# How to convert a csv column into a vector

**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-convert-a-csv-column-into-a-vector/86651
**Category:** New to Julia
**Tags:** question, csv
**Created:** [September 1, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-convert-a-csv-column-into-a-vector/86651 "2022-09-01T17:11:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![sbacelar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sbacelar/32/4359_2.png) [@sbacelar](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/sbacelar)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-convert-a-csv-column-into-a-vector/86651/1 "2022-09-01T17:11:51Z")

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How to convert the first column of “test.csv” file into a vector (array)?  
`test.csv` is:  
a;b;c  
1;2;3  
4;5;6  
9;8;7

```julia
using CSV
test = CSV.File("test.csv"; select=[1])

```

I want test to be a vector.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![quinnj](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/quinnj/32/11_2.png) [@quinnj](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/quinnj)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2022, 5:20pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-convert-a-csv-column-into-a-vector/86651/2 "2022-09-01T17:20:00Z")

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```julia
a = CSV.File("test.csv"; select=[1]).a

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![digital\_carver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/digital_carver/32/33818_2.png) [@digital\_carver](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/digital_carver)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2022, 8:00pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-convert-a-csv-column-into-a-vector/86651/3 "2022-09-01T20:00:38Z")

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Another option is:

```julia
julia> a = CSV.read("test.csv", values; select = [1]) |> only
3-element Vector{Int64}:
 1
 4
 9

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![sbacelar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sbacelar/32/4359_2.png) [@sbacelar](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/sbacelar)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2022, 9:16am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-convert-a-csv-column-into-a-vector/86651/4 "2022-09-02T09:16:09Z")

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> [@quinnj](#):
>
> `a = CSV.File("test.csv"; select=[1]).a`

Here I have to know the name of the selected column (“a”).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![quinnj](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/quinnj/32/11_2.png) [@quinnj](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/quinnj)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2022, 1:24pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-convert-a-csv-column-into-a-vector/86651/5 "2022-09-02T13:24:33Z")

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You could do:

```julia
using Tables
first_col = Tables.getcolumn(CSV.File("test.csv"; select=[1]), 1)

```