Can't Separate Text File By Delimiter | - c#

I am using C#.
I am trying to pull in a text file to an object. I am using an ODBC connection and it looks like this
Driver={Microsoft Text Driver (*.txt; *.csv)};Dbq=C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\IR\IR_Files\Absolute;Extensions=asc,csv,tab,txt;
I am able to make the connection but I can't get my columns separated. I'm using a schema.ini file but it isn't working. Here is my schema file.
[MyTextFile.CSV]
Format=Delimited(|)
ColNameHeader=False
Col1=fullstockn Text
col2=FULLINFO Text
MaxScanRows=0
CharacterSet=ANSI
The text file looks like this.
fullstockn|FULLINFO
"555555 "|Contenu : Neuf Ttudes sur l Some more text here.....

I use the following connection string
string connectionString = String.Format("Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source={0};Extended Properties=\"text;HDR=YES;Format=Delimited(|)\";", Path.GetDirectoryName(path));
and a Schema.ini file that typically begins
[myFile.txt]
Format=Delimited(|)
TextDelimiter="none"
and I'll execute a reader via
command.CommandText = String.Format("SELECT * FROM [{0}]", Path.GetFileName(path));
OleDbDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
Also, the MSDN page on the text file driver was helpful when I first investigated this. Specifically, the page on the Schema.ini file is quite useful.

Is there a reason you need to use an ODBC connection for this? I would think it'd be easier to just open the text file directly and parse it yourself.

I don't know if this matters but...
You might be missing the ending "\" in your dbq attribute...
EDIT: Actually...in the text you posted, you have 3 columns, not 2...(2 pipes instead of 1)

I always write the code myself for this kind of op. Here is an example of an abstract class I wrote for this purpose not so long ago. You could modify it or subclass it if you like
public abstract class ReadTextFile : ILoadable
{
public string Path { get; set; }
public UploadFileType FileType { get; set; }
protected internal List<List<string>> Table { get; set; }
public Guid BatchID { get; set; }
/// <summary>
/// Method that loads the raw text into a collection of strings
/// </summary>
/// <returns></returns>
public bool Load()
{
Table = new List<List<string>>();
var splitter = Convert.ToChar("\t");
try
{
using (TextReader tr = new StreamReader(Path))
{
// Discard the first line
String line = tr.ReadLine();
// Read and display lines from the file until the end of the file is reached.
while ((line = tr.ReadLine()) != null)
{
Table.Add(line.Split(splitter).ToList<string>());
}
tr.Close();
tr.Dispose();
}
return true;
}
catch (Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
return false;
}
}
public string Left(string param, int length)
{
//we start at 0 since we want to get the characters starting from the
//left and with the specified lenght and assign it to a variable
string result = param.Substring(0, length);
//return the result of the operation
return result;
}
public string Right(string param, int length)
{
//start at the index based on the lenght of the sting minus
//the specified lenght and assign it a variable
string result = param.Substring(param.Length - length, length);
//return the result of the operation
return result;
}
}

Try using this connection string
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\IR\IR_Files\Absolute\MyTextFile.CSV;Extended Properties='text'
and:
Beware of the number of columns
Place the schema.ini in the same folder of the executable.

