Hi..

im trying to figure out how to concatenating two arrays in VBscript, but i seem to be totally stuck. I cannot find any examples on concatenating except for simple string concats..

Im also totally new to VBscripting (started 2days ago, with only batch scripting experience) so i hope anyone can help me out.

Here's my copy paste&somewhat written source code. You'll have to excuse me for the poor programming. What i would like to have array3 that contains array1&array2, then output array3 to a txt file.

i.e

if array1 contains
1
2
3
4
and array2 contains
a
b
c
d
array3 should contain
1a
2b
3c
4d.

Also, it seems that both arrays contains only the last line of the txt file.. :(

'source
Const ForReading = 1

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\test.csv", ForReading)

Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strNextLine = objTextFile.Readline
array1 = Split(strNextLine , ";")
For i = 1 to Ubound(array1)
Next

Loop

Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\forbruk.csv", ForReading)
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strNextLine = objTextFile.Readline
array2 = Split(strNextLine , ";")
For i = 1 to Ubound(array2)
Next

Loop

'Just a write to file test.
'Here i would like to have the c
Set objTextFile = objFSO.createTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\output.txt", ForAppending)
For i = 1 to Ubound(array1)
objTextFile.Write array1(0) & " Forbruk 1a:" & array2(0)
Next
objTextFile.close

Arrays 1 & 2 only contain the last line because you are recreating the array each time you read a new line. Also, these two lines do nothing:

For i = 1 to Ubound(array1)
Next

This procedure should work to create arrays 1 & 2:

'Create a single string with
'entire content (add delimiter)
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strOneLine = objTextFile.Readline & ";"
Loop
'Remove last delimiter
strOneLine = Left(strOneLine,Len(strOneLine)-1)
'Create the array
array1 = Split(strNextLine , ";")

Then before creating array 3, need to determine which input array (1 or 2) has the least number of elements to avoid errors. Also, note array indecies start at 0 not 1.

'Determine minimum array length
If UBound(array1) < UBound(array2) Then
arrayLength = UBound(array1)
Else
arrayLength = UBound(array2)
End If

'Create array 3
Dim array3(arrayLength)

Set objTextFile = objFSO.createTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\output.txt", ForAppending)

'Populate array 3 and write to file
For i = 0 to arrayLength
array3(i) = array1(i)&array2(i)
objTextFile.writeline array3(i)
Next

Michael J

Thnx Michael:) I'll try it first thing tomorrow at work and see how it goes.

Note that I didn't test this. There could be some minor syntaxt errors, but it should be technically correct.

Michael J

Ok, i have gotten much further now. The files are being added to array1&2.
If the txt files only contains one collumn tho, every row has to be ended by a ";"
If i only have one collumn, Excel wont save a ";" on the end. Can it be fixed?

Also, arrayLength is not accepted while trying to concatenate array1&2. Checking out arrayLenght it contains "1" while the txt files contains 9 rows.. So i guess arrayLength should contain 8, not 1?.. Here's the new source with some comments on it.
I hope you can help me abit further Michael:]

c:\number.csv contains
1
2
3
.
.
9

c:\letters.csv contains
a
b
c
.
.
i

-----------------SOURCE---------------------

Const ForReading = 1

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\Numbers.csv", ForReading)

'CREATING ARRAY1 FROM FILE
'Create a single string with
'entire content (add delimiter)
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strOneLine = objTextFile.Readline & ";"
'Remove last delimiter
strOneLine = Left(strOneLine,Len(strOneLine)-1)

'Create the array
array1 = Split(strOneLine , ";")
For i = 1 to Ubound(array1)
Wscript.Echo ": " & array1(0)

Next
Loop

'CREATING ARRAY2 FROM FILE
Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\Letters.csv", ForReading)

'Create a single string with
'entire content (add delimiter)
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strOneLine = objTextFile.Readline & ";"
'Remove last delimiter
strOneLine = Left(strOneLine,Len(strOneLine)-1)
'Create the array
array2 = Split(strOneLine , ";")
For i = 1 to Ubound(array2)
Wscript.Echo ": " & array2(0)

Next
Loop

''Then before creating array 3, need to determine which input array (1 or 2) has the least number of elements to avoid errors. Also, note array indecies start at 0 not 1.
'Determine minimum array length

If UBound(array1) < UBound(array2) Then
arrayLength = UBound(array1)
Else
arrayLength = UBound(array2)
End If

'Create array 3
'Testing what arrayLength contains
MsgBox (arrayLength)
'arrayLength contains 1. Should be 9...

Dim array3(arrayLength)
'Gives an error. Expected integer constant. Tried to declare a constant containing arrayLenght's value and use it instead. Got new error, expected literal constant..

Set objTextFile = objFSO.createTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\output.txt", ForAppending)

'Populate array 3 and write to file
For i = 0 to arrayLength
array3(i) = array1(i)&array2(i)
objTextFile.writeline array3(i)
Next

"If i only have one collumn, Excel wont save a ';' on the end. Can it be fixed?"

I didn't realize that the input had a ";" at the end of each line already. I though it was only between each data item on a line. If that is the case, you can remove the red text in the two instances of this line (however, this line is incorrect - see below):

strOneLine = objTextFile.Readline & ";"

I don't think you want a ";" at the very end. Because when you split the string into an array it would create a null entry at the very end.

