Removing multiple enteries in a text file

[Chrispybee]

Hello, Hoping that some one could help me on this one. Below is part of a text file that I need to amend. It's a log file that an Application generates and would like to remove multiple enteries of per instance...

For example:

In Text file--

L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147656 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147671 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147671 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147671 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147671 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147671 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T21296 106147734 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147734 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147734 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147734 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147734 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147734 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147734 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147750 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147750 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147750 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147750 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147750 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147750 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T21296 106147750 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: wshom.ocx, User: IT2000\sshp21kd
L3 T11100 106147781 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147781 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147781 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T11100 106147781 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: SpeedScreenApi.dll, User: IT2000\ssnf34cm
L3 T12112 106147812 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: taskmgr.exe, User: IT2000\hitsdh
L3 T12112 106147812 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: taskmgr.exe, User: IT2000\hitsdh
L3 T12112 106147812 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: taskmgr.exe, User: IT2000\hitsdh
L3 T12112 106147812 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: taskmgr.exe, User: IT2000\hitsdh
L3 T12112 106147812 [CRulesChecker::LogProgress] File: taskmgr.exe, User: IT2000\hitsdh

So.. I'm trying to get 1 instance and put it either into another log file or in a list box. I've tried using strComp but failed.

Any help on this would be great.

[Dave Sell]

If you enter each line into a Collection and use the entry as a Key, then it will automatically not allow duplicates.

[Chrispybee]

Thanks for the reply. Can you shed some light on how to use collections and how I could do this. I'm not asking for the whole code but a starting point would be great..

Thanks in advance..

[dglienna]

Seems like overkill, to me. Just loop thru the file, and write the lines that are different.

Option Explicit
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
  Dim str$, SaveStr$
  Dim ff As Integer, ff2 As Integer
  SaveStr = ""
  ff = FreeFile
  Open App.Path & "\InLog.txt" For Input As #ff
    ff2 = FreeFile
    Open App.Path & "\OutLog.txt" For Output As #ff2
      Do While Not EOF(ff)
        Line Input #ff, str
          If SaveStr <> str Then
            Print #ff2, str
            SaveStr = str
          End If
      Loop
    Close #ff2
  Close #ff
End Sub

[penagate]

I suggest you use the Dictionary class, which has an "Exists" method that you can use to check whether a string is already present. Also it's a bit faster.

Dim buffer      As String
    Dim lines()     As String
    Dim hFile       As Long
 
    hFile = FreeFile()
    Open <filename> For Binary Access Read Lock Write As #hFile
    buffer = Space$(LOF(hFile))
    Get #hFile, 1, buffer
    Close #hFile
    
    lines = Split(buffer, vbNewLine)
 
    Dim colLines    As Dictionary
    Dim i           As Long
    Set colLines = New Dictionary
    For i = 0 To UBound(lines)
        If (Not colLines.Exists(lines(i))) Then _
            colLines.Add lines(i), vbNullString
    Next i
 
    Dim item As Variant
    For Each item In colLines.Keys
        Debug.Print CStr(item)
    Next item

that should get you started, if not do the whole thing anyway

Edit: a bit late, but I forgot to mention you need a reference to the "Microsoft Scripting Runtime"

[dglienna]

Easier for a ListBox:

Option Explicit
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
  Dim str$, SaveStr$
  Dim ff As Integer
  SaveStr = ""
  list1.Clear
  ff = FreeFile
  Open App.Path & "\InLog.txt" For Input As #ff
    Do While Not EOF(ff)
      Line Input #ff, str
        If SaveStr <> str Then
          list1.AddItem str
          SaveStr = str
        End If
    Loop
  Close #ff
End Sub