Related

File.Exists(Path) always return false when get 'string (Path)' from text file

I write codes to receive the path of a text file and store it in a string variable that I declare in public.
Then I want to know if the file exists or not by using
System.IO.File.Exists(pathoffile)
But it always returns false even though there is a file.
And then when I try to add the string path directly like this
public string propertyfile = #"C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Desktop\part_no_and_path_list.txt"
The function
System.IO.File.Exists(pathoffile)
return true
I already check the receive path(string) that I read from the text file. By cutting off "\n" and "\r" and using trim() too.But it still returns false.
Have I missed something? What difference between these two?. I'm too new to this c#. I'm very bad at this sorry in advance.
Here are my codes
public string pathfromread, partnumber, pathfile, portname, partnofromserial,propertypathfile; //Declare Variables
public string propertyfile = #"C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Desktop\Properties.txt";
public string pathoffile ;
public string backuppath ;
public string pdffolderpath ;
private void propertyget()
{
if (File.Exists(propertyfile))
{
StreamReader readpropertyfile = new StreamReader(propertyfile);
string readproperty;
while ((readproperty = readpropertyfile.ReadLine()) != null)
{
string[] propertyfromread = readproperty.Trim().Split('=');
if (propertyfromread.GetValue(0).ToString() == "pathoffile")
{
pathoffile = propertyfromread.GetValue(1).ToString();
pathoffile = pathoffile.Replace("\n", "").Replace("\r", "");
MessageBox.Show(pathoffile, "path file");
}
else if ((propertyfromread.GetValue(0).ToString() == "backuppath"))
{
backuppath = propertyfromread.GetValue(1).ToString();
backuppath = backuppath.Replace("\n", "").Replace("\r", "");
MessageBox.Show(backuppath);
}
else if ((propertyfromread.GetValue(0).ToString() == "pdffolderpath"))
{
pdffolderpath = propertyfromread.GetValue(1).ToString();
pdffolderpath = pdffolderpath.Replace("\n", "").Replace("\r", "");
MessageBox.Show(pdffolderpath);
}
else if ((propertyfromread.GetValue(0).ToString() == "portname"))
{
portname = propertyfromread.GetValue(1).ToString();
portname = portname.Replace("\n", "").Replace("\r", "");
MessageBox.Show(portname);
}
}
}
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
propertyget();
dv = dt.DefaultView; //set dv index count to != 0 to prevent error from null input when click on remove button
if (System.IO.File.Exists(pathoffile))//Check if file exist or not
{
}
else
{
try
{
MessageBox.Show("Database Text File Missing. Please Select New File", "Database Text File Missing", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Asterisk);
OpenFileDialog regispath = new OpenFileDialog();
regispath.Title = "Select Database Text File (part_no_and_path_list.txt)";
regispath.Multiselect = false;
regispath.Filter = "Text file (*.txt)|*.txt";
regispath.RestoreDirectory = true;
regispath.ShowDialog();
pathfile = regispath.FileName;
File.Copy(pathfile, pathoffile);
}
catch
{
And this is my property text file
pathoffile=#"C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Desktop\part_no_and_path_list.txt"
backuppath=#"C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Documents\part_no_and_path_list.txt"
pdffolderpath=#"C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Downloads\"
portname=COM3
In this case the result always a messageBox showing "Database Text File Missing. Please Select New File"
Thank you and sorry for my bad English.
You don't put #" and " in the text file, you only put them in the code because that's how the c# compiler knows they're strings (and knows not to interpret slashes as an escape character)
Just make your text file look like:
pathoffile=C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Desktop\part_no_and_path_list.txt
I also recommend you use:
Split(new []{'='}, 2)
This will allow you to use = in your path, by making split return a maximum of 2 split values; any = that are legitimately in the path would be preserved
Actually I recommend you use one of the various built in settings mechanisms that c# has; we haven't needed to read and write our own configuration files for about 25 years
If you really do want to continue rolling your own you can reduce your code massively by using a dictionary
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
public class Settings{
private Dictionary<string,string> _conf = new Dictionary<string,string>();
public string PathOfFile {
get => _conf["pathoffile"];
}
public void ReadConfig(){
File.ReadAllLines("conf.txt").ToDictionary(
x => x.Split(new[]{'='},2)[0],
x => x.Split(new[]{'='},2)[1]
);
}
}
Yep, it's all you need. Every time you want to add another setting, add another property (like public string PathOfFile), add another love to the file and make sure the string in the property matches the line in the file
In other areas, please read up on c# naming conventions; PublicThingsAreNamedLikeThis, _privateLikeThis, localLikeThis, neverlikethis
Thank you I've already solved this problem
By remove "#" and '""' from path in the property text file like this.
pathoffile=C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Desktop\part_no_and_path_list.txt
backuppath=C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Documents\part_no_and_path_list.txt
pdffolderpath=C:\Users\PFA Wongsawat\Downloads\
portname=COM3
The reason I can't see this because I debug the program by seeing the result in message box and it not match with the real one. Thank you.

