asked on

fixed length

I want to create a fixed length file. My data will come from db. The max length on each line is 150. Am I on the right track?

 Public Sub Test()

     
        Dim fs As New FileStream("C:\Users\test\test.txt", FileMode.OpenOrCreate)
        Dim SW As New StreamWriter(fs, Encoding.UTF8)

        Dim output_A1 As String = Space(150)
        Dim output_A2 As String = Space(150)


        output_A1 = output_A1.Insert(0, "PIR")
        output_A1 = output_A1.Insert(3, "01")
        output_A1 = output_A1.Insert(140, "1111111111")

        SW.Write(RTrim(output_A1) & vbCrLf)
        output_A1 = ""

        output_A2 = output_A2.Insert(0, "PIR")
        output_A2 = output_A2.Insert(3, "02")
        output_A2 = output_A2.Insert(140, "2222222222")

        SW.Write(RTrim(output_A2) & vbCrLf)
        output_A2 = ""

        'etc

        SW.Close()


    End Sub

Open in new window

SOLUTION

kaufmed

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

VBdotnet2005

ASKER

If I just use sw.write, how does it know which position each string needs to go to? Each line max len is 150.
for example : accountnumber, name, id, date

accountnumber needs to be written at position 10 (the max len of account 12)
name needs to be written at position 30 (the max len of name 32)
id needs to be written at position 60 (the max len of id 4)
date needs to be written at position 50 (the max len of id 6) '041114

1234567890 john doe 1111 041114

SOLUTION

kaufmed

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

kaufmed

P.S.

I haven't used any myself, but there are several libraries available for creating flat files. You might have a gander at the following:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/filehelpers/
https://www.nuget.org/packages/FlatFiles/0.1.8

Ark

Can you elaborate a bit?

accountnumber needs to be written at position 10 (the max len of account 12)
name needs to be written at position 30 (the max len of name 32)
id needs to be written at position 60 (the max len of id 4)
date needs to be written at position 50 (the max len of id 6) '041114

In this case name will overwrite date and 2 chars of id

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Ark

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial