transforms every x number of lines to one commaseperated line

lines_to_csv.bash

# merges x number of lines to one commaseperated line
# usage: echo -e "jan\ncold\nrain\njune\nhot\dry\n" | lines_to_csv ',' 'a,b,c'
#        will output:
#                      "jan","cold","rain"
#                      "june","hot","dry"

lines_to_csv(){
  lines="$(cat -)"; delimiter="$1"; columns="$2";
  outputline=""
  ncolumns="$( echo "$columns" | grep -o "$delimiter" | wc -l)";
  i=0; echo "$lines" | while read line; do 
    [[ "${#outputline}" > 0 ]] && outputline="$outputline""$delimiter\"$line\"" || outputline="\"$line\""
    ((i++)); (( i > ncolumns )) && echo "$outputline" && i=0 && outputline=""
  done
}