Correct way to use String enums in C#

Let's say I have a directory with a set of XML files (for example, two files called ReadMacAddress.xml and ReadManufacturerId.xml) that I need to handle each one in a special way. Basically each of these XML files are a set of commands that are being received by my class.
Suppose I have an external class that is giving commands about which file should be opened,
public static void test()
{
string RecievedCommand = "ReadMacAddress"; //Command recieved from a queue
string baseDirectory = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory;
string xml = File.ReadAllText(baseDirectory + "ReadMacAddress.xml");
}
To have the possibility of opening the file automatically based on which command is received I was thinking of doing the following, first defining an enum data structure with the names of the files and then using a switch case to differentiate between the different commands(name of the file that needs to be parsed) and then using this while parsing the file.
class My_EnumXML
{
public enum ReadXML
{
ReadMacAddress,
ReadManufacturerId,
}
}
class TestRead
{
public static void OpenFile()
{
string RecievedCommand = "ReadMacAddress";
string CurrentCommand = SMLReadInputs((My_EnumXML.ReadXML)RecievedCommand);
string xml = File.ReadAllText(baseDirectory + CurrentCommand);
}
public string SMLReadInputs(My_EnumXML.ReadXML pRecievedCommand)
{
string CurrentCommand = "";
switch (pRecievedCommand)
{
case My_EnumXML.ReadXML.ReadMacAddress:
CurrentCommand = Enum.GetName(typeof(My_EnumXML.ReadXML), 0);
case My_EnumXML.ReadXML.ReadMacAddress:
CurrentCommand = Enum.GetName(typeof(My_EnumXML.ReadXML), 0);
}
return CurrentCommand;
}
}
For this example I just used the name of two XML files but I have a 100 of these and I need to know if I am proceeding in the right way, especially since I cannot debug my code because the part about receiving commands from a message queue is being implemented by someone else.

Parsing key value pairs c#

I've been having issues attempting to parse key value pairs from a text file. I've been scouring for libraries that can do what I'd like as I do not have the ability to create a class that can do this.
Here is the beginning of my file along with a portion of commented out text and key value pairs:
#!version:1.0.0.1
##File header "#!version:1.0.0.1" can not be edited or deleted, and must be placed in the first line.##
#######################################################################################
## Account1 Basic Settings ##
#######################################################################################
account.1.enable = 1
account.1.label = Front
account.1.display_name = Front
What I'm looking to do is grab these values, and be able to update them to within the file in the same location in the file that they are as these files need to remain human readable.
I've looked into Nini as this library seems to be able to do what I'd like, however the error I continue to have is based off of the line 1 of my file as it is not a key value pair.
Expected assignment operator (=) - Line: 1, Position: 19.
I read through the source of Nini, and it seems there is a way to condition the reader to use Mysqlstyle, which would use "#" as comments, but I'm unsure how to adjust it or if it is done automatically as it is completely over my head.
I understand that my files aren't legitimate ini files and there is probably a limitation within the Nini library as it searches for the section that the key value pairs are in.
The code I've attempted to use to parse and display this text to edit with Nini is as follows:
public void EditCFG(string file)
{
if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(file))
{
IniConfigSource inifile = new IniConfigSource(file);
account_1_display_name.Text = inifile.Configs[""].Get("account.1.display.name");
}
}
Could someone please point me in the right direction?
EDIT
Thanks to #rowland-shaw, I have found the solution:
private IConfigSource source = null;
public void EditCFG(string file)
{
if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(file))
{
IniDocument inifile = new IniDocument(file, IniFileType.MysqlStyle);
source = new IniConfigSource(inifile);
account_1_display_name.Text = source.Configs["account"].Get("account.1.display_name");
}
}
However, this wasn't completely the answer. I had to also implement sections within the file. After testing my equipment that grabs these files with the updated text, everything was a success.
You need to specify the IniFileType, i.e.:
IniConfigSource inifile = new IniConfigSource(file, IniFileType.MysqlStyle);
Long example:
IniDocument inifile = new IniDocument(file, IniFileType.MysqlStyle);
IniConfigSource source = new IniConfigSource(inifile);
If that is how the format is going to be (key = value and # for comments) in the file, you could do the following (c# pseudocode-ish, you can do the trivial stuff yourself):
Dictionary<string, string> dictionary;
foreach(string line in file)
{
if(string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(line)) continue;
// Remove extra spaces
line = line.Trim();
if(line[0] == '#') continue;
string[] kvp = line.Split('=');
dictionary[kvp[0].Trim()] = kvp[1].Trim(); // kvp[0] = key, kvp[1] = value
}
Then you can use the created dictionary like account_1_display_name.Text = dictionary["account.1.display.name"];
i can recommend my library Nager.ConfigParser you can easily obtain them over nuget.
Here the example for your configuration
var config = "#comment1\r\naccount.1.enable = 1\r\naccount.1.label = Front";
var configConvert = new ConfigConvert();
var item = configConvert.DeserializeObject<AccountCollection>(config);
public class AccountCollection
{
[ConfigKey("account.")]
[ConfigArray]
public Account[] Accounts { get; set; }
}
public class Account : ConfigArrayElement
{
public int Enable { get; set; }
public string Label { get; set; }
[ConfigKey("display_name")]
public string DisplayName { get; set; }
}

