I found how to do this in several languages but not in .net (specifically vb.net). I am using OLeDbCommand to read both CSV and Excel files. In case of Excel I can skip first row and select second row onwards by specifying a range of cells. But in case of CSV, I am not sure how to do it.
Current code looks like:
Dim cmd As OleDbCommand = New OleDbCommand("SELECT * FROM [" + Path.GetFileName(FileName) + "]", cn)
Here we give the file, not the sheet. So I am bit stuck.
From my experience reading a text file like this is very restrictive. It only allows you to read the whole file, because you can't specify a table name. You might be better of reading each line and making table rows and adding them to a table. If the first row is headers you can use that to make the columns, otherwise hard code the columns.
Here's a simple little method that fills a datatable with the data from a .csv file, that you should be able to use:
Private Sub GetData(ByRef dt As DataTable, FilePath As String, Optional ByVal Header As Boolean = True)
Dim Fields() As String
Dim Start As Integer = CInt(Header) * -1
If Not File.Exists(FilePath) Then
Return
End If
dt.Clear()
Dim Lines() As String = File.ReadAllLines(FilePath)
If CBool(Start) AndAlso dt.Columns.Count = 0 Then
Lines(0) = Lines(0).Replace(Chr(34), "")
For Each h As String In Lines(0).Split(",")
dt.Columns.Add(h)
Next
End If
For I = Start To Lines.Count - 1
Fields = Lines(I).Split(",")
dt.Rows.Add(Fields)
Next
End Sub
Related
I am needing to create a code that is versatile enough where I can add more columns in the future with minimum reconstruction of my code. My current code does not allow me to travel through my file with my 2-D array. If I was to change MsgBox("map = "+ map(0,1) I can retrieve the value easily. Currently all I get in the code listed is 'System.IndexOutOfRangeException' and that Index was outside the bounds of the array. My current text file is 15 rows (down) and 2 columns (across) which puts it at a 14x1. they are also comma separated values.
Dim map(14,1) as string
Dim reader As IO.StreamReader
reader = IO.File.OpenText("C:\LocationOfTextFile")
Dim Linie As String, x,y As Integer
For x = 0 To 14
Linie = reader.ReadLine.Trim
For y = 0 To 1
map(x,y) = Split(Linie, ",")(y)
Next 'y
Next 'x
reader.Close()
MsgBox("map = " + map(y,x))``
Here's a generic way to look at reading the file:
Dim data As New List(Of List(Of String))
For Each line As String In IO.File.ReadAllLines("C:\LocationOfTextFile")
data.Add(New List(Of String)(line.Split(",")))
Next
Dim row As Integer = 1
Dim col As Integer = 10
Dim value As String = data(row)(col)
This is the method suggested by Microsoft. It is generic and will work on any properly formatted comma delimited file. It will also catch and display any errors found in the file.
Using MyReader As New Microsoft.VisualBasic.
FileIO.TextFieldParser(
"C:\LocationOfTextFile")
MyReader.TextFieldType = FileIO.FieldType.Delimited
MyReader.SetDelimiters(",")
Dim currentRow As String()
While Not MyReader.EndOfData
Try
currentRow = MyReader.ReadFields()
Dim currentField As String
For Each currentField In currentRow
MsgBox(currentField)
Next
Catch ex As Microsoft.VisualBasic.
FileIO.MalformedLineException
MsgBox("Line " & ex.Message &
"is not valid and will be skipped.")
End Try
End While
End Using
Essentially what you are asking is how can I take the contents of comma-separated values and convert this to a 2D array.
The easiest way, which is not necessarily the best way, is to return an IEnuemrable(Of IEnumerable(Of String)). The number of items will grow both vertically based on the number of lines and the number of items will grow horizontally based on the values split on a respective line by a comma.
