VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Hi All.. how can I read data from a text file between two dates? Right now I am just going back X-days from today with this from a comma delimited text file:

Code:

Dim lines = IO.File.ReadAllLines(filename) For Each line In lines Dim Data = line.Split(","c) If (CDate(Data(4)) > DateTime.Now.AddDays(-CInt(HowMnyDays))) Then

Thanks in advance.

Example Data:

Code:

8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,741,55,4/18/2022 6:33:49 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,857,59,4/18/2022 6:33:59 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,1024,55,4/18/2022 6:34:02 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,284,669,4/18/2022 6:34:13 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,544,673,4/18/2022 6:34:17 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,724,677,4/18/2022 6:34:21 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,1000,667,4/18/2022 6:34:26 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,1039,672,4/18/2022 6:34:29 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_TOP,B1023,930,175,4/18/2022 6:35:12 AM,LiTran,No Solder,Color [LightSkyBlue],A2523217, 8-879003-02_TOP,B1023,845,232,4/18/2022 6:37:24 AM,LiTran,Missing Part,Color [Yellow],A2523217, 8-879003-02_TOP,B1023,489,375,4/18/2022 6:51:39 AM,LiTran,Missing Part,Color [Yellow],A2523217, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5345,66,265,4/18/2022 9:27:38 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5345,510,231,4/18/2022 9:28:24 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5345,485,324,4/18/2022 9:29:00 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5345,567,136,4/18/2022 9:29:36 AM,thvan,Solder Bridge,Color [Chartreuse],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5345,593,469,4/18/2022 9:30:05 AM,thvan,Solder Bridge,Color [Chartreuse],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5346,65,268,4/18/2022 9:32:03 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5346,509,234,4/18/2022 9:32:56 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5346,493,311,4/18/2022 9:33:48 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5346,567,460,4/18/2022 9:35:50 AM,thvan,Solder Bridge,Color [Chartreuse],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5347,70,275,4/18/2022 9:37:06 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5347,513,235,4/18/2022 9:37:55 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939,

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Maybe you could show us some example data. Will the data be sequential by date? If so, in ascending or descending order?

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Thanks for the reply jmcilhinney, I have edited my post. All data is in date order descending.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

This code works for me:
vb.net Code:
Private Sub ReadLinesByDateRange(startDate As Date, endDate As Date)
    Dim filePath = Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, "TextFile1.txt")
    Dim getDateTime = Function(line) Date.ParseExact(line.Split(","c)(4), "M/dd/yyyy h:mm:ss tt", Nothing)
    Dim lines = File.ReadLines(filePath).
                     SkipWhile(Function(line) getDateTime(line) < startDate).
                     TakeWhile(Function(line) getDateTime(line) < endDate)
 
    For Each line In lines
        Console.WriteLine(line)
    Next
End Sub
Note that, in that code, startDate is inclusive and endDate is exclusive. In my testing, I used this data:

Code:

8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,741,55,4/18/2022 6:33:49 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,857,59,4/18/2022 6:33:59 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,1024,55,4/19/2022 6:34:02 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,284,669,4/19/2022 6:34:13 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,544,673,4/20/2022 6:34:17 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,724,677,4/20/2022 6:34:21 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,1000,667,4/21/2022 6:34:26 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,1039,672,4/21/2022 6:34:29 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_TOP,B1023,930,175,4/22/2022 6:35:12 AM,LiTran,No Solder,Color [LightSkyBlue],A2523217, 8-879003-02_TOP,B1023,845,232,4/22/2022 6:37:24 AM,LiTran,Missing Part,Color [Yellow],A2523217, 8-879003-02_TOP,B1023,489,375,4/23/2022 6:51:39 AM,LiTran,Missing Part,Color [Yellow],A2523217, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5345,66,265,4/23/2022 9:27:38 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5345,510,231,4/24/2022 9:28:24 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939, 4-946020-12_BTM,-5345,485,324,4/24/2022 9:29:00 AM,thvan,Insuff Solder,Color [Orange],A2524939,

and called the method like this:
vb.net Code:
ReadLinesByDateRange(#4/20/2022#, #4/23/2022#)
and got this output:

Code:

8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,544,673,4/20/2022 6:34:17 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,724,677,4/20/2022 6:34:21 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,1000,667,4/21/2022 6:34:26 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_BTM,B1022,1039,672,4/21/2022 6:34:29 AM,LiTran,Wrong Prep,Color [DarkOrchid],A2523217, 8-879003-02_TOP,B1023,930,175,4/22/2022 6:35:12 AM,LiTran,No Solder,Color [LightSkyBlue],A2523217, 8-879003-02_TOP,B1023,845,232,4/22/2022 6:37:24 AM,LiTran,Missing Part,Color [Yellow],A2523217,

so records on or after the startDate and before the endDate.

