vis
# Underlying DataSet
# Available here: http://data.london.gov.uk/datastore/package/street-trees-borough


import csv, os.path, json


# Method to handle blank datafields
# And to convert String to Int for JSON parsing
def stringSetup(someNumber):
	if someNumber == '' :
		return 0
	elif someNumber == '!':
		return someNumber
	else: return int(someNumber)	


readFilePath = 'INSERT_FILE_PATH_TO_DATAFILE_HERE'
readFileName = 'WHATEVER_FILENAME_YOU_CHOOSE.csv'

aggReadFile = readFilePath + readFileName

ifile =  open(aggReadFile, 'rb')
reader = csv.reader(ifile)

streetTreesByBorough = [ ]

# Reads in a row of the CSV, parses it and
# _appends it to the JSON Structure being created
# Ignores the first row of the CSV due to headers
rowId = 0
for row in reader:
	 if rowId == 0:
	 	rowId = rowId + 1
	 	continue	 	

	 boroughName = row[1]
	 boroughId = row[0]
	 estTotalStreetTrees2011 = stringSetup(row[3].replace(",",""))
	 treesPlanted2009to10 = stringSetup(row[4].replace(",",""))
	 treesFelled2009to10 = stringSetup(row[5].replace(",",""))
	 mayorTreesPlanted = stringSetup(row[7].replace(",",""))
	 
	 treesPlanted2009to10 = treesPlanted2009to10 + mayorTreesPlanted
	 print boroughName
	 print treesPlanted2009to10



	 jsonResult = {"boroughName" : boroughName,
	 				"data" :
	 						{"estTotalStreetTrees2011" : estTotalStreetTrees2011,
		 					"treesPlanted2009to10" : treesPlanted2009to10,
		 					"treesFelled2009to10" : treesFelled2009to10
		 					}
	 				}
	 
	 streetTreesByBorough.append(jsonResult)
streetTreesByBorough = json.dumps(streetTreesByBorough)

ifile.close()
	 
writeFilePath = 'INSERT_FILE_PATH_TO_FinalFILE_HERE'
writeFileName = 'WHATEVER_FILENAME_YOU_CHOOSE.json'

aggWriteFile = writeFilePath + writeFileName

f = open(aggWriteFile, 'w')
f.write(streetTreesByBorough)
f.close()