Something along these lines:
Private Function GetMap(path As String) As IEnumerable(Of IEnumerable(Of String)
Dim map = New List(Of IEnumerable(Of String))()
Dim lines = IO.File.ReadAllLines(path)
For Each line In lines
Dim row = New List(Of String)()
Dim values = line.Split(","c)
row.AddRange(values)
map.Add(row)
Next
Return map
End Function
Now when you want to grab a specific cell using the (row, column) syntax, you could use:
Private _map As IEnumerable(Of IEnumerable(Of String))
Private Sub LoadMap()
_map = GetMap("C:/path-to-map")
End Sub
Private Function GetCell(row As Integer, column As Integer) As String
If (_map Is Nothing) Then
LoadMap()
End If
Return _map.ElementAt(row).ElementAt(column)
End Function
Here is an example: https://dotnetfiddle.net/ZmY5Ki
Keep in mind that there are some issues with this, for example:
What if you have commas in your cells?
What if you try to access a cell that doesn't exist?
These are considerations you need to make when implementing this in more detail.
You can consider the DataTable class for this. It uses much more memory than an array, but gives you a lot of versatility in adding columns, filtering, etc. You can also access columns by name rather than index.
You can bind to a DataGridView for visualizing the data.
It is something like an in-memory database.
This is much like #Idle_Mind's suggestion, but saves an array copy operation and at least one allocation per row by using an array, rather than a list, for the individual rows:
Dim data = File.ReadLines("C:\LocationOfTextFile").
Select(Function(ln) ln.Split(","c)).
ToList()
' Show last row and column:
Dim lastRow As Integer = data.Count - 1
Dim lastCol As Integer = data(row).Length - 1
MsgBox($"map = {data(lastRow)(lastCol)}")
Here, assuming Option Infer, the data variable will be a List(Of String())
As a step up from this, you could also define a class with fields corresponding to the expected CSV columns, and map the array elements to the class properties as another call to .Select() before calling .ToList().
But what I really recommend is getting a dedicated CSV parser from NuGet. While a given CSV source is usually consistent, more broadly the format is known for having a number of edge cases that can easily confound the Split() function. Therefore you tend to get better performance and consistency from a dedicated parser, and NuGet has several good options.
I am trying to go through my text file and create a new file that will contain only the text I require. My current line looks like:
Car-1I
Colour-39
Cost-328
Dealer-28
Car-2
Colour-30
Cost-234
For each block of text I would like to read the first line, if the first line ends with an I, then read the next line, if that line contains a colour 39, then I would like to save the whole block of text to another file. If these two conditions aren't met, I dont want to save my values to the new text file.
Before anything about saving my values in classes are mentioned, these blocks of text can vary in size and values, so I dont always have a set range of values which is why i need to skip to the blank line
IO.File.WriteAllText("C:\Users\test2.txt", "") 'write to new file
Dim sKey As String
Dim sValue As Integer
For Each filterLine As String In File.ReadLines("C:\Users\test.txt")
sKey = Split(filterLine, ":")(0)
sValue = Split(filterLine, ":")(1)
If Not sValue.EndsWith("I") Then
ElseIf sValue.EndsWith("I") Then
End If
Next
Another method, using File.ReadLines to read lines of text from file. This method doesn't load all the text in memory, it reads from disc single lines of text, so it can also be useful when dealing with big files.
You could loop the IEnumerable collection it returns, but also use its GetEnumerator() method to control more directly when to move to the next line, or move more then one lines forward.
Its Enumerator.Current object returns the line of text currently read, Enumerator.MoveNext() moves to the next line.
A StringBuilder is used to store the strings when a match found. Strings are added to the StringBuilder object using its AppendLine() method.
This class is useful when dealing with strings that you need to store, compare and discard (or modify) quickly: since string are immutable, when you use String variables directly, especially in loops, you generate a whole lot of garbage that slows down any procedure quite a lot.
The blocks of text stored in the StringBuilder object are then written to a destination file using a StreamWriter with explicit encoding set to UTF-8 (writes the BOM). Its methods include asynchronous versions: WriteLine() can be replaced by awaitWriteLineAsync() to allow an async procedure.
