---
layout: default
title: Basic Usage
---

# Basic usage

<p class="message-info"><strong>Tips:</strong> Even though you can use the following methods with the <code>League\Csv\Writer</code> object. It is recommended to do so with the <code>League\Csv\Reader</code> class to avoid losing the file cursor position and getting unexpected results when inserting new data.</p>

Once your CSV object is [instantiated](/instantiation) and [configured](/properties/), you can start interacting with the data using a number of methods available to you.


## Iterating over the CSV rows

The CSV object implements PHP's `IteratorAggregate` interface

~~~php
<?php

public AbstractCsv::getIterator(void): Iterator
~~~

You can iterate over your CSV object to extract each CSV row using the `foreach` construct.

~~~php
<?php

use League\Csv\Reader;

$reader = Reader::createFromPath('/path/to/my/file.csv');
foreach ($reader as $index => $row) {
    //do something meaningful here with $row !!
    //$row is an array where each item represent a CSV data cell
    //$index is the CSV row index
}
~~~

<p class="message-notice">You can do more complex iterations <a href="/reading/">using the query methods</a> available on the <code>League\Csv\Reader</code> class only.</p>

## Outputting the CSV

### __toString

Returns the string representation of the CSV document

~~~php
<?php

public AbstractCsv::__toString(void): string
~~~

Use the `echo` construct on the instantiated object or use the `__toString` method to show the CSV full content.

#### Example

~~~php
<?php

use League\Csv\Reader;

$reader = Reader::createFromPath('/path/to/my/file.csv');
echo $reader;
// or
echo $reader->__toString();
~~~

### output

If you only wish to make your CSV downloadable by forcing a file download just use the `output` method to force the use of the output buffer on the CSV content.

~~~php
<?php

public AbstractCsv::output(string $filename = null): int
~~~

- The method returns the number of characters read from the handle and passed through to the output.
- The output method can take an optional argument `$filename`. When present you
can even remove more headers.

#### Example 1 - default usage

~~~php
<?php

use League\Csv\Reader;

header('Content-Type: text/csv; charset=UTF-8');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="name-for-your-file.csv"');

$reader = Reader::createFromPath('/path/to/my/file.csv');
$reader->output();
~~~

#### Example 2 - using the $filename argument

~~~php
<?php

use League\Csv\Reader;

$reader = Reader::createFromPath('/path/to/my/file.csv');
$reader->output("name-for-your-file.csv");
~~~

#### Notes

The output methods **can only be affected by:**

- the [library stream filtering mechanism](/filtering/)
- the [BOM property](/bom/)

No other method or property have effect on them.