Extracting Specific Data From a File

mj99

I have a text data file with the following fields.

item and file

Example

item1 | file1
item2 | file2
item3 | file3

How can I get a variable called $item_name to choose and print the file name that's in the same row where the item field matches the $item_name variable. For instance if the $item_name variable is "BOOK NUMBER ONE" and these field values exist

BOOK NUMBER ONE | book_1.pdf

I want to choose and print book_1.pdf.

umrguy

By using the strpos function, you should be able to do something like the following.

$pos = strpos($line1, "|")

This should give you the position where | is at.

Then you can parse the rest of the string off by using $newline = trim(substr($line1, $pos+1)) which would cut off the first part of the string, and then the +1 should pick up the |. The trim will cut off the any blank space after the | and the pos variable should include all spaces before |.

Weedpacket

You could also use file() to get the whole file as an array of lines. Then explode() each line on the '|' to get items and files. Don't forget to trim them all. Make an array using item names as keys and file names as values. Here; code is easier to understand:

$data = file('textfile.txt');
$items_and_files = array();
foreach($data as $record)
{
   list($item, $file) = explode('|', $record);
  $item = trim($item);
  $file = trim($file);
  $items_and_files[$item]=$file;
}

Practical upshot is that $items_and_files['BOOK NUMBER ONE'] == 'book_1.pdf' and $items_and_files['SOME BOGUS BOOK'] isn't set.

mj99

That did it. However, the last line of the code below prints the file from the last line of data. I really want to print the file where the item on the same line matches a variable passed to the first line of the code.

Like if the $item_name is "item2", the file will be "file2". Only file2 will print.

Thanks for the help.

$item_name = str_replace("_", " ", $item_name);

$data = file('products.txt');
$items_and_files = array();
foreach($data as $record)
{
list($item, $file) = explode('|', $record);

$item = trim($item);
$file = trim($file);
$items_and_files[$item]=$file;
}

echo $file;

Weedpacket

Practical upshot is that $items_and_files['BOOK NUMBER ONE'] == 'book_1.pdf' and $items_and_files['SOME BOGUS BOOK'] isn't set.

So if you want the file name that goes with "BOOK NUMBER ONE" it's in $items_and_files["BOOK NUMBER ONE"]. That's what the $items_and_files array is for - it's not just for decoration.

mj99

Sorry, you're absolutely right. It does work flawlessly with the example data but, when I try it with other data like this

TEST FILE | test.pdf
TEXAS HOLD EM STRATEGY GUIDE EBOOK | texasholdem.pdf

it returns texasholdem.pdf instead of test.pdf

No matter how many lines of data I use it returns the file name from the last row.

My fault. I listed the test data, then turned around and tried real data. I can't see what the difference is though.

mj99

Actually, I retested and evan the example data causes the return of the file name from the last row.

mj99

I'm probably using the wrong code. I've tried

echo $file;

echo $record;

Weedpacket

Have you tried $items_and_files['TEST FILE']?

mj99

Here's the actual test data file.

If I use

$items_and_files['TEST FILE']

file3 is returned with echo $file;

echo $record returns item3 | file3

Here's the complete code with the $item_name variable.

$item_name = str_replace("_", " ", $item_name);

$data = file('products.txt');
$items_and_files = array();
foreach($data as $record)
{
list($item, $file) = explode('|', $record);

$items_and_files[$item_name]=$file;
}

echo $file;

Weedpacket

No, $items_and_files[$item] = $file; hence the name. After the loop the $items_and_files array will contain the entire table. That's what it's for. If you don't use it it will just sit there looking pretty and all that reading the file and looping through its lines would have been for nothing..

$data = file('products.txt');
$items_and_files = array();
foreach($data as $record)
{
list($item, $file) = explode('|', $record);

$items_and_files[$item]=$file;
}

echo $items_and_files['TEST FILE'];

and before you ask, you'd replace 'TEST FILE' with whatever variable contains the name you're looking up.

mj99

Just want to say thanks. I got everything working like a charm thanks to you.