streamreader issue with using a textbox

I'm new to C# and writing this application that displays a message if the given name in the TextBox is in the popular list file. My book gives very little help to fix this, my error is the inputfile of if(boy.Contains(boyinputFile)) same for the girl where it says something about:
cannot convert to string.
private void checkName_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
string boy;
string girl;
girl = girlBox.Text;
boy = boyBox.Text;
StreamReader boyinputFile;
StreamReader girlinputFile;
boyinputFile = File.OpenText("BoyNames.txt");
girlinputFile = File.OpenText("GirlNames.txt");
while (!boyinputFile.EndOfStream)
{
if (boyBox.Text.Contains(boyinputFile))
{
MessageBox.Show("Yes, your name is popular!");
}
}
while (!girlinputFile.EndOfStream)
{
if (girl.Contains(girlinputFile))
{
MessageBox.Show("Yes, your name is popular!");
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("Sorry, couldn't find your name.");
}
}
boyinputFile.Close();
girlinputFile.Close();
}
You need to convert your stream to a string. This is where you are getting your error:
cannot convert to string
string girl_file = streamReader.ReadToEnd();
You then need to see if the selected name is within the string file. You need to reverse your check. You are checking to see if the textbox contains the file.
if (girl_file.Contains(girl))
{
MessageBox.Show("Yes, your name is popular!");
}
Also have a look at this question How do I convert StreamReader to a string?
I want to give you better code than the existing answers show you.
var lines = File.ReadAllLines("...");
var isMatch = lines.Contains(name);
It really can be that simple.
Try this:
string boy = boyBox.Text;
using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader("D:\\BoyNames.txt"))
{
string boyinputFile = sr.ReadToEnd();
if (boyinputFil.Contains(boy))
{
MessageBox.Show("Yes, your name is popular!");
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("Sorry, couldn't find your name.");
}
}
Replace this line
if (boyBox.Text.Contains(boyinputFile))
with
if (boyBox.Text.Contains(boyinputFile.ToString())).

