How to read text file by replacing a character as line break

I have a text file which I can import (read) if it is presented as separate lines. However sometimes I get the file with all the lines next to each other as if there is no line break. So the Line Read and While Not EOF command reads it as a single line whereas there may have been over 10,000 lines. I noticed that if I open this file in notepad it shows it as a single line without any breaks (but with a small box after each line which should have been a line break) but if I open it in TextPad it shows all the separate lines.

Now, since I may get both types of files, I need the application to be able to:

1. check if they are separate lines or a single line
2. break the Line Read text into separte lines and then process further.

I am attaching 2 separate attachments (withoutbreak.txt and withbreak.txt). Both these files look identical in TextPad but different if opened in notepad. A "*" is what should indicate end of line, so if you can guide me how to use it to indicate a line break and still continue with While Not EOF and Line Read to read the lines as separate lines, it'd be great!

Looking forward to your support!

Regards
Vinit

Try this for Withoutbreak.txt file:

Code:

---

Option Explicit

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    Dim strTemp        As String
    Dim strContent()    As String
   
    '~~~ Read the entire line
    Open "c:\withoutbreak.txt" For Input As #1
    Line Input #1, strTemp
    Close #1
   
    strContent = Split(strTemp, vbLf)  '~~~ Split the string
   
    '~~~ Display the lines or do whatever you want
    Dim i As Long
    For i = LBound(strContent) To UBound(strContent)
        Debug.Print strContent(i)
    Next
   
End Sub

---

:wave:

as you do not show what code you are currently using....

vb Code:

open "somefile.txt" for input as 1
strfile = input(lof(1), #1)   ' read entire file into string
close 1
if instr(strfile, vbnewline) = 0 then strfile = replace(strfile, vblf, vbnewline)  ' if no new lines replace linefeed character with new line
 
' if you want the file contents in an array
arrfile = split(strfile, vbnewline)

The other way is to remove the vbCr rather than add the vbLf and then have to remove it with Split

Code:

---

Dim intFile As Integer
Dim strData As String
Dim strFile As String
Dim strRecords() As String
intFile = FreeFile
strFile = "C:\somefile.txt"
Open strFile For Input As intFile
strData = Input(LOF(intFile), intFile)
Close intFile
If InStr(strData, vbCrLf) <> 0 Then strData = Replace(strData, vbCr, "")
strRecords = Split(strData, vbLf)

---

It's as broad as it is long !

Replace() takes more time on large text. This should be quicker:

Code:

---

Open "C:\Temp\SomeFile.txt" for Input as #1
sData = Input(LOF(1), 1)
Close #1
If Instr(sData, vbCrLf) Then
    sLines = Split(sData, vbCrLf)
Else
    sLines = Split(sData, vbLf)
End If

---

Or

Code:

---

If Instr(sData, vbCrLf) Then sLineBreal = vbCrLf Else sLineBreak = vbLf
sLines = Split(sData, sLineBreak)

---