exctract entire lines from text file to array

[Inspector Mills]

Hi there

 

I need a PHP script to extract a number of lines from a text file, and insert them into an array. 

 

The lines that I need to extract all have the following in common:

- the line preceding it has a line of dashes, preceded by 4 spaces ;

- the line after it is blank, and then is followed by another line of dashes (with no preceding spaces).

 

Like this:

    ----------------------

    Total    :  26.225 %

 

--------------------------

 

Any suggestions on how to do this?

 

Thanks in Advance.

 

Mills

[Barand]

fopen() opens file

fgets() reads a line of a file

substr() gets a portionof a string

fclose() closes the file again

 

There's some ammo to get you started

[Psycho]

How big is the file and how often would this be run? The simplest solution, IMHO, is a file_get_contents() and the a preg_match_all() regex to get all those lines. But, if this is a large fine and/or would be run many times such that performance is an issue then using the other file reading functions and string functions may be more efficient.

[Psycho]

If I was able to analyze some test files I might be able to produce a more efficient regular experssion, but based upon your explanation and example, this should work

 

$input = file_get_contents($filePath);

preg_match_all("#    -*\r\n\s([^\r]*)\r\n\r\n-*#", $input, $matches);

print_r($matches[1]);

 

That will work on a windows server, for a unix server I think you need to user just "\r" instead of "\r\n"

preg_match_all("#    -*\r\s([^\r]*)\r\r-*#", $input, $matches);

[Barand]

or

 

<?php
    $fp = fopen('test.txt', 'r');               // open file to read
    $required = false;
    $arr = array();
    
    while ($line = fgets($fp, 1024)) {          // read each line of the file
        if ($required) {
            $arr[] = trim($line);               // flagged as required, so store it
            $required = false;                  // do not want next line now
        }
        if (substr($line,0,4)=='    '
             && substr($line,4,4)=='----') {    // is this a line before total line?
            $required = true;                   // flag that we want the next line
        }
    }                                           // close the file
    fclose($fp);
    
    echo '<pre>'.print_r($arr, 1).'</pre>';     // show results
?>

 

It would be interesting to benchmark the two approaches

 

[Psycho]

or

 

<?php
    $fp = fopen('test.txt', 'r');               // open file to read
    $required = false;
    $arr = array();
    
    while ($line = fgets($fp, 1024)) {          // read each line of the file
        if ($required) {
            $arr[] = trim($line);               // flagged as required, so store it
            $required = false;                  // do not want next line now
        }
        if (substr($line,0,4)=='    '
             && substr($line,4,4)=='----') {    // is this a line before total line?
            $required = true;                   // flag that we want the next line
        }
    }                                           // close the file
    fclose($fp);
    
    echo '<pre>'.print_r($arr, 1).'</pre>';     // show results
?>

 

It would be interesting to benchmark the two approaches

 

 

As I stated I would want to analyze the actual files before I set upon a final solution. But, with all due respect, your solution doesn't meet the requirements regarding the required "post" lines. You only check that the line is preceded by "    -------". Based upon the actual data that might be sufficient, but I didn't want to make that assumption based upon the requirements the OP posted.

[Barand]

..... then using the other file reading functions and string functions may be more efficient.

 

I wasn't trying to slap you across the face with a gauntlet, I was merely curious.