Member Avatar for Papa_Don

Group,

Some weeks back you helped me solve a formating issue with a text file that originates from a UNIX based program (see [https://www.daniweb.com/software-development/vbnet/threads/489626/remove-end-of-report-line-and-format-unix-text]).

While reviewing this newly formated data I saw that a character was place at the beginning of each page. Thus, I assume it does set the next page. However I'd like for you to look and confirm this. But more importantly, I need to know how to insert this character into my code. Because I am merging multiple reports together, I need to add this to the end of each report that is to be merged. I've attached a picture of this character for you to see.

My question is: What character is this, which VB code represents this character.

In advance, thanks for your help.

Don

Extra_Character.JPG 8.59 KB
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Member Avatar for tinstaafl

The character appears to be Unicode &H2640

Member Avatar for Santanu.Das

Referrencing from then link you posted, you can do it as you did to insert each and every line to the text file.
Place the codes to insert your characters at the end.

 For i As Integer = readtxt.GetLowerBound(0) To readtxt.GetUpperBound(0) - 2
            'Appending the line to the text file
            My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(RestranName, readtxt(i), True)
            If i < readtxt.GetUpperBound(0) - 2 Then
                'Appending a new line into the text file.
                My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(RestranName, vbCrLf, True)
            End If
        Next
        My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(RestranName, vbCrLf, True)
        My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(RestranName, "Your Charactors", True)
        Me.Cursor = Cursors.Default

Hope it can help you.

Member Avatar for Minimalist

2.jpg Unicode character U+2640 called the female or venus sign. It will not do you any good in a notepad text file. Remember - this came from a unix program generated text and is probably a control character that is not understood by notepad and consequently the unix control character was mapped to a unicode character. If you want to keep it as is, don't delete the line it is in. You might as well insert a smily.

Edited by Minimalist
Member Avatar for Papa_Don

Minimalist, I understand Notepad doesn't recognize the character as anything. However this character is clearly needed, as I must delete the last few lines of "file1" to combine it with "file2". Therefore I need to add that UNIX character at the end of "file1" to ensure the combined file formats correctly.

I probably should show you what I've written to format the file so you can better understand:

                txtLine = My.Computer.FileSystem.ReadAllText(RestranName)
                ' This begins to add the carriage returns in the appropriate places
                txtLine = Replace(txtLine, vbLf, vbCrLf)
                txtLine = Replace(txtLine, vbCr & vbCr, vbCr)
                txtLine = Replace(txtLine, """", "")

                ' This writes the line to the file
                My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(fileSave, txtLine, False)

If you have other ideas, I'm all ears!

As always, thanks for the help.

Don

Member Avatar for Papa_Don

Shark1, if I'm going to insert "Your Character", how is it I go about doing that? Minimalists tells me it is a UNIX character (Unicode character U+2640). Is there proper code to insert this like

Dim yourCharacter As (what?)
yourCharacter = 'Unicode character U+2640

Thanks....

Don

Member Avatar for tinstaafl

You can use the wide character method to translate the hex to a Char:

Dim pageCode As Char = Microsoft.VisualBasic.ChrW(&H2640)

pageCode can then be inserted into your text wherever you need it.

Edited by tinstaafl
commented: thnx +5
Member Avatar for Santanu.Das

Agreed with tinstaafl.
yous new character codes should be

My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(RestranName, Microsoft.VisualBasic.ChrW(&H2640), True)

Hope it can help you.

Member Avatar for Papa_Don

Gentleman, as always, Thank You!

Member Avatar for Papa_Don

I do need to ask: What does Me.Cursor = Cursors.Default do? Since I am having to merge as many as 7 files into 1, will I need to insert this code each time I insert the pageCode character?

Thanks group!

Don

Member Avatar for tinstaafl

I believe that's a hold over from the code he submitted to your previous question. Its purpose would be to signify to the user that the app is working by changing the cursor. Put Me.Cursor = Cursors.WaitCursor before you start processing the files then Me.Cursor = Cursors.Default when it is finished.

Edited by tinstaafl
Member Avatar for Santanu.Das

Agreed with tinstaafl.
This is a common practice to show the user that the process is in execution, don't confeuse. After completion it is ready to execute your next command.
You can also attach a visual style like progressbar, label control to show the current situation and percentage of work done and so, so ......

Member Avatar for Papa_Don

Oooooo.... I like this! Thank you again!!

This will prompt another question. But I'll write that in a new discussion.

Group, you're the greatest!

