TextFieldParser Object
Provides methods and properties for parsing structured text files.
Public Class TextFieldParser
Exceptions
The following condition may cause an exception:
- A text field does not match the specified format. For example, in a fixed-width file, one of the fields does not match the specified width. (MalformedLineException).
Remarks
The TextFieldParser object provides methods and properties for parsing structured text files. Parsing a text file with the TextFieldParser is similar to iterating over a text file, while the ReadFields method to extract fields of text is similar to splitting the strings.
The TextFieldParser can parse two types of files: delimited or fixed-width. Some properties, such as Delimiters and HasFieldsEnclosedInQuotes are meaningful only when working with delimited files, while the FieldWidths property is meaningful only when working with fixed-width files.
Tasks
The following table lists examples of tasks involving the Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.TextFieldParser object.
To |
See |
---|---|
Read from a delimited text file |
How to: Read From Comma-Delimited Text Files in Visual Basic |
Read from a fixed-width text file |
|
Read from a text file with multiple formats |
How to: Read From Text Files with Multiple Formats in Visual Basic |
Example
This example parses through a tab-delimited text file, Bigfile.
Using MyReader As New Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.TextFieldParser _
("c:\logs\bigfile")
MyReader.TextFieldType = Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FieldType.Delimited
MyReader.Delimiters = New String() {vbTab}
Dim currentRow As String()
'Loop through all of the fields in the file.
'If any lines are corrupt, report an error and continue parsing.
While Not MyReader.EndOfData
Try
currentRow = MyReader.ReadFields()
' Include code here to handle the row.
Catch ex As Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.MalformedLineException
MsgBox("Line " & ex.Message & _
" is invalid. Skipping")
End Try
End While
End Using
This example depends on the existence of a function, processFields, which processes the fields as they are read.
Requirements
Namespace:Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO
Class:TextFieldParser
Assembly: Visual Basic Runtime Library (in Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll)
See Also
Tasks
Troubleshooting Exceptions: Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.TextFieldParser.MalformedLineException
Concepts
Parsing Text Files with the TextFieldParser Object
Reference
TextFieldParser Object Members
TextFieldParser.CommentTokens Property
TextFieldParser.Delimiters Property
TextFieldParser.EndOfData Property
TextFieldParser.ErrorLine Property
TextFieldParser.ErrorLineNumber Property
TextFieldParser.FieldWidths Property
TextFieldParser.HasFieldsEnclosedInQuotes Property
TextFieldParser.LineNumber Property
TextFieldParser.TextFieldType Property
TextFieldParser.TrimWhiteSpace Property
TextFieldParser.PeekChars Method
TextFieldParser.ReadFields Method
TextFieldParser.ReadLine Method
TextFieldParser.ReadToEnd Method
TextFieldParser.SetDelimiters Method
TextFieldParser.SetFieldWidths Method