VBA Import of text file & Array parsing of that data

[Dennis]

Using XL 2993 & 97

The array formula which parses the information below (from a text file) by
"trimming" elements of the "Directory" line of information is:


Workbooks.OpenText Filename:="C:\Test\Listing.txt", _
Origin:=xlWindows, StartRow:=1, DataType:=xlFixedWidth, _
FieldInfo:= Array(Array(0, 1), Array(10, 1), Array(17,1), _ Array(21, 1),
Array(39, 1))



Specifically:

"Directory of C:\BOB AMY Estates\Bank Documents"
is being parsed: (because of data columns following it)

11/21/2004|of C:\|BOB|AMY Estates\Bank|Documents
0 | 10 |17 | 21 | 39

******** Portion of the Actual Text Document ****^**********

Directory of C:\BOB AMY Estates\Bank Documents

11/21/2004 03:02 PM 120,787 NCB Ck #101.jpg
11/21/2004 03:01 PM 149,374 NCB Ck #93.jpg
11/21/2004 02:45 PM 136,291 NCB Ck Template.jpg
........... ..... .. ....... ...................
........... ..... .. ....... ...................
**********************************************************

If I concatenate the columns created by the XL import array formula, I end
up with:

C:\BOBAMY Estates\BankDocuments

not the actual path of

C:\BOB AMY Estates\Bank Documents

Is there a way to force the array formula above to capture the space after
"BOB" to get "BOB " and also after
"AMY Estates\Bank" to get "AMY Estates\Bank "?

Yes, I can on-the-fly fix the data in the opeing XL file.
But I may have to manually change each similar data line.

I do not understand Array formula VBA parameter setup and coding. But
saying that, it seems to me that the array formula above is trimming spaces
before and after the data in the array elements above.

Any help is welcomed!

TIA Dennis

 

[Dennis]

My question as posted, does not line-up the data as was intended.

Consider selecting all of my post above and pasting into NotePad. It is
easier to understand.

Dennis

*******************************************************

 

[Dave Peterson]

I think if I had to do this, I'd import each record into one cell (column A).

Insert a header row 1. Then I could use a bunch of formulas to parse each
category of lines

In column B to get the folder name:
=if(left(a2,9)<>"directory",B1,mid(a1,14,255))

----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
11/21/2004 03:02 PM 120,787 NCB Ck #101.jpg

In column C (to get the filename):
=if(left(a1,9)="directory","",mid(a1,40,255)


And use as many as these type formulas as you want.

======
Another option may be to use a different Dir command in DOS.

Try shelling to DOS and doing a:

dir /?

to see all the options you can get.
dir /b/s *.xls
or
dir /b/s *.xls > listing.txt

may be sufficient.

==========
And you may want to post back with what you're doing. There are lots of ways to
skin a cat (ouch!).

Tushar Mehta has one version of a directory listing routine at:
http://www.tushar-mehta.com/excel/software/dirlist/index.html

 

[Dennis]

Dave,

My concern was and is, that there is no easy solution.

FYI, the DOS Shell command that I am using is:

dir %1 /p /s /o:g-d > "c:\XX\DirListing.txt"

**************************************

The parsing VBA code is:

Workbooks.OpenText Filename:="C:\XX\DirListing.txt", _
Origin:=xlWindows, StartRow:=1, DataType:=xlFixedWidth, _ FieldInfo:=
Array(Array(0, 1), Array(10, 1), Array(17, 1), Array(21, 1), Array(39, 1))
Range("A1").EntireColumn.Insert
Range("A4").FormulaR1C1="=IF(LEN(R[-1]C)=0,IF(MID(RC[1]
,1,9)=""Directory"",MID(RC[2],4,3)&Left(RC[3],1,4)&Left(RC[4],1,18)&Trim(RC[5]),OFFSET(RC,-1,0)),"""")"
Range("A5").FormulaR1C1 = "=IF(LEN(R[-1]C)>0,IF(MID(RC[1] _
,1,9)=""Directory"",MID(RC[2],4,3)&Left(RC[3],1,4)&Left(RC[4],1,18)&Trim(RC[5]),OFFSET(RC,-1,0)),"""")"
Range("A5").AutoFill Destination:=Range("A5:A" & Range("B" _ &
Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row), Type:=xlFillCopy


I WILL get back to you as I progress.

Also I will look at the link that you suggested.

Thanks again and again for all your help over time.

Dennis

***************************************************

 

[Dave Peterson]

The bad news is that if you parse your input with the .opentext statement, you
won't be able to recombine the cells to get your folder name. Since xl
eliminates the leading and trailing spaces, you won't know how many to add back
to get the correct foldername.

ps.

I think I would drop the /p from your DIR command.
dir %1 /s /o:g-d > "c:\XX\DirListing.txt"

That /p tells the DOS command DIR to pause when it fills the screen. When
you're redirecting the output to file, it doesn't really make sense to do that.

Dave,

My concern was and is, that there is no easy solution.

FYI, the DOS Shell command that I am using is:

dir %1 /p /s /o:g-d > "c:\XX\DirListing.txt"

**************************************

The parsing VBA code is:

Workbooks.OpenText Filename:="C:\XX\DirListing.txt", _
Origin:=xlWindows, StartRow:=1, DataType:=xlFixedWidth, _ FieldInfo:=
Array(Array(0, 1), Array(10, 1), Array(17, 1), Array(21, 1), Array(39, 1))
Range("A1").EntireColumn.Insert
Range("A4").FormulaR1C1="=IF(LEN(R[-1]C)=0,IF(MID(RC[1] _
,1,9)=""Directory"",MID(RC[2],4,3)&Left(RC[3],1,4)&Left(RC[4],1,18)&Trim(RC[5]),OFFSET(RC,-1,0)),"""")"
Range("A5").FormulaR1C1 = "=IF(LEN(R[-1]C)>0,IF(MID(RC[1] _
,1,9)=""Directory"",MID(RC[2],4,3)&Left(RC[3],1,4)&Left(RC[4],1,18)&Trim(RC[5]),OFFSET(RC,-1,0)),"""")"
Range("A5").AutoFill Destination:=Range("A5:A" & Range("B" _ &
Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row), Type:=xlFillCopy

I WILL get back to you as I progress.

Also I will look at the link that you suggested.

Thanks again and again for all your help over time.

Dennis

***************************************************

I think if I had to do this, I'd import each record into one cell (column A).

Insert a header row 1. Then I could use a bunch of formulas to parse each
category of lines

In column B to get the folder name:
=if(left(a2,9)<>"directory",B1,mid(a1,14,255))

----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
11/21/2004 03:02 PM 120,787 NCB Ck #101.jpg

In column C (to get the filename):
=if(left(a1,9)="directory","",mid(a1,40,255)


And use as many as these type formulas as you want.

======
Another option may be to use a different Dir command in DOS.

Try shelling to DOS and doing a:

dir /?

to see all the options you can get.
dir /b/s *.xls
or
dir /b/s *.xls > listing.txt

may be sufficient.

==========
And you may want to post back with what you're doing. There are lots of ways to
skin a cat (ouch!).

Tushar Mehta has one version of a directory listing routine at:
http://www.tushar-mehta.com/excel/software/dirlist/index.html