edit numbers on lines

how wuuld i make this change throughout an entire text file

646,"@","800 80061 LIPID PANEL",30.35,"LIPID SCREENING","V77.91"

646,"@","800 80061-90 LIPID PANEL",30.35,"LIPID SCREENING","V77.91"

basically everywhere in the file there is a 5 digit number starting with 8 add -90 to the end of it

make 80061 into 80061-90
make 81345 into 81345-90
but dont change 56758 or anything that doesnt start with 8

As you loop through your text file, you can put the info into a control on your form and then when through, write all the stuff back out to the file.
You change each line by looking for the 14th character ( I am ASSUMING the "8" will always be the 14th character), and you can use the split() function (for one) and put everything up to the 18th character in the 0th element of your split array, and then simply concatenate a "-90" IF the 14th character is an "8"---if not, simply don't add anything to the 0th array. When you are ready to write back out each line to the file, you can use the 0th and 1st element of your split array to do this.
You could alse use the Mid() function to see if the 14th char is an "8", and if so, save everything to the left (including) of the 18th character (that is the END of the 5-digit number), concatenate the "-90" to IT, and save everything to the right of the 18th character (excluding it) and then concatenate both strings back together.
It is simple string manipulation. I PERSONALLY like putting all the lines of my text file into a control (like a listbox), and then overwrite my text file after I have made the string changes...lotsa ways to do this...split is easy, as is Mid. Instr() is another function you could easily use to do this string manipulation.

Here's an example of a way to figure it out...using mid()
I replaced your quotes in each string with nothing, so as to make it easier to work with (initially I set the text property of text1 to one of your strings.
SO, I clicked on cmd1 to remove the quotes, then clicked on command2 to make the new string.

Code:

---

Option Explicit

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Text1.Text = Replace(Text1.Text, Chr(34), "")

End Sub

Private Sub Command2_Click()
Dim myStr1 As String, myStr2 As String, myNewStr1 As String, myFinalStr As String
myStr1 = Mid(Text1.Text, 1, 15)
myStr2 = Mid(Text1.Text, 13)
If Mid(myStr1, 11, 1) = "8" Then
  myNewStr1 = myStr1 & "-90"
Else
  myNewStr1 = myStr1
End If
myFinalStr = myNewStr1 & myStr2
MsgBox myFinalStr
End Sub

---

Enjoy....
Out of the net for rest of the day.

I think you need to tighten up your requirements a little and define the constraints. Giving an example of one record may not be enough to create a 'universal' solution.
For example:

1. Is the item of data you want to inspect and change always within the field following the second comma?
e.g. could a record look like this:

Code:

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646,"@","800 56789 LIPID PANEL",30.35,"LIPID SCREENING(80061)","V77.91"

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If so, do you want to change the 80061 to 80061-90?

2. Will the item always be preceeded by one and only one space character?
Could it look like

Code:

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646,"@","800    80061 LIPID PANEL",30.35,"LIPID SCREENING","V77.91" ?

---

3. Will there be any other 5 digit numbers within the item / record that will need changing?

Code:

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646,"@","800 80061 LIPID PANEL(80061)",30.35,"LIPID SCREENING","V77.91"

---

or

Code:

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646,"@","800 80061 LIPID PANEL(80061)",30.35,"LIPID SCREENING 80061","V77.91"

---

If that's possible, what do you want to do with the other 80061's ?

4. Could a record look like:

Code:

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646,"@","800 56789 LIPID PANEL",80130.35,"LIPID SCREENING","V77.91"

---

and if so, would you want the 80130 changed ?

Ther may be other possible combinations where a 5 digit number may begin with "8", unless you tell us it's going to be difficult to suggest a solution.

I'd do it somewhere along these lines

Step 1: During your loop through the file read each line into a string.
Use the Split-Function on this string with comma as separator (resulting array called "arrString")
Step 2: Use the Split-Function again on the 3rd Member of the resulting array "arrString(2)" with space as separator (resulting array called "arrMember")
Step 3: Check the first character on the 2nd Member of this resulting array "arrMember(1)" if it starts with "8". If Yes add "-90", if not don't.
Step 4: build your string back together and write it to an output-file

you can directly use split with space as separator & check element in splitarray is digit & starting with 8 then add "-90" at end of that element in the splitarray which matches the is digit condition

try this

Code:

---


Option Explicit

Dim LipidText() As String

Private Sub Form_Load()
    ReDim LipidText(0)

    Call ReadFile(App.Path & "\" & "LipidFile.txt")
    Call ProcessLipid
    Call WriteFile(App.Path & "\" & "LipidFileNew.txt")

End Sub

Private Sub ProcessLipid()
    Dim ComSep() As String
    Dim LPanel() As String
    Dim LipidLine As String
    Dim NewLPanel As String

    Dim i As Long
   
    ' loop through each line in array and process
    For i = 0 To UBound(LipidText)
        LipidLine = LipidText(i)

        ' seperate by comma
        ComSep() = Split(LipidLine, ",")

        ' seperate Lipid Panel text by space
        LPanel() = Split(ComSep(2), " ")

        ' 5 digit text at position 1 of LPanel array
        ' check if we have 8 at the start, if we do - we need to process it

        If Left$(LPanel(1), 1) = "8" Then
            ' add -90 to it
            LPanel(1) = LPanel(1) & "-90"
        End If

        ' join the LPanel text back into ComSep array
        ComSep(2) = Join(LPanel, " ")

        ' restore line and insert into LipidText array
        LipidText(i) = Join(ComSep, ",")

    Next i

End Sub
Private Sub ReadFile(ThisFile As String)
    Dim f As String
    Dim ReadLine As String

    f = FreeFile

    ' Open file to read
    Open ThisFile For Input As #f

    Do Until EOF(f)
        Line Input #f, ReadLine
        ' accept data only, skip empty lines
        If ReadLine <> "" Then
            LipidText(UBound(LipidText)) = ReadLine
            ReDim Preserve LipidText(UBound(LipidText) + 1)
        End If

    Loop

    Close #f
    ' close the file
   
    ' remove extra array record
    ReDim Preserve LipidText(UBound(LipidText) - 1)

    Form1.Caption = "File Read Successful."
End Sub
Private Sub WriteFile(ThisFile As String)
    Dim i As Long
    Dim f As String

    f = FreeFile
   
    ' open the file to write
    Open ThisFile For Output As #f

    ' loop through array and output to file
    For i = 0 To UBound(LipidText)
        Print #f, LipidText(i)
    Next i

    Close #f
    ' close the file
   
    ' delete array
    Erase LipidText

    Form1.Caption = "File write Successful."
End Sub

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