Note that my code calls ReadLines rather than ReadAllLines. The latter will read every line first and return them in an array, which you could then process. The former will basically return each line for processing before reading the next. One advantage of that is that you can stop reading any time that you know that you don't need any more data. That's a boon for big files in particular, especially when the data you need is near the beginning.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Thanks for your help on this.. I am going to try it out now. Would this be something that I could easily use with a date/time picker?

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg71

Would this be something that I could easily use with a date/time picker?

Of course. The method takes two Date values as arguments. Where you get those Dates from is completely up to you, e.g. the Value properties of two DateTimePicker controls.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

I think your looking for concatenate ex:

Code:

Dim words = "hello I'm text" Dim endwords = "ending text" Dim datenow = Date.Now() Dim spacetoconcat Spacetoconcat = words + datenow.tostring() + endwords 'theres spacer methods in the vb

May be & to

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx88_ValidUser

I think your looking for concatenate ex:

Code:

Dim words = "hello I'm text" Dim endwords = "ending text" Dim datenow = Date.Now() Dim spacetoconcat Spacetoconcat = words + datenow.tostring() + endwords 'theres spacer methods in the vb

May be & to

Maybe sit the next couple plays out...

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Quote:

Originally Posted by OptionBase1

Maybe sit the next couple plays out...

I'm gonna play with out like two dogs caged yo

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Hi jmcilhinney... I am struggling a bit trying to remove what I need from my old code. How can I fit yours in? I am going to use a new form for a 'datetimepicker' to get two dates. I can then grab those variables, but I think I am just getting myself confused with this as I have not yet used a datetimepicker. I was able to get the datepicker values from the new form, now I just need to get it all sorted. Here is what I have now for how I have been doing it:

Code:

Dim filename = IO.Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, "Defect_Files", "Defects.txt") Dim HowMnyDays = InputBox(vbCrLf & "How Many Days Back Do You Want To Review?", "Days to Review") If HowMnyDays Is Nothing Then Exit Sub Try If (IO.File.Exists(filename)) Then Dim lines = IO.File.ReadAllLines(filename) For Each line In lines Dim Data = line.Split(","c) If (Data.Length > 0 AndAlso Data(0) = ToggleFile) Then If (CDate(Data(4)) > DateTime.Now.AddDays(-CInt(HowMnyDays))) Then TextBox1.Text = "ALL-DEFECTS" Dim fromTextFile As String = Data(7) Dim color As String = fromTextFile.Split(New Char() {"["c, "]"c})(1) Dim dynamicButton As New Button With { .Location = New Point(CInt(Data(2)), CInt(Data(3))), .Height = 7, .Width = 7, .FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat, .BackColor = Drawing.Color.FromName(color), .ForeColor = Drawing.Color.FromName(color) }

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

You have this:

vb.net Code:

Dim lines = IO.File.ReadAllLines(filename)
 
For Each line In lines

I have this:

vb.net Code:

Dim lines = File.ReadLines(filePath).
                 SkipWhile(Function(line) getDateTime(line) < startDate).
                 TakeWhile(Function(line) getDateTime(line) < endDate)
 
For Each line In lines

I'm not sure what isn't clear about what you need to change.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Ok, this is what I have right now in my button code:

Code:

