Exporting Text File using VB. net

Question

Good day, I would like to ask on how to arrange the exported text file. Below, I have the code using vb. net and the result of file exported.

Dim writer As New StreamWriter("D:\PDAexport.txt")

    For i As Integer = 0 To dataGridView1.Rows.Count - 2 Step +1  

        For j As Integer = 0 To dataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1 Step +1  

            If j = dataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1 Then  

                writer.Write(vbTab & dataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells(j).Value.ToString())  

            Else  
                writer.Write(vbTab & dataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells(j).Value.ToString() & vbTab & "|")  

            End If  
        Next j  

        writer.WriteLine("")  

    Next i  

    writer.WriteLine("")  
    MessageBox.Show("Data Exported")  

Result :

Should be Arrange like this:

Answer 1

Hi @soLo Lz , You need to fill the data in each column with spaces to the same length. You can refer to the following code to modify the value of columnLengths to fit your data.

    Enum JustifyType
        LEFT
        RIGHT
        CENTER
    End Enum

    Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim writer As New StreamWriter("C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\PDAexport.txt")
        Dim textToOutput = ""
        Dim numCols As Integer = DataGridView1.ColumnCount
        Dim numRows As Integer = DataGridView1.RowCount - 1
        Dim columnLengths As Int16() = {6, 32, 12, 16}
        For i As Integer = 0 To DataGridView1.Rows.Count - 2 Step +1
            For j As Integer = 0 To DataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1 Step +1
                Console.WriteLine(DataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells(j).Value.ToString())
                textToOutput = GetBufferedString(DataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells(j).Value, columnLengths(j), JustifyType.LEFT)

                If j = DataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1 Then

                    writer.Write(vbTab & textToOutput)
                Else
                    writer.Write(vbTab & textToOutput & vbTab & "|")
                End If
            Next j
            writer.WriteLine("")
        Next i
        writer.WriteLine("")
        writer.Close()
        MessageBox.Show("Data Exported")
    End Sub

    Private Function GetBufferedString(originalString As String, maxLength As Int16, justifyType As JustifyType) As String
        If (originalString.Length < maxLength) Then
            Dim bufString = Space(maxLength - originalString.Length)
            Select Case justifyType
                Case JustifyType.LEFT
                    Return originalString + bufString
                Case JustifyType.RIGHT
                    Return bufString + originalString
                Case JustifyType.CENTER
                    Dim halfString = bufString.Substring(bufString.Length / 2)
                    originalString = halfString + originalString
                    bufString = Space(maxLength - originalString.Length)
                    Return originalString + bufString
                Case Else
                    Return ""
            End Select
        Else
            Return originalString.Substring(0, maxLength)
        End If
    End Function

Best Regards. Jiachen Li

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Answer 2

Hi

I tried to add an image to my original Answer posted in this thread, but the 'New' forum didn;t like it and deleted the entire post - so here it is again!

Option Strict On
Option Explicit On
Public Class Form1
  Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

    ' FORM1 has a DataGridView1 on it
    ' with 3 columns (0,1 and 2)

    ' this ONLY to generate some
    ' random data for example
    Dim r As New Random
    Dim s As String = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
    For i As Integer = 0 To 5
      Dim nr(2) As String
      For c As Integer = 0 To 2
        Dim r1 As Integer = r.Next(4, 8)
        Dim s1 As String = s.Substring(r.Next(25 - r1), r1)
        nr(c) = s1
      Next
      DataGridView1.Rows.Add(nr)
    Next

    ' this section ONLY for the format
    ' of the export
    Dim MyPath As String = IO.Path.Combine(My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.Desktop, "PDAexport.txt")
    Using writer As New IO.StreamWriter(MyPath, False)
      For i As Integer = 0 To DataGridView1.Rows.Count - 2
        For j As Integer = 0 To DataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1
          With DataGridView1
            If j = DataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1 Then
              writer.WriteLine(DataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells(j).Value.ToString.PadRight(12))
            Else
              writer.Write(DataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells(j).Value.ToString.PadRight(12) & "|".PadRight(4))
            End If
          End With
        Next
      Next
    End Using
  End Sub
End Class

Answer 3

Hi You could have included a section of data for us to use to illustrate possible solutions. Since you didn't include any data, here are a couple of suggestions using some random data. The way to format the export is shown. Try this code as a new TEST PROJECT.

![277620-111.png][1]=========================================================

EDIT: this new forum has seen fit to corrupt posted code. If you use the Copy button and paste into your own project,

=========================================================

    ' FORM1 has a DataGridView1 on it
    ' with 3 columns (0,1 and 2)

    ' this ONLY to generate some
    ' random data for example
    Dim r As New Random
    Dim s As String = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
    For i As Integer = 0 To 5
      Dim nr(2) As String
      For c As Integer = 0 To 2
        Dim r1 As Integer = r.Next(4, 8)
        Dim s1 As String = s.Substring(r.Next(25 - r1), r1)
        nr(c) = s1
      Next
      DataGridView1.Rows.Add(nr)
    Next

    ' this section ONLY for the format
    ' of the export
    Dim MyPath As String = IO.Path.Combine(My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.Desktop, "PDAexport.txt")
    Using writer As New StreamWriter(MyPath, False)
      For i As Integer = 0 To DataGridView1.Rows.Count - 2
        For j As Integer = 0 To DataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1
          With DataGridView1
            If j = DataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1 Then
              writer.WriteLine(DataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells(j).Value.ToString.PadRight(12))
            Else
              writer.Write(DataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells(j).Value.ToString.PadRight(12) & "|".PadRight(4))
            End If
          End With
        Next
      Next
    End Using

Answer 4

This assumes that the DGV columns are displaying all of the data i.e. DataGridView.AutoSizeColumnsMode = DataGridViewAutoSizeColumnsMode.AllCells

        Dim sb As New System.Text.StringBuilder
        Dim chkCH As Char = " "c  ' ChrW(&H8195) 'em space
        Dim width As Integer
        Using g As Graphics = DataGridView1.CreateGraphics
            width = CInt(g.MeasureString(chkCH, DataGridView1.Font).Width)
        End Using
        For rwidx As Integer = 0 To DataGridView1.Rows.Count - 2
            For colidx As Integer = 0 To DataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1
                sb.Append(DataGridView1.Rows(rwidx).Cells(colidx).Value.ToString.PadRight(DataGridView1.Columns(colidx).Width \ width + 1))
                If colidx <> DataGridView1.Columns.Count - 1 Then
                    sb.Append(ControlChars.Tab)
                    sb.Append(" | ")
                End If
            Next colidx
            sb.AppendLine()
        Next rwidx
        Dim path As String = "D:\PDAexport.txt"
        IO.File.WriteAllText(path, sb.ToString)