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Text
Dim sourceFilePath = "<Path of the source file>"
Dim resultsFilePath = "<Path of the destination file>"
Dim sb As New StringBuilder()
Dim enumerator = File.ReadLines(sourceFilePath).GetEnumerator()
Using sWriter As New StreamWriter(resultsFilePath, False, Encoding.UTF8)
While enumerator.MoveNext()
If enumerator.Current.EndsWith("I") Then
sb.AppendLine(enumerator.Current)
enumerator.MoveNext()
If enumerator.Current.EndsWith("39") Then
While Not String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(enumerator.Current)
sb.AppendLine(enumerator.Current)
enumerator.MoveNext()
End While
sWriter.WriteLine(sb.ToString())
End If
sb.Clear()
End If
End While
End Using
This will work:
Dim strFile As String = "c:\Test5\Source.txt"
Dim strOutFile As String = "c:\Test5\OutPut.txt"
Dim strOutData As String = ""
Dim SourceGroups As String() = Split(File.ReadAllText(strFile), vbCrLf + vbCrLf)
For Each sGroup As String In SourceGroups
Dim OneGroup() As String = Split(sGroup, vbCrLf)
If Strings.Right(OneGroup(0), 1) = "I" And (Strings.Right(OneGroup(1), 2) = "39") Then
If strOutData <> "" Then strOutData += (vbCrLf & vbCrLf)
strOutData += sGroup
End If
Next
File.WriteAllText(strOutFile, strOutData)
Something like this should work:
Dim base, i, c as Integer
Dim lines1$() = File.ReadLines("C:\Users\test.txt")
c = lines1.count
While i < c
if Len(RTrim(lines1(i))) Then
If Strings.Right(RTrim(lines1(i)), 1)="I" Then
base = i
i += 1
If Strings.Right(RTrim(lines1(i)), 2)="39" Then
While Len(RTrim(lines1(i))) 'skip to the next blank
i += 1
End While
' write lines1(from base to (i-1)) here
Else
While Len(RTrim(lines1(i)))
i += 1
End While
End If
Else
i += 1
End If
Else
i += 1
End If
End While
I'm working on a basic application that lets you track experience earned across up to 3 skills. The names of the skills are in a combo box (not sure if the best) and the beginning and ending values are in text boxes.
I want to add a save button that saves the ending values and selected skills, when pressing the load button it would populate the combo boxes with saved skills and input the old ending values into the new beginning ones.
I've been working on this all day, searching for a long time I've come up with similar solutions but nothing seems to work right. I'm still a bit of a beginner so some of the solutions I don't understand. Also, this has to work for VBNet.
The closest solution I've come across is:
File.WriteAllText("C:\Data.txt", String.Join("|", new String({TextBox1.Text, TextBox2.Text, TextBox3.Text}))
I'd like the file to stay with the project in the main directory though. Would this work for combo boxes as well, and how to load the values back in?
I'm still a newbie to VB, hope this question makes sense.
If I get your idea right, please find some functions below if they can help:
One can read (or write) text:
This one can populate the needed string to 3 textboxes txtSkill1, txtSkill2, txtSkill3
Sub ReadTextFile()
Dim lineCount As Integer = 0
Dim rndInstance As New Random
Dim idx As Integer = 0
Dim selectedLine As String = ""
Dim txt As String = "Skills.txt"
If Not File.Exists(txt) Then
File.Create(txt).Dispose()
Dim objWriter As New System.IO.StreamWriter(txt, True)
' 2 sample text lines:
objWriter.WriteLine("Negotiating - Interpersonal - Working independently")
objWriter.WriteLine("Goal oriented - Leadership - Teamwork")
objWriter.Close()
End If
lineCount = File.ReadAllLines(txt).Length
idx = rndInstance.Next(1, lineCount + 1) ' the index can be random if you want, or run from (1 to lineCount)
selectedLine = ReadLineWithNumberFrom(txt, idx)
Dim pattern As String = "-" ' split on hyphens
Dim subStrings() As String = Regex.Split(selectedLine, pattern)
txtSkill1.Text = subStrings(0)
txtSkill2.Text = subStrings(1)
txtSkill3.Text = subStrings(2)
End Sub
One can read a string from a specific line number:
Function ReadLineWithNumberFrom(filePath As String, ByVal lineNumber As Integer) As String
Using file As New StreamReader(filePath)
' Skip all preceding lines:
For i As Integer = 1 To lineNumber - 1
If file.ReadLine() Is Nothing Then
Throw New ArgumentOutOfRangeException("lineNumber")
End If
Next
' Attempt to read the line you're interested in:
Dim line As String = file.ReadLine()
If line Is Nothing Then
Throw New ArgumentOutOfRangeException("lineNumber")
End If
' Succeeded!
