/**
 * Convert data in CSV (comma separated value) format to a javascript array.
 *
 * Values are separated by a comma, or by a custom one character delimeter.
 * Rows are separated by a new-line character.
 *
 * Leading and trailing spaces and tabs are ignored.
 * Values may optionally be enclosed by double quotes.
 * Values containing a special character (comma's, double-quotes, or new-lines)
 *   must be enclosed by double-quotes.
 * Embedded double-quotes must be represented by a pair of consecutive
 * double-quotes.
 *
 * Example usage:
 *   var csv = '"x", "y", "z"\n12.3, 2.3, 8.7\n4.5, 1.2, -5.6\n';
 *   var array = csv2array(csv);
 *
 * Author: Jos de Jong, 2010
 *
 * @param {string} data      The data in CSV format.
 * @param {string} delimeter [optional] a custom delimeter. Comma ',' by default
 *                           The Delimeter must be a single character.
 * @return {Array} array     A two dimensional array containing the data
 * @throw {String} error     The method throws an error when there is an
 *                           error in the provided data.
 */
function csv2array(data, delimeter) {
    // Retrieve the delimeter
    if (delimeter == undefined)
        delimeter = ',';
    if (delimeter && delimeter.length > 1)
        delimeter = ',';

    // initialize variables
    var newline = '\n';
    var eof = '';
    var i = 0;
    var c = data.charAt(i);
    var row = 0;
    var col = 0;
    var array = new Array();

    while (c != eof) {
        // skip whitespaces
        while (c == ' ' || c == '\t' || c == '\r') {
            c = data.charAt(++i); // read next char
        }

        // get value
        var value = "";
        if (c == '\"') {
            // value enclosed by double-quotes
            c = data.charAt(++i);

            do {
                if (c != '\"') {
                    // read a regular character and go to the next character
                    value += c;
                    c = data.charAt(++i);
                }

                if (c == '\"') {
                    // check for escaped double-quote
                    var cnext = data.charAt(i+1);
                    if (cnext == '\"') {
                        // this is an escaped double-quote.
                        // Add a double-quote to the value, and move two characters ahead.
                        value += '\"';
                        i += 2;
                        c = data.charAt(i);
                    }
                }
            }
            while (c != eof && c != '\"');

            if (c == eof) {
                throw "Unexpected end of data, double-quote expected";
            }

            c = data.charAt(++i);
        }
        else {
            // value without quotes
            while (c != eof && c != delimeter && c!= newline && c != ' ' && c != '\t' && c != '\r') {
                value += c;
                c = data.charAt(++i);
            }
        }

        // add the value to the array
        if (array.length <= row)
            array.push(new Array());
        array[row].push(value);

        // skip whitespaces
        while (c == ' ' || c == '\t' || c == '\r') {
            c = data.charAt(++i);
        }

        // go to the next row or column
        if (c == delimeter) {
            // to the next column
            col++;
        }
        else if (c == newline) {
            // to the next row
            col = 0;
            row++;
        }
        else if (c != eof) {
            // unexpected character
            throw "Delimiter expected after character " + i;
        }

        // go to the next character
        c = data.charAt(++i);
    }

    return array;
}