Excel will open CSV files without blinking, but you can use a connection string, if you prefer. It is even possible to write a query that compares an existing worksheet or named range with a text file using an Excel connection. All you need is a little VBA.
Set cn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
Set rs = CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")
'Note HDR=Yes, that is, first row contains field names '
'and FMT delimted, ie CSV '
strCon="Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=c:\Docs\;" _
& "Extended Properties=""text;HDR=Yes;FMT=Delimited"";"
cn.open strcon
'You would not need delimiters ('') if last field is numeric: '
strSQL="SELECT FieldName1, FieldName2 FROM The.csv " _
& " WHERE LastFieldName='SomeTextValue'"
rs.Open strSQL, cn
Worksheets("Sheet3").Cells(2, 1).CopyFromRecordset rs
You can use any suitable Jet SQL queries against the connection, just be careful about case sensitivity. For example, working with a connection to the current workbook:
Dim cn As Object
Dim rs As Object
Dim strFile As String
Dim strCon As String
Dim strSQL As String
Dim s As String
Dim i As Integer, j As Integer
''This is not the best way to refer to the workbook
''you want, but it is very convenient for notes
''It is probably best to use the name of the workbook.
strFile = ActiveWorkbook.FullName
''Note that if HDR=No, F1,F2 etc are used for column names,
''if HDR=Yes, the names in the first row of the range
''can be used.
''This is the Jet 4 connection string, you can get more
''here : http://www.connectionstrings.com/excel
strCon = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=" & strFile _
& ";Extended Properties=""Excel 8.0;HDR=Yes;IMEX=1"";"
''Late binding, so no reference is needed
Set cn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
Set rs = CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")
cn.Open strCon
strSQL = "SELECT * " _
& "FROM [Sheet1$] a " _
& "LEFT JOIN [Text;FMT=Delimited;HDR=Yes;" _
& "DATABASE=C:\Docs].Import.txt b " _
& "ON a.[Id]=b.[Id] "
rs.Open strSQL, cn, 3, 3
''Pick a suitable empty worksheet for the results
Worksheets("Sheet3").Cells(2, 1).CopyFromRecordset rs
''Tidy up
rs.Close
Set rs = Nothing
cn.Close
Set cn = Nothing