Return line
End Using
End Function
Now with the functions allow you to write to any text file, to read from any text file, from any line number, with specific separator (here is the hyphen -- char), you can Save and Load any string you need.
i have a user interface form that let's you upload a text file to a datagridview as follows
Sub Datagrid()
Dim sw = System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch.StartNew()
Using stream As System.IO.FileStream = System.IO.File.OpenRead(TextBox1.Text)
Using reader As New System.IO.StreamReader(stream)
Dim line As String = reader.ReadLine()
While (line IsNot Nothing)
Dim columns = line.Split(";")
line = reader.ReadLine()
Dim index = Me.DataGridView1.Rows.Add()
Me.DataGridView1.Rows(index).SetValues(columns)
End While
End Using
End Using
sw.Stop()
End Sub
Well, now my problem is that i don't want to put the full txt file in that datagridview, just from line N.
Is it possible to do that? Like creating a querytabel and selecting a fixed value?
p.e., in line 5 there's always the text "Values:" . Can i select all the lines after that to put in the datagridview? i googled everywhere but found nothing. and there's no "sample" code to give me a start . thank you all !
Dim n As Integer = 5
Dim lines As IEnumerable(Of String) = IO.File.ReadAllLines("textbox1.text").Skip(n)
'Gets every line after a certain line count
'Create a new datatable and add some columns
Dim dt As New DataTable
dt.Columns.AddRange((From columnIndex As Integer In Enumerable.Range(1, lines.First.Split(";"c).Count) Select New DataColumn("Column" & columnIndex.ToString())).ToArray())
'Add each line as a row to the datatable
For Each line As String In lines
dt.Rows.Add(line.Split(";"c))
Next
'Set the datasource of the datagridview
MyDataGridView.DataSource = dt
I dont know why my CSV writer skips some lines. I tried to export today a gridview and saw it by coincindence. The grid has 250 rows. It writes 1-60 and then goes on at 140-250. 61-139 are missing in the excel table?
to the code: First I create a list whith all columns, because the writer method shall be able to also write only specific columns, but this is another button.
Then the grid and the list is given to the csv Writer.
Private Sub Button4_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button4.Click
Dim list As List(Of Integer) = New List(Of Integer)
For Each column As DataGridViewColumn In datagridview2.Columns
list.Add(column.Index)
Next
Module3.csvwriter(list, datagridview2)
MsgBox("exportieren beendet")
End Sub
The csv-Writer creates a csv-body-String for every datarow.
For each row, append every columnvalue to body if the columnindex is in the list.
The best is, that I have seen how the method build row 61, but then it is missing in the csv :/
Public Sub csvwriter(list As List(Of Integer), grid As DataGridView)
Dim body As String = ""
Dim myWriter As New StreamWriter(Importverzeichnis.savecsv, True, System.Text.Encoding.Default)
Dim i As Integer
For i = 0 To grid.Rows.Count - 1
For ix = 0 To grid.Columns.Count - 1
If list.Contains(ix) Then
If grid.Rows(i).Cells(ix).Value IsNot Nothing Then
body = body + grid.Rows(i).Cells(ix).Value.ToString + ";"
Else
body = body + ";"
End If
End If
Next
myWriter.WriteLine(body)
body = ""
Next
myWriter.Close()
End Sub
Has anyone an idea? Do I overlook something?
I found an answer.
1. The csv file is complete. every row is in there.
The problem was or is, that in my datarows is a sign " which escapes the delimiter ; sign.
To solve the problem I save the file now as .txt file,
because then the user gets asked everytime when he opens the file, which one is the delimiter, which is the escaping sign.. this way the user is forced to put in the right settings, while a .csv file uses standard configurations..