[RESOLVED] Writing file taking to long....

[lintz]

I've got an array that is used to create a binary file. This file has a certain format to it (26 bytes per record) but for it to write 1068 items (size of array) takes 35 seconds??? If I create a file for Output and add the same values is takes 1 second???

I can't see why it takes so long to create the binary file? Can anyone help shed some light on this for me?

Public Sub CreateDataManFile(tMainData() As TypeGraphData)
Dim intFile As Integer
Dim DataManFile As String
Dim sString As String * 14
Dim i As Long
Dim j As Integer
Dim dateDay As Byte
Dim dateMonth As Byte
Dim dateYear As Integer
DataManFile = App.Path & "\Lintz.mmd"
 
    'Check if dataman file exists and if so delete it
    If Dir$(DataManFile) <> "" Then
    Kill DataManFile
    End If
 
intFile = FreeFile
Open DataManFile For Binary Access Write As #intFile
        
Debug.Print "Start Time Without Date = " & Now
        
    For i = 0 To UBound(tMainData) '1068 items
    
    Put #intFile, LOF(intFile) + 1, tMainData(i).fAmt
    
        'This gets the day, month, year depending on users regional settings
    Call GetCurrentDate(dateDay, dateMonth, dateYear, CDate(tMainData(i).dDate))
    
        'fill in 18 bytes as data inbetween is not used
        j = 5
        Do Until j = 23
        Put #intFile, LOF(intFile) + 1, CByte(0)
        j = j + 1
        Loop
    
        'Add Day
        Put #intFile, LOF(intFile) + 1, dateDay
        
        'Add Month
        Put #intFile, LOF(intFile) + 1, dateMonth
        
        'Add Year
        Put #intFile, LOF(intFile) + 1, dateYear
        
    DoEvents
    Next
    
    Close #intFile
Debug.Print "End Time = " & Now '35 seconds
   
End Sub

[DigiRev]

You can just dump the UDT to the file.

Dim udtType() As MYTYPE
    Dim intFF As Integer
    
    ReDim udtType(50) As MYTYPE
    
    intFF = FreeFile
    
    Open "C:\dump.bin" For Binary Access Write As #intFF
        Put #intFF, 1, udtType()
    Close #intFF

[DigiRev]

Also, if you read the data back into the array using the Get #intff, 1, udtType(), you will need to know how many records are in the file so you can ReDim udtType() appropriately...

Try this. I can't test it right now but it should work...just put this code into an empty form:

Option Explicit
 
Private Type MYTYPE
    strOne As String
    strTwo As String
    strThree As String
End Type
 
Private udtType() As MYTYPE
 
'Turns a number like "4" into "0004"
Private Function PadNumber(TheNumber As String, ByVal Length As Long) As String
    Dim lonLen As Long
    
    lonLen = Len(TheNumber)
    
    If lonLen = Length Then
        PadNumber = TheNumber
    Else
        PadNumber = String$(Length - lonLen, "0") & TheNumber
    End If
    
End Function
 
'Turns a number like "0004" into "4"
Private Function RemoveHeader(TheHeader As String) As String
    Dim lonLen As Long, lonLoop As Long
    
    lonLen = Len(TheHeader)
    
    For lonLoop = 1 To lonLen
        
        If Not Mid$(TheHeader, lonLoop, 1) = "0" Then
            RemoveHeader = Mid$(TheHeader, lonLoop)
            Exit Function
        End If
    
    Next lonLoop
    
End Function
 
'Debug the array.
Private Sub DebugType()
    Dim intLoop As Integer
    Dim strName As String
    
    For intLoop = 0 To UBound(udtType())
        
        With udtType(intLoop)
            strName = "udtType(" & intLoop & "):"
            Debug.Print strName
            Debug.Print String$(Len(strName), "-")
            Debug.Print "One:   " & .strOne
            Debug.Print "Two:   " & .strTwo
            Debug.Print "Three: " & .strThree
            Debug.Print ""
        End With
    
    Next intLoop
    
End Sub
 
'Just load some stuff into the UDT array.
Private Sub InitType()
    Dim intLoop As Integer
    
    Randomize
    
    ReDim udtType(50) As MYTYPE
    
    For intLoop = 0 To 50
        
        With udtType(intLoop)
            .strOne = "1 (" & intLoop & ")"
            .strTwo = CStr(Int(Rnd * 255) + 1)
            .strThree = CStr(Int(Rnd * 255) + 1)
        End With
    
    Next intLoop
    
End Sub
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim intFF As Integer
    Dim strHeader As String
    
    'Load stuff into the array.
    InitType
    
    intFF = FreeFile
    strHeader = PadNumber(UBound(udtType), 4)
    
    'Write file.
    Open "C:\dump.txt" For Binary Access Write As #intFF
        'Write header.
        Put #intFF, 1, strHeader
        'Write data.
        Put #intFF, Len(strHeader) + 1, udtType()
    Close #intFF
    
    DebugType
    
    'Load file back.
    intFF = FreeFile
    strHeader = String$(4, " ")
    
    Dim lonLenData As Long
    
    Open "C:\dump.txt" For Binary Access Read As #intFF
        'Read header.
        Get #intFF, 1, strHeader
        
        'Read data.
        lonLenData = CLng(RemoveHeader(strHeader))
        ReDim udtType(lonLenData) As MYTYPE
        
        'Data always starts at 5th byte (header is 4 bytes).
        Get #intFF, 5, udtType()
    Close #intFF
    
    DebugType
End Sub

[lintz]

Thanks DigiRev, worked like a charm