Storing Text Tab Delimited into variables

[acarter]

Hey Gang!

So I've ran into an issue where I don't know how to separate a text tab delimited file by tabs. 

Here is what I'm trying to do - I'm building a loader program that reads each "cell" that Excel outputted to this Text Tab-Delimited file and hold it until its used. There are 4 columns in the file and each "cell" will be used at a different time.

Here is how the file goes:

Column A - Contract #

Column B - Year

Column C - Contract Line Number

Column D - Code

The program will need to run though a process of Send commands and when needed, it will output the contents of each cell (at different times) and run to the next line in the text file and repeat the process.

My code thus far: (it might look amateurish - its a combination of a bunch of example scripts I've tested).

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#include <ButtonConstants.au3>
#include <EditConstants.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <StaticConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <File.au3>
#include <Array.au3>

#region ### START Koda GUI section ###
$Form1 = GUICreate("SP", 606, 220)
$Label1 = GUICtrlCreateLabel("DM Loader", 32, 24, 279, 39)
GUICtrlSetFont(-1, 20, 400, 0, "Elephant")
$Label2 = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Select File:", 32, 80, 56, 17)
$Input1 = GUICtrlCreateInput("", 88, 75, 281, 21)
GUICtrlSetState(-1, $GUI_DISABLE)
GUICtrlSetFont(-1, 8, 800, 4, "MS Sans Serif")
$Button1 = GUICtrlCreateButton("Select", 376, 72, 75, 25)
$Button2 = GUICtrlCreateButton("Load", 32, 150, 512, 25)
Local $aInput
$message = "Select File"
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

#endregion ### END Koda GUI section ###


While 1
    $msg = GUIGetMsg()
    Select
        Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            ExitLoop
        Case $msg = $Button1
            $var = FileOpenDialog($message, "C:\", "Text (*.txt)", 1)
            GUICtrlSetData($Input1, $var)
        Case $msg = $Button2
            FileOpen($var, 0)
            _FileReadToArray($var, $aInput)
            For $i = 1 To UBound($aInput) - 1
                MsgBox(0, '', $aInput[$i])
            Next

            For $i = 1 To _FileCountLines($var)
                $line = FileReadLine($var, $i)
                MsgBox(0, " ", "The Line " & $i & "is" & $line)
            Next
            FileClose($var)
    EndSelect
WEnd

Does anyone know a solution to my issue?

Thanks!

[orbs]

i guess the 2 parts of $Button2 (separated by a blank line) are alternatives that you tried?

suggestion 1: google autoit file read to array 2d

there are many variations that will get your data in a table (2d array) instead of a list (1d array).

suggestion 2:

try using StringSplit() on each line before you use the data, use @TAB as delimiter.

if @TAB as delimiter gives you trouble, use space, or better yet - change your Excel output format (if you can) to CSV, separating by commas is easier.

[acarter]

i guess the 2 parts of $Button2 (separated by a blank line) are alternatives that you tried?

suggestion 1: google autoit file read to array 2d

there are many variations that will get your data in a table (2d array) instead of a list (1d array).

suggestion 2:

try using StringSplit() on each line before you use the data, use @TAB as delimiter.

if @TAB as delimiter gives you trouble, use space, or better yet - change your Excel output format (if you can) to CSV, separating by commas is easier.

 

Thank you! I was originally going to use just an Excel file to read off of, but it looks more complicated. 

Which would be easier - Text (Tab Delimited), CSV, or an Excel file?

[dcat127]

I think Text (Tab Delimited) is the easiest, since you do not need to worry about parentheses around text like you do with csv.

[acarter]

EDIT: I got it to read and put it into a text file. That was easier than I thought - but my next (and last) question is, how do I get it to hold on to each "cell" and send it when needed? Right now, it sends the first "cell", presses enter", enters the second one & Enter, third one & Enter, and fourth one & Enter, and goes to the next line. I want to have it send other things between each "cell" a line.

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#include <ButtonConstants.au3>
#include <EditConstants.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <StaticConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <File.au3>
#include <Array.au3>




#region ### START Koda GUI section ###
$Form1 = GUICreate("SP", 606, 220)
$Label1 = GUICtrlCreateLabel("DM Loader", 32, 24, 279, 39)
GUICtrlSetFont(-1, 20, 400, 0, "Elephant")
$Label2 = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Select File:", 32, 80, 56, 17)
$Input1 = GUICtrlCreateInput("", 88, 75, 281, 21)
GUICtrlSetState(-1, $GUI_DISABLE)
GUICtrlSetFont(-1, 8, 800, 4, "MS Sans Serif")
$Button1 = GUICtrlCreateButton("Select", 376, 72, 75, 25)
$Button2 = GUICtrlCreateButton("Load", 32, 150, 512, 25)


$message = "Select File"
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)




Local $aInput


#endregion ### END Koda GUI section ###










While 1
$msg = GUIGetMsg()
Select
Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
ExitLoop
Case $msg = $Button1
$var = FileOpenDialog($message, "C:\", "Text (*.txt)", 1)
GUICtrlSetData($Input1, $var)
Case $msg = $Button2
While 1
FileOpen($var, 0)
$lines = StringSplit(FileReadLine($var), @TAB, 1)
_FileReadToArray($var, $lines)


For $i = 1 To _FileCountLines($var)
ConsoleWrite('line:' & $i & ' ')
$columns = StringSplit($lines[$i], @TAB)


For $j = 1 To $columns[0]
ConsoleWrite('col' & $j & ':' & $columns[$j] & ' ')
WinWaitActive("Untitled - Notepad")
Send($columns[$j])
Send("{ENTER}")
Next
ConsoleWrite(@TAB)
FileClose($var)
Next
ExitLoop
WEnd






EndSelect
WEnd

Edited January 23, 2014 by acarter

[acarter]

To better explain what I want the above code to do:

Text file:

12345     14    1    92837

23456    14    9    92837

23456    14    10    92837

I want it to take, for example, "12345" and send it to notepad, then send some stuff (a name, or phone number hard-coded), then send "14", and send some more hard-coded stuff, then send "1", and more hard-coded stuff, and send "92837, and finally more hard-coded stuff.....and move to the next line and repeat the above.

[mikell]

It seems that you can't avoid doing like this

For $i = 1 To _FileCountLines($file)
   $line = FileReadLine($file, $i)
   $columns = StringSplit($line, @TAB)
   WinWaitActive("Untitled - Notepad")
   Send($columns[1])
      ; do some work
   Send($columns[2])
      ; do some other work
   Send($columns[3])
      ; do some different work
   Send($columns[4])
      ; do some final work
Next

But the 'send' series are not a very reliable way

Edited January 23, 2014 by mikell

[acarter]

It seems that you can't avoid doing like this

For $i = 1 To _FileCountLines($file)
   $line = FileReadLine($file, $i)
   $columns = StringSplit($line, @TAB)
   WinWaitActive("Untitled - Notepad")
   Send($columns[1])
      ; do some work
   Send($columns[2])
      ; do some other work
   Send($columns[3])
      ; do some different work
   Send($columns[4])
      ; do some final work
Next

But the 'send' series are not a very reliable way

 

Thank you!!! That works. Unfortunately, the SEND series is my only option. But this works perfectly. Thank you very much!