updated method as to how the csv is written to as to not get rid of lines for panels that aren't included.

data/cv_repo_0.csv

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 Section,Sub-Section,Variants
 User,Name,Scheherazade Taylor,SJ Taylor,Shaz Taylor
 User,Email,strongshaz@bob.com,gmail_account@gmail.com,k2320390@kingston.ac.uk
-User,Title,Ms.,Miss,Unknown
 Contact Information,Phone,07910582346,02083412275,Unknown
 Contact Information,Address,11 Rita Road%%%%London SW8 1ND,Flat 4//// Obnoxious House%%%%Rude Road%%%%London KT16 4RT,Unknown

src/main/java/cvbuilder/view/MainViewer.java

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import cvbuilder.model.UserGroup;
 import javax.swing.*;
 import java.awt.*;
 import java.io.*;
-
+import java.util.*;
 
 
 public class MainViewer {
@@ -331,8 +331,8 @@ public class MainViewer {
         menu.add(saveItem);
     }
 
-    // Class variable to store the current CSV file path
+    // Class variable to store the current CSV file path -- added default file data
-    private String currentCsvFile = null;
+    private String currentCsvFile = "data/cv_repo_0.csv";
 
     private void openCsvFile(JFrame viewer) {
         JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
@@ -462,6 +462,26 @@ public class MainViewer {
     }
 
     private void writeToCSV(String filePath) {
+        // First read the existing file to preserve data for sections not included
+        Map<String, String[]> existingData = new HashMap<>();
+        try (BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(filePath))) {
+            // Skip the header
+            reader.readLine();
+
+            String line;
+            while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
+                String[] parts = line.split(",", 3); // Split into section, subsection, and the rest
+                if (parts.length >= 2) {
+                    String key = parts[0] + "," + parts[1];
+                    // Store the whole line
+                    existingData.put(key, line.split(","));
+                }
+            }
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            // If file doesn't exist or can't be read, we'll create a new one
+            // No need to handle this exception
+        }
+
         try (PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(new FileWriter(filePath))) {
             // Get export settings
             CsvExportSettings exportSettings = CsvExportSettings.getInstance();
@@ -472,48 +492,38 @@ public class MainViewer {
             // Get all users
             UserGroup userGroup = UserGroup.getInstance();
 
-            // Write name (always included)
+            // Build user data strings to append - we'll use these if the section should be included
-            writer.print("User,Name");
+            String[] nameData = new String[userGroup.getUsers().size()];
-            for (User user : userGroup.getUsers()) {
+            String[] titleData = new String[userGroup.getUsers().size()];
-                writer.print("," + user.getName());
+            String[] emailData = new String[userGroup.getUsers().size()];
-            }
+            String[] phoneData = new String[userGroup.getUsers().size()];
-            writer.println();
+            String[] addressData = new String[userGroup.getUsers().size()];
 
-            // Write email (always included)
+            for (int i = 0; i < userGroup.getUsers().size(); i++) {
-            writer.print("User,Email");
+                User user = userGroup.getUsers().get(i);
-            for (User user : userGroup.getUsers()) {
+                nameData[i] = user.getName();
-                writer.print("," + user.getEmail());
+                titleData[i] = user.getTitle();
-            }
+                emailData[i] = user.getEmail();
-            writer.println();
+                phoneData[i] = user.getPhone();
-
+                addressData[i] = user.getAddress();
-            // Write title only if included in settings
-            if (exportSettings.isIncluded("title")) {
-                writer.print("User,Title");
-                for (User user : userGroup.getUsers()) {
-                    writer.print("," + user.getTitle());
-                }
-                writer.println();
             }
 
-            // Write phone only if included in settings
+            // Process and write each section based on inclusion settings
-            if (exportSettings.isIncluded("phone")) {
-                writer.print("Contact Information,Phone");
-                for (User user : userGroup.getUsers()) {
-                    writer.print("," + user.getPhone());
-                }
-                writer.println();
-            }
 
-            // Write address only if included in settings
+            // Name - always included
-            if (exportSettings.isIncluded("address")) {
+            writeSection(writer, existingData, "User,Name", nameData, true);
-                writer.print("Contact Information,Address");
-                for (User user : userGroup.getUsers()) {
-                    writer.print("," + user.getAddress());
-                }
-                writer.println();
-            }
 
-            // Success message removed
+            // Title - conditionally included
+            writeSection(writer, existingData, "User,Title", titleData, exportSettings.isIncluded("title"));
+
+            // Email - always included
+            writeSection(writer, existingData, "User,Email", emailData, true);
+
+            // Phone - conditionally included
+            writeSection(writer, existingData, "Contact Information,Phone", phoneData, exportSettings.isIncluded("phone"));
+
+            // Address - conditionally included
+            writeSection(writer, existingData, "Contact Information,Address", addressData, exportSettings.isIncluded("address"));
 
         } catch (IOException e) {
             JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,
@@ -523,4 +533,28 @@ public class MainViewer {
         }
     }
 
+    private void writeSection(PrintWriter writer, Map<String, String[]> existingData, String section,
+                              String[] userData, boolean include) {
+        if (include) {
+            // This section should be updated with new data
+            writer.print(section);
+            for (String data : userData) {
+                writer.print("," + data);
+            }
+            writer.println();
+        } else if (existingData.containsKey(section)) {
+            // This section should be preserved as-is
+            String[] parts = existingData.get(section);
+            writer.print(parts[0] + "," + parts[1]); // Section and Sub-Section
+
+            // Add the remaining data columns
+            for (int i = 2; i < parts.length; i++) {
+                writer.print("," + parts[i]);
+            }
+            writer.println();
+        } else {
+            // Section doesn't exist and shouldn't be included - do nothing
+        }
+    }
+
 }