require 'csv'
pipe_separated="1|2ENDa|bEND"
CSV::Reader.parse(pipe_separated, '|', 'END') { |r| r.each { |c| puts c } }

1
2
a
b

1
2
a
b

require 'rubygems'
require 'faster_csv'
FasterCSV.parse(pipe_separated, :col_sep=>'|', :row_sep=>'END') do |r|
  r.each { |c| puts c }
end

1
2
a
b

1
2
a
b

data = [[1,2,3],['A','B','C'],['do','re','mi']]
open('first3.csv', 'w') do |output|
  CSV::Writer.generate(output, ':', '-END-') do |writer|
    data.each { |x| writer << x }
  end
end
open('first3.csv') { |input| input.read() }

FasterCSV.open('first3.csv', 'w', :col_sep=>':', :row_sep=>'-END-') do |output|
  data.each { |x| output << x }
end
open('first3.csv') { |input| input.read() }

class MyFasterCSV < FasterCSV
  def init_parsers(options)
    super
    @parsers[:csv_row] = 
         / \G(?:^|#{Regexp.escape(@col_sep)})     # anchor the match
           (?: '((?>[^']*)(?>''[^']*)*)'          # find quoted fields
               |                                  # ... or ...
               ([^'#{Regexp.escape(@col_sep)}]*)  # unquoted fields
               )/x
  end
end
   #Regexp.new(@parsers[:csv_row].source.gsub('"', "'"))
MyFasterCSV.parse("1,'2,3',4") { |r| puts r }

1
2,3
4

1
2,3
4

missing_quotes=%{20051002, Alice says, "I saw that!"}
CSV::Reader.parse(missing_quotes) { |r| r.each { |c| puts c } }

CSV::IllegalFormatError: CSV::IllegalFormatError
...

CSV::IllegalFormatError: CSV::IllegalFormatError
	from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/csv.rb:607:in `get_row'
	from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/csv.rb:556:in `each'
	from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/csv.rb:531:in `parse'
	from (irb):34

unescaped_quotes=%{20051002, "Alice says, "I saw that!""}
FasterCSV.parse(unescaped_quotes) { |r| r.each { |c| puts c } }

FasterCSV::MalformedCSVError: Unclosed quoted field.
...

FasterCSV::MalformedCSVError: Unclosed quoted field.
	from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/fastercsv-0.1.9/lib/faster_csv.rb:885:in `shift'
	from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/fastercsv-0.1.9/lib/faster_csv.rb:830:in `shift'
	from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/fastercsv-0.1.9/lib/faster_csv.rb:795:in `each'
	from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/fastercsv-0.1.9/lib/faster_csv.rb:597:in `parse'
	from (irb):36