Javascript Read Text File Offline

Question

Currently I use this code to read a txt file with words and perform some operations. However, this particular code requires the html to be deployed on a server. Is there any workaround where I can replace this code with something else to read the file without the need of a server?

var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); 
xhr.open( "GET", "dictionary.txt", false );
xhr.send( null );
var words= xhr.responseText.split(",");

Why do you need to read the file? Why not just include the data in the page? — robertc, Feb 11 '12 at 01:23

hrishikeshp19 · Answer 1 · 2012-02-10T17:53:44.767

3

It is NOT possible to call Ajax outside your server domain (except you use scriptagproxy, that too requires you to have some server side configuration). So, in short, you CANNOT read files on your local computer using Ajax calls.

You might like this article.

The file selection can be made either by input or drag-and-drop (not otherwise). Please see: this

edited Feb 10 '12 at 17:53

answered Feb 10 '12 at 17:46

hrishikeshp19

8,838
26
78
141

No this is the current code that I have and I use a server. I want to change this code so that I can use my web application and offline. HTML 5 only allows me to open a file if the user selects it. I want the file to be read automatically. – Kerry Feb 10 '12 at 17:50

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 10 '12 at 17:37

2

You cannot read files from the clients' computer, so the text file you are reading must be on the same server as your javascript.

However, if you are loading the HTML file from your computer (e.g. file://c:/../test.html), you might be able to read files located on ONLY your computer by using relative paths.

answered Feb 10 '12 at 17:37

Stelian Matei

11,553
2
25
29

I want to read the file dictionary.txt which is located at the root of my website folder but without using Ajax. Is there a way to do it? HTML 5 only allows me to do that if the user selects a file. I want this to be done automatically as soon as the HTML is loaded – Kerry Feb 10 '12 at 17:51
Not possible without Ajax. I am not so sure though. You may use applet or a FileSystem object, or may be NativeClient. But there is no standard way other than Ajax. See this: http://www.javascripter.net/faq/reading2.htm – hrishikeshp19 Feb 10 '12 at 17:59

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 10 '12 at 18:56

1

You can hide an iframe on the page, with its src='dictionary.txt',

and read or manipulate the iframe's local content when it's onload event fires.

answered Feb 10 '12 at 18:56

kennebec

102,654
32
106
127

Javascript Read Text File Offline

3 Answers3