Private Sub BtnCreateMap_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles BtnCreateMap.Click If PictureBox1.Image Is Nothing Then MsgBox("No CCA image to create Heat-Map", vbExclamation, "") Exit Sub End If Dim filename = IO.Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, "Defect_Files", "HeatMap_Defects.txt") Dim HowMnyDays = InputBox(vbCrLf & "How Many Days Back Do You Want To Review?", "Days to Review") PickDate.Show() <<< DatePicker Form <<< If HowMnyDays Is Nothing Then Exit Sub <<< This should be replaced by DatePicker values <<< Try If (IO.File.Exists(filename)) Then Dim lines = IO.File.ReadAllLines(filename) For Each line In lines Dim Data = line.Split(","c) If (Data.Length > 0 AndAlso Data(0) = ToggleFile) Then If (CDate(Data(4)) > DateTime.Now.AddDays(-CInt(HowMnyDays))) Then TextBox1.Text = "DEFECT MAP" Dim fromTextFile As String = Data(7) Dim color As String = fromTextFile.Split(New Char() {"["c, "]"c})(1) Dim dynamicButton As New Button With { .Location = New Point(CInt(Data(2)), CInt(Data(3))), .Height = 7, .Width = 7, .FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat, .BackColor = Drawing.Color.FromName(color), .ForeColor = Drawing.Color.FromName(color) } If (Data.Length > 4) Then ToolTip1.SetToolTip(dynamicButton, $"SN: {Data(1)} '{Data(6)}'") End If If PictureBox1.Visible = True Then PictureBox1.Select() If Not color.ToString = "Empty" Then PictureBox1.Controls.Add(dynamicButton) End If End If If PictureBox2.Visible = True Then PictureBox2.Select() If Not color.ToString = "Empty" Then PictureBox2.Controls.Add(dynamicButton) End If End If End If End If Next End If End Sub

So from my DatePicker form values, how do I call the function you created? When I tried to merge all of my button code in with your function, I get an error about converting a string to an integer when trying to look at another value within the split file. I hope I am making sense trying to explain this.

Here is my DatePicker Form code:

Code:

Public Class PickDate Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click Form1.dpFrom = DatePickerFROM.Value Form1.dpTo = DatePickerTO.Value Dim result As TimeSpan = Form1.dpFrom.Subtract(Form1.dpTo) Dim ds As Integer = result.TotalDays TextBox1.Text = ds MsgBox(DatePickerFROM.Value & " - " & DatePickerTO.Value) End Sub End Class

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

If you are using a separate form with two DateTimePickers on it then you should display that as a modal dialogue and get the date values via properties, e.g. in the second form:

vb.net Code:

Public ReadOnly Property StartDate As Date
    Get
        Return startDatePicker.Value.Date
    End Get
End Property
 
Public ReadOnly Property EndDate As Date
    Get
        Return endDatePicker.Value.Date
    End Get
End Property

and in the first form:

vb.net Code:

Using dialogue As New Form2
    If dialogue.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
        ReadLinesByDateRange(dialogue.StartDate, dialogue.EndDate)
    End If
End Using

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Sorry, I am still getting lost between the two forms. I put your code in my 'DatePicker' form and I do get the form to popup, then I select two dates. What do I need to do in order to get the values automatically after selecting them on the datepicker form? I am guessing that needs to somehow replace my original line here:

Code:

If (CDate(Data(4)) > DateTime.Now.AddDays(-CInt(HowMnyDays))) Then

Never dealing with a datepicker, I feel totally lost on this.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

You're trying to do every6thing backwards. Stop! Think about the logic first and then write code to implement that logic. If that means redoing something you've already done then so be it.

Start by thinking about the date input only. What do you need? You need a form with two date controls that will pass that input back to the caller. Do that and that only. I've already told you what to do. Do that now. Once that's done, the date controls become completely irrelevant to the question of how to read lines from a file. You simply display the dialogue and get the date values, as I have shown you how to do, and then pass those values to the code that reads the file, as I've shown you how to do. getting the date input and using the date input are two co0mpletely separate issues so start treating them that way. One of the main reasons that beginners have problems is that they treat everything as one big problem instead of several little ones. The smaller the problem, the easier it is to solve, so break the big problem down into several smaller ones and solve each one independently. using date input is the same regardless of how you get it and getting date input is the same regardless of how you use it, so neither subproblem is at all dependent on the other. That also means that no question posted on this or similar sites should be asking about both.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

thanks jmcilhinney, I see your point on this and appreciate you explaining it. I am going to look closely at this over the weekend and break it down piece by piece.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Ok, I am just now finally getting back to this. I can't seem to get beyond this error and do not understand what can be causing it. The data is the same with the same date format etc.

Attachment 184875

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Wow some of this code examples look like trash from vb6

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg71

Ok, I am just now finally getting back to this. I can't seem to get beyond this error and do not understand what can be causing it. The data is the same with the same date format etc.

Attachment 184875

Your attachment is invalid. That's the site's fault rather than yours - there's a bug with inline attachments - but that's irrelevant anyway. There's no need to attach anything. Post the relevant code as text, formatted as code. Post error message as the text they are. Attachments just make things harder, even when they do work. They have their uses but basic code snippets and error messages is not one of them.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Thanks for the info on that, I will make sure I don't do attachments knowing that.

