Deleting line in .txt

zeropaid

I've created a way for my users to leave comments or notes to other user pages. But I've ran into a problem, can't delete predefined line in a flatfile. Heres what I have so far, I think Im way off target. Please help if you can.

$delete_line = the line i want to remove from file

if ($delete) {

$file = $user_file;
$fp = fopen ($file,'r+');

$file = array();
for ($index=0; $index < count($user_file); $index++) {
if ($user_file[$delete_line] < 0){
$file[] = $user_file[$delete_line];
}
}
$user_file = $file;
fwrite ($fp, $file);
fclose($fp);
}

else {
print("<meta http-equiv=refresh content=1;url=/php/user.php?uid=$id#spraycan>");
}

Anon

The process is simple but quite long winded, Give me a moment to get together an example, if you are still interested?

zeropaid

yes please, im a bit confused on the process and could use a clear example.

Anon

Here it is, I have commented it so you can understand it better, you may want to make certain fields hidden, but for the moment it allows you to see how the data is passed, follow this:

<-- create a file with this data name it call.php -- >

$filea = "file.php"; // the file you want to read edit
$fileb = "process.php"; // the file that will process your amends

echo "CONTENTS OF : <a href='$filea'>$filea</a> ";

$contents = file("$filea");
$length = sizeof($contents);
for($i = 0; $i<$length; $i++)
{
echo "<table width=\"100%\" bgcolor=\"#000033\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"2\" border=\"0\"><tr><td align=\"center\">$contents[$i]<form method=\"post\" action=\"$fileb\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"getline\" value=\"$i\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"filea\" value=\"$filea\"><input type=\"submit\" name=\"remove\" value=\"remove line\"></form></td></tr><tr><td align=\"right\"></td></tr></table><br>";
}

<-- end of call.php -->
<-- create a file with this data name it process.php -->

// this function removes the unwanted data

$del_data = ""; // Replaces the line with blank data
$current_line = 0;
$write_line = $getline;
$contents = "";

$fp = fopen ("$filea", "r"); // declare your file
while ($data = fgets($fp, 4096)) // reads single lines of data
{
if ($current_line == $write_line) // runs a count until the number of the line is reached
{
$contents .= $del_data;
} else {
$contents .= $data;
}
$current_line++;

}

fclose($fp);

// write new contents

$fp = fopen("$filea", "w"); // declare your file
fputs($fp, $contents);
fclose($fp);

// end of amend

header ("location: confirm.php"); // referal address for a confirm page for example

<-- end of process.php -->
<-- create a file with this data name it file.php -->

I am the data on line 1 
I am the data on line 2 
I am the data on line 3 
I am the data on line 4 
I am the data on line 5 
I am the data on line 6

<-- end of file.php -->
<-- create a file with this data name it confirm.php -->

echo "file has been modified <form action='call.php'><input type='submit' value='back'></form>";

<-- end of confirm.php -->

Anon

It seems alot but you should be able to understand what I have done, you don't need to change anything to make it work as is, but I have made it so you can declare the file you want to open and maybe a different process file, you should just need to change the variable $filea to your specified page.

Good Luck.

zeropaid

Thanks, I'll give it a shot after I get home from work tonight, I wish I didn't have to leave right now..... is it possible since you delete the data, to pull it out of the file and modify the line?

jorge

Anon

The only way to do that is by storing the data in a variable e.g:

$name = "dude";
echo "$name";

Problem is, working with flat text files, you need to store the data on one line or it becomes pretty complicated, you have to start openning files with pointers etc.

Storing variables in files like this is useful for news pages etc, as they can be recalled to populate / repopulate forms very easily.