Don

Member Avatar for Papa_Don

Group,

I've added the character at the end of the text file. It is doing this correctly. However this may not be the whole issue. It seems that when I append the next file to it, this next file begins at the very end of last line. I need for it to begin on the next line after. You can see that "FP Calgary" is at the end of the 1st text file (See the attached example).

Can you suggest what I need to write in to make that happen?

As always, thanks for your assistance.

Don

Capture_Restran.JPG 58.65 KB
Edited by Papa_Don
Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

Just make sure that any block of text you write is terminated with a vbCrLf.

Member Avatar for Santanu.Das

Simply add a new line after addition of your charactor. A new line feeding is known to you from your previous posting.

My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(RestranName, vbCrLf & Microsoft.VisualBasic.ChrW(&H2640) & vbCrlf, True)

Hope it can help you.

Member Avatar for Papa_Don

Bingo.... that worked!

Thanks guys. You're the best!

Don

Member Avatar for cgeier

After looking over your post "Stopped Working" during routine I did some testing on the file that you posted there "20150228.txt". It appears that the symbol that you happened to see in Notepad, is actually a form feed (ASCII code 12 or 0C).

If using "ReadAllLines", one of the things used to split the lines is a line feed.

The symbol appears at the start of the line that contains "Page Number: 2", "Page Number: 3", etc. If you use a hex editor/viewer to view the file "20150228.txt", you will see the following: 0a0c 466f 7572 or 0a 0c 46 6f 75 72.
If you look up the ASCII codes,
0a = 0A = a = A = line feed/new line
0c = 0C = c = C = form feed/new page
46 = F
6f = o
75 = u
72 = r

Since, "ReadAllLine" split using the line feed (0A), it is no longer present. However, the form feed (0C) is still present, and is now at the beginning of the next line.

Here is the code that can be used to verify this:

    Public Sub ConvertTextToASCIICodes(ByVal inputFilename As String, ByVal inputFileEncoding As Encoding, ByVal outputFilename As String, ByVal outputFileEncoding As Encoding)

        'delete previous output file
        If System.IO.File.Exists(outputFilename) Then
            System.IO.File.Delete(outputFilename)
        End If

        'read input file data into a string array
        Dim fileDataArr() As String = File.ReadAllLines(inputFilename, inputFileEncoding)

        For Each line In fileDataArr
            'Desired symbol (form feed - ASCII code: 0C) 
            'appears before the hotel name.
            'The symbol is actually after the line feed, but 
            'ReadAllLines splits on the line feed, so the form feed
            'ends up at the beginning of the next element.

            If (line.Contains("Four Points Eastham") Or line.Contains("FP Calgary")) Then
                Debug.WriteLine("'" & line & "'")

                Dim asciiArr As Byte() = Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(line)

                Dim decimalStr As String = String.Empty
                Dim hexStr As String = String.Empty

                'convert to ASCII values
                For i As Integer = 0 To asciiArr.Length - 1
                    hexStr += asciiArr(i).ToString("X2") & " "
                    decimalStr += asciiArr(i).ToString("D2") & " "
                Next

                Debug.WriteLine("Hex: " & hexStr)
                Debug.WriteLine("Dec: " & decimalStr)
                Debug.WriteLine("")

                Dim outputStr = line & System.Environment.NewLine
                outputStr += hexStr & System.Environment.NewLine
                outputStr += decimalStr & System.Environment.NewLine & System.Environment.NewLine

                'save output
                File.AppendAllText(outputFilename, outputStr, outputFileEncoding)
            End If
        Next
    End Sub

Usage:

ConvertTextToASCIICodes("C:\Restran Conversion\1540\20150228.txt", Encoding.ASCII, "C:\Restran Conversion\Output.txt", Encoding.ASCII)

Resource:
How to get ASCII values of a string in VB.net

Here is the output of running the above code on file "20150228.txt" from the post mentioned above.

Four Points Eastham                                Reservation Transaction Report                              Page Number:    1
46 6F 75 72 20 50 6F 69 6E 74 73 20 45 61 73 74 68 61 6D 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 52 65 73 65 72 76 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 54 72 61 6E 73 61 63 74 69 6F 6E 20 52 65 70 6F 72 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 67 65 20 4E 75 6D 62 65 72 3A 20 20 20 20 31 
70 111 117 114 32 80 111 105 110 116 115 32 69 97 115 116 104 97 109 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 82 101 115 101 114 118 97 116 105 111 110 32 84 114 97 110 115 97 99 116 105 111 110 32 82 101 112 111 114 116 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 80 97 103 101 32 78 117 109 98 101 114 58 32 32 32 32 49 