Files,strings and save

I been having trouble trying to figure this out. When I think I have it I get told no. Here is a picture of it.
I am working on the save button. Now after the user adds the first name, last name and job title they can save it. If a user loads the file and it comes up in the listbox, that person should be able to click on the name and then hit the edit button and they should be able to edit it. I have code, but I did get inform it looked wackey and the string should have the first name, last name and job title.
It is getting me really confused as I am learning C#. I know how to use savefiledialog but I am not allowed to use it on this one. Here is what I am suppose to be doing:
When the user clicks the “Save” button, write the selected record to
the file specified in txtFilePath (absolute path not relative) without
truncating the values currently inside.
I am still working on my code since I got told that it will be better file writes records in a group of three strings. But this is the code I have right now.
private void Save_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
string path = txtFilePath.Text;
if (File.Exists(path))
{
using (StreamWriter sw = File.CreateText(path))
{
foreach (Employee employee in employeeList.Items)
sw.WriteLine(employee);
}
}
else
try
{
StreamWriter sw = File.AppendText(path);
foreach (var item in employeeList.Items)
sw.WriteLine(item.ToString());
}
catch
{
MessageBox.Show("Please enter something in");
}
Now I can not use save or open file dialog. The user should be able to open any file on the C,E,F drive or where it is. I was also told it should be obj.Also the program should handle and exceptions that arise.
I know this might be a noobie question but my mind is stuck as I am still learning how to code with C#. Now I have been searching and reading. But I am not finding something to help me understand how to have all this into 1 code. If someone might be able to help or even point to a better web site I would appreciate it.
There are many, many ways to store data in a file. This code demonstrates 4 methods that are pretty easy to use. But the point is that you should probably be splitting up your data into separate pieces rather than storing them as one long string.
public class MyPublicData
{
public int id;
public string value;
}
[Serializable()]
class MyEncapsulatedData
{
private DateTime created;
private int length;
public MyEncapsulatedData(int length)
{
created = DateTime.Now;
this.length = length;
}
public DateTime ExpirationDate
{
get { return created.AddDays(length); }
}
}
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string testpath = System.IO.Path.Combine(
Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop), "TestFile");
// Method 1: Automatic XML serialization
// Requires that the type being serialized and all its serializable members are public
System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer xs =
new System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer(typeof(MyPublicData));
MyPublicData o1 = new MyPublicData() {id = 3141, value = "a test object"};
MyEncapsulatedData o2 = new MyEncapsulatedData(7);
using (System.IO.StreamWriter w = new System.IO.StreamWriter(testpath + ".xml"))
{
xs.Serialize(w, o1);
}
// Method 2: Manual XML serialization
System.Xml.XmlWriter xw = System.Xml.XmlWriter.Create(testpath + "1.xml");
xw.WriteStartElement("MyPublicData");
xw.WriteStartAttribute("id");
xw.WriteValue(o1.id);
xw.WriteEndAttribute();
xw.WriteAttributeString("value", o1.value);
xw.WriteEndElement();
xw.Close();
// Method 3: Automatic binary serialization
// Requires that the type being serialized be marked with the "Serializable" attribute
using (System.IO.FileStream f = new System.IO.FileStream(testpath + ".bin", System.IO.FileMode.Create))
{
System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter bf =
new System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter();
bf.Serialize(f, o2);
}
// Demonstrate how automatic binary deserialization works
// and prove that it handles objects with private members
using (System.IO.FileStream f = new System.IO.FileStream(testpath + ".bin", System.IO.FileMode.Open))
{
System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter bf =
new System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter();
MyEncapsulatedData o3 = (MyEncapsulatedData)bf.Deserialize(f);
Console.WriteLine(o3.ExpirationDate.ToString());
}
// Method 4: Manual binary serialization
using (System.IO.FileStream f = new System.IO.FileStream(testpath + "1.bin", System.IO.FileMode.Create))
{
using (System.IO.BinaryWriter w = new System.IO.BinaryWriter(f))
{
w.Write(o1.id);
w.Write(o1.value);
}
}
// Demonstrate how manual binary deserialization works
using (System.IO.FileStream f = new System.IO.FileStream(testpath + "1.bin", System.IO.FileMode.Open))
{
using (System.IO.BinaryReader r = new System.IO.BinaryReader(f))
{
MyPublicData o4 = new MyPublicData() { id = r.ReadInt32(), value = r.ReadString() };
Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}", o4.id, o4.value);
}
}
}
}
As you are writing the employee objects with WriteLine, the underlying ToString() is being invoked. What you have to do first is to customize that ToString() methods to fit your needs, in this way:
public class Employee
{
public string FirstName;
public string LastName;
public string JobTitle;
// all other declarations here
...........
// Override ToString()
public override string ToString()
{
return string.Format("'{0}', '{1}', '{2}'", this.FirstName, this.LastName, this.JobTitle);
}
}
This way, your writing code still keeps clean and readable.
By the way, there is not a reverse equivalent of ToSTring, but to follow .Net standards, I suggest you to implement an Employee's method like:
public static Employee Parse(string)
{
// your code here, return a new Employee object
}
You have to determine a way of saving that suits your needs. A simple way to store this info could be CSV:
"Firstname1","Lastname 1", "Jobtitle1"
" Firstname2", "Lastname2","Jobtitle2 "
As you can see, data won't be truncated, since the delimiter " is used to determine string boundaries.
As shown in this question, using CsvHelper might be an option. But given this is homework and the constraints therein, you might have to create this method yourself. You could put this in Employee (or make it override ToString()) that does something along those lines:
public String GetAsCSV(String firstName, String lastName, String jobTitle)
{
return String.Format("\"{0}\",\"{1}\",\"{2}\"", firstName, lastName, jobTitle);
}
I'll leave the way how to read the data back in as an exercise to you. ;-)

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