Here is the portion from your original code and my modified version (which seems to work). I don't understand why this makes a difference, but when I run the original, I get "string not recognized as a valid date/time"

Code:

'modified line Dim getDateTime = Function(line) Date.ParseExact(line.Split(","c)(4), "M/d/yyyy h:mm:ss tt", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, DateTimeStyles.None) 'your original line Dim getDateTime = Function(line) Date.ParseExact(line.Split(","c)(4), "M/dd/yyyy h:mm:ss tt", Nothing)

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

I seem to have made it beyond the datepicker, but now I have another glitch. When trying to get my color from the text file, I get the error in the marked line below. Is this because I am re-splitting the already split file?

Code:

Dim getDateTime = Function(line) Date.ParseExact(line.Split(","c)(4), "M/d/yyyy h:mm:ss tt", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, DateTimeStyles.None) Dim lines = File.ReadAllLines(filePath). SkipWhile(Function(line) getDateTime(line) < startDate). TakeWhile(Function(line) getDateTime(line) < endDate) For Each line In lines MsgBox(line) TextBox1.Text = "ALL DEFECTS" Dim fromTextFile As String = line(7) Dim color As String = fromTextFile.Split(New Char() {"["c, "]"c})(1) <<<< NEW ERROR: System.IndexOutOfRangeException: 'Index was outside the bounds of the array.' Dim dynamicButton As New Button With { .Location = New Point(CInt(line(2).ToString), CInt(line(3).ToString)), .Height = 7, .Width = 7, .FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat, .BackColor = Drawing.Color.FromName(color), .ForeColor = Drawing.Color.FromName(color) }

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg71

Thanks for the info on that, I will make sure I don't do attachments knowing that.

Here is the portion from your original code and my modified version (which seems to work). I don't understand why this makes a difference, but when I run the original, I get "string not recognized as a valid date/time"

Code:

'modified line Dim getDateTime = Function(line) Date.ParseExact(line.Split(","c)(4), "M/d/yyyy h:mm:ss tt", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, DateTimeStyles.None) 'your original line Dim getDateTime = Function(line) Date.ParseExact(line.Split(","c)(4), "M/dd/yyyy h:mm:ss tt", Nothing)

Look at the difference between them. One is specifying a 2-digit daya and the other is specifying a 1-digit day. Is you day 2 digits? Did you read the documentation about date/time formatting? If you have a day value less than 10 and it does not have a leading 0 on it then that is not valid if using "dd" for the day.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg71

I seem to have made it beyond the datepicker, but now I have another glitch. When trying to get my color from the text file, I get the error in the marked line below. Is this because I am re-splitting the already split file?

Code:

Dim getDateTime = Function(line) Date.ParseExact(line.Split(","c)(4), "M/d/yyyy h:mm:ss tt", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, DateTimeStyles.None) Dim lines = File.ReadAllLines(filePath). SkipWhile(Function(line) getDateTime(line) < startDate). TakeWhile(Function(line) getDateTime(line) < endDate) For Each line In lines MsgBox(line) TextBox1.Text = "ALL DEFECTS" Dim fromTextFile As String = line(7) Dim color As String = fromTextFile.Split(New Char() {"["c, "]"c})(1) <<<< NEW ERROR: System.IndexOutOfRangeException: 'Index was outside the bounds of the array.' Dim dynamicButton As New Button With { .Location = New Point(CInt(line(2).ToString), CInt(line(3).ToString)), .Height = 7, .Width = 7, .FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat, .BackColor = Drawing.Color.FromName(color), .ForeColor = Drawing.Color.FromName(color) }

Use the debugger. The error message is telling you that the index you're using is out of range so look at the index you're using and the valid range to see why it's wrong. The index is hard-coded right there in your code: 1. Obviously there is not element at index 1 in that array. Did you look at the array you got back from Split to see what it contained, or even the line you were splitting beforehand? It would seem not, but why not? If you don't know how to use the debugger then stop what you're doing and learn that first because you need to have debugged your code before posting a question.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Remember events are like structures there purpose is fast and accurate memory access.

Re: VB.NET read text file data between two dates

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx88_ValidUser

Remember events are like structures there purpose is fast and accurate memory access.

mmx88_ValidUser, would you please keep your gibberish in Chit Chat!