Four Points Eastham                                Reservation Transaction Report                              Page Number:    2
0C 46 6F 75 72 20 50 6F 69 6E 74 73 20 45 61 73 74 68 61 6D 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 52 65 73 65 72 76 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 54 72 61 6E 73 61 63 74 69 6F 6E 20 52 65 70 6F 72 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 67 65 20 4E 75 6D 62 65 72 3A 20 20 20 20 32 
12 70 111 117 114 32 80 111 105 110 116 115 32 69 97 115 116 104 97 109 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 82 101 115 101 114 118 97 116 105 111 110 32 84 114 97 110 115 97 99 116 105 111 110 32 82 101 112 111 114 116 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 80 97 103 101 32 78 117 109 98 101 114 58 32 32 32 32 50 

Four Points Eastham                                Reservation Transaction Report                              Page Number:    3
0C 46 6F 75 72 20 50 6F 69 6E 74 73 20 45 61 73 74 68 61 6D 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 52 65 73 65 72 76 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 54 72 61 6E 73 61 63 74 69 6F 6E 20 52 65 70 6F 72 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 67 65 20 4E 75 6D 62 65 72 3A 20 20 20 20 33 
12 70 111 117 114 32 80 111 105 110 116 115 32 69 97 115 116 104 97 109 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 82 101 115 101 114 118 97 116 105 111 110 32 84 114 97 110 115 97 99 116 105 111 110 32 82 101 112 111 114 116 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 80 97 103 101 32 78 117 109 98 101 114 58 32 32 32 32 51 

Four Points Eastham                                Reservation Transaction Report                              Page Number:    4
0C 46 6F 75 72 20 50 6F 69 6E 74 73 20 45 61 73 74 68 61 6D 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 52 65 73 65 72 76 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 54 72 61 6E 73 61 63 74 69 6F 6E 20 52 65 70 6F 72 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 67 65 20 4E 75 6D 62 65 72 3A 20 20 20 20 34 
12 70 111 117 114 32 80 111 105 110 116 115 32 69 97 115 116 104 97 109 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 82 101 115 101 114 118 97 116 105 111 110 32 84 114 97 110 115 97 99 116 105 111 110 32 82 101 112 111 114 116 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 80 97 103 101 32 78 117 109 98 101 114 58 32 32 32 32 52 

Four Points Eastham                                Reservation Transaction Report                              Page Number:    5
0C 46 6F 75 72 20 50 6F 69 6E 74 73 20 45 61 73 74 68 61 6D 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 52 65 73 65 72 76 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 54 72 61 6E 73 61 63 74 69 6F 6E 20 52 65 70 6F 72 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 67 65 20 4E 75 6D 62 65 72 3A 20 20 20 20 35 
12 70 111 117 114 32 80 111 105 110 116 115 32 69 97 115 116 104 97 109 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 82 101 115 101 114 118 97 116 105 111 110 32 84 114 97 110 115 97 99 116 105 111 110 32 82 101 112 111 114 116 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 80 97 103 101 32 78 117 109 98 101 114 58 32 32 32 32 53 

Four Points Eastham                                Reservation Transaction Report                              Page Number:    6
0C 46 6F 75 72 20 50 6F 69 6E 74 73 20 45 61 73 74 68 61 6D 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 52 65 73 65 72 76 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 54 72 61 6E 73 61 63 74 69 6F 6E 20 52 65 70 6F 72 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 67 65 20 4E 75 6D 62 65 72 3A 20 20 20 20 36 
12 70 111 117 114 32 80 111 105 110 116 115 32 69 97 115 116 104 97 109 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 82 101 115 101 114 118 97 116 105 111 110 32 84 114 97 110 115 97 99 116 105 111 110 32 82 101 112 111 114 116 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 80 97 103 101 32 78 117 109 98 101 114 58 32 32 32 32 54 

Four Points Eastham                                Reservation Transaction Report                              Page Number:    7
0C 46 6F 75 72 20 50 6F 69 6E 74 73 20 45 61 73 74 68 61 6D 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 52 65 73 65 72 76 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 54 72 61 6E 73 61 63 74 69 6F 6E 20 52 65 70 6F 72 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 50 61 67 65 20 4E 75 6D 62 65 72 3A 20 20 20 20 37 
12 70 111 117 114 32 80 111 105 110 116 115 32 69 97 115 116 104 97 109 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 82 101 115 101 114 118 97 116 105 111 110 32 84 114 97 110 115 97 99 116 105 111 110 32 82 101 112 111 114 116 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 80 97 103 101 32 78 117 109 98 101 114 58 32 32 32 32 55
Edited by cgeier
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