Console VB.NET: File Processing - Search file for a specific number and output record

Question

Hello I am building a console application in VB.NET that reads a record file and outputs it to the user. I have gotten the program to output all of the records to the console but I cannot seem to get the search function working.

I want the user to input the record number and for the program to search the text file for that specific record and then output it to the console.

I will leave the read record function here for reference.

Read Records function:

Public Function Read_Records()

    File_Name = "drecords.txt"
    File_num = FreeFile()
    Record_Counter = 0
    record_no = 999

    If File_Name <> "" Then
        Try
            FileOpen(File_num, File_Name, OpenMode.Input)
            Do Until EOF(File_num)
                Record_Counter = Record_Counter + 1
                record_no = record_no + 1
                records(Record_Counter, 0) = record_no
                records(Record_Counter, 1) = LineInput(File_num)
                records(Record_Counter, 2) = LineInput(File_num)
                records(Record_Counter, 3) = LineInput(File_num)
                records(Record_Counter, 4) = LineInput(File_num)
                records(Record_Counter, 5) = LineInput(File_num)

            Loop
            record_ID = Record_Counter

        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("ERROR OPENING FILE")
        Finally
            FileClose(File_num)
        End Try
    End If
    Last_Record = Record_Counter

    Return records

End Function

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 26 '13 at 23:56

I'm not sure exactly what you want, but here are a few examples.

To read a record number from the console and output that record, do something like this:

dim i, k as integer
k = val(console.readline())
for i = 1 to 5
  console.writeline(records(k, i))
next i

I'm not sure how else you would identify the record, but, for example, you can search the records for a value of "abc" in the first field like this:

For i = 1 to Last_Record
  if records(i, 1) = "abc" then
    ' output the record to the user
  end if  
next i

Replace records(i, 1) with records(i, 0) to search for a record number.

If you want to search each field, you can add a nested loop:

For i = 1 to Last_Record
  for k = 1 to 5
    if records(i, k) = "abc" then
      ' output the record to the user
    end if  
  next k
next i

Thank you so much, I adapted on your second sample and it worked! — RopinKain, Jan 27 '13 at 01:22
@RopinKain If xpda's answer answered your question you should click the Check Mark to the Left of the answer, that will mark your question as answered and give you and xpda some rep — Mark Hall, Jan 27 '13 at 02:52

Console VB.NET: File Processing - Search file for a specific number and output record

1 Answers1