As for the arrayLength variable not being correct, it may have something to do with the loops being incorrectly formatted. This was partially my fault for a mistake in one of the lines. Here is what you have:

'Create a single string with
'entire content (add delimiter)
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strOneLine = objTextFile.Readline & ";"
'Remove last delimiter
strOneLine = Left(strOneLine,Len(strOneLine)-1)
'Create the array
array2 = Split(strOneLine , ";")
For i = 1 to Ubound(array2)
Wscript.Echo ": " & array2(0)
Next
Loop

The loop should ONLY encompass the reading of the file and creating a single string variable. Then AFTER the loop it will create the array. So, with the change to the delimiter noted above and the other corrections needed, that process should look more like this:

'Create a single string with
'entire content (add delimiter)
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strOneLine = strOneLine & objTextFile.Readline
Loop

'Create the array
array2 = Split(strOneLine , ";")

'For debuggin only?
For i = 1 to Ubound(array2)
Wscript.Echo ": " & array2(0)
Next

If you need more assistance, it would be helpful if I had an example of your input files to see what you are working with. Perhaps you can email me examples (just click my name) in the post header.
Michael J

Hi again Michael,

Ive updated the source code, and it now works better as long as file1 and file2 ONLY contains 1 column. If there are 2 columns, 12|ab the ouput will result in 21ba for some reason.If 3 colums or more, i just get an error. Also the var arrayLenght still aint accepted for some mysterios reason. I'll paste the new source here. Hope you can help me abit further if you have time for it. Sorry to bother you this much;) Also i sent you an email with an more in depth exlanation of what the script is supposed to do..

For the moment both files consists of 1 column containing:

1
2
.
.
9

and

a
b
.
.
i

-------------SOURCE---------------
Const ForReading = 1

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\Numbers.csv", ForReading)

'CREATING ARRAY1 FROM FILE
'Create a single string
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strFile1 = strFile1 & objTextFile.Readline
Loop

'Create the array
array1 = Split(strFile1 , ";")

'Echo for debugging purposes
For i = 1 to Ubound(array1)
Wscript.Echo "array1: " & array1(i)
Next

'CREATING ARRAY2 FROM FILE
Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\Letters.csv", ForReading)

'Create a single string with
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strFile2 = strFile2 & objTextFile.Readline
Loop

'Create the array
array2 = Split(strFile2 , ";")

'Echo for debugging purposes
For i = 1 to Ubound(array2)
Wscript.Echo "array2: " & array2(i)
Next

'Determine minimum array length
If UBound(array1) < UBound(array2) Then
arrayLength = UBound(array1)
Else
arrayLength = UBound(array2)
End If

'Create array 3
'Testing what arrayLength contains for debugging purposes
MsgBox (arrayLength)
'arrayLength is now 9, which is correct

Dim array3(9)
'Still gives an error if var arrayLength is used: Expected integer constant. Works if an integer is used. Using 9 for now..

Set objTextFile = objFSO.createTextFile _
("C:\HELT NYESTE\output.txt", ForAppending)

'Populate array 3 and write to file
For i = 0 to arrayLength
array3(i) = array1(i)&array2(i)
objTextFile.writeline array3(i)
Next

Well, that was sooo much easier with all the info. There's a bunch of error handling code that could be added to this such as handling input files with empty lines, deleting the output file if it already exists, etc. But, with the samples you gave me the below code will work (FYI: you set the constant ForReading, but then you use the variable ForAppending in your code which has not been set). I added code to strip the leading & trailing spaces from the input data, and I also added " / " between the two items when concatenating them in array3 for readability purposes. Change it as you see fit.

Const ForReading = 1
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile _
("numbers.csv", ForReading)

'CREATING ARRAY1 FROM FILE
'Create a single string
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strFile1 = strFile1 & objTextFile.Readline & ";"
Loop

'Create the array
strFile1 = Left(strFile1,Len(strFile1)-1)
array1 = Split(strFile1 , ";")

'Remove leading and trailing spaces
For i = 0 to Ubound(array1)
array1(i) = Trim(array1(i))
Next

'CREATING ARRAY2 FROM FILE
Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile _
("letters.csv", ForReading)

'Create a single string with
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strFile2 = strFile2 & objTextFile.Readline & ";"
Loop

'Create the array
strFile2 = Left(strFile2,Len(strFile2)-1)
array2 = Split(strFile2 , ";")

'Remove leading and trailing spaces
For i = 0 to Ubound(array2)
array2(i) = Trim(array2(i))
Next

'Determine minimum array length
If UBound(array1) < UBound(array2) Then
arrayLength = UBound(array1)
Else
arrayLength = Int(UBound(array2))
End If

'Create array 3
ReDim array3(arrayLength)

'Create the optput file
Set objTextFile = objFSO.createTextFile ("output.txt", ForAppending)

'Populate array 3 and write to file
For i = 0 to arrayLength
array3(i) = array1(i) & " / " & array2(i)
objTextFile.writeline array3(i)
Next

Michael J

Ive tested the new source, and now everything works as it should.
Also the problem with arrayLenght is solved.
Ive also declared ForAppending = 8. (i mean i have read somewhere 8 is for appending).
Still the txt file gets overwritten everytime, so its not really appending.. But it doesnt matter, and if nececary i'll probably figure it out.

My next step is to figure out how to search in array2 for values taken from array1. Also, i'll try to figure out how to discard columns i dont want. I'll give it a try myself first and see if i can figure it out.
Thnx for all the help so far. I appreciate it:]

It is creating a new file every time because you are using createTextFile and not openTextFile.

See the tutorial here:
http://computerperformance.co.uk/vbscript/vbscript_file_opentextfile.htm

Michael J

Ahh.. Haha.. Thnx again:)