[r/w text files] Way easy text file problem

[klyxmaster]

Ok i have been working on this for a day+ now. here is my delema

 

simple .ini text file. when a user makes a change (via html form) it makes the correct adjustments.

problem is the newline issue

 

1. if i put a "\n" at the end (when using fputs) works great, except everytime they edit the file it keeps adding a new line (i.e. 10 edits there are now 10 blank lines!!!!)

2. if i leave off the "\n" it appends the next "fgets" to that lilne making a mess

 

##-- Loop thruoght the ORIGINAL file
    while( ! feof($old))
    {
        ##-- Get a line of text
        $aline = fgets($old);
        
        ##-- We only need to check for "="
        if(strpos($aline,"=") > 0 )
        {
            ##-- Write NEW data to tmp file
            fputs($tmp,$info[$i]." = ".$rslt[$i]."\n");
            $i++;
        }
        ##-- No Match
        else
        {
            fputs($tmp,$aline."\n");
        }//Checking for match
    }//while eof(old)
    

 

what in the world is making this such a big deal. i dont remember having this issue in the past

I tried opening with w+, and just w on the temp file

 

a typical text line would be

 

some fieldname = some value

 

the scipt cycles through the file ignoring comments that are "#"

 

 

ps

the tmp file will overwrite the origianl once complete

 

all i really want to know is WHY i cant get the newline to work, and what is the suggested fix

 

EDIT:

i just tried PHP_EOL and it still appends another newline

[klyxmaster]

OK, Im wayyyyyyy too impatient (which can be a good thing )

I kept looking and tried a different method. the following seems to work perfectly and its shorter!!

 

function updateTextRec($orig_filename,$data)
{
    ##-- Put the $orig_filename in an array
    $data_file = file($orig_filename);
    
    ##-- Loop through the new array
    foreach($data_file as $line_num => $aline)
    {
        ##--Cycle through the user $data for a match
        foreach($data as $field => $value)
        {
            $field = str_replace("_",".",$field);
            if(strstr($aline,$field))
            {
                $data_file[$line_num] = $field." = ".$value."\n";
            }
        }
    }
    
    ##-- Save it
    $save_file = implode("",$data_file);
    $fp = fopen($orig_filename,"w");
    fwrite($fp,$save_file);
    fclose($fp);

 

Original idea from :  http://php.bigresource.com/Track/php-G1NzcoJB/

[Psycho]

I think the problem you are experiencing is that fgets() will get a line from the file and that line already has a line break on the end. In the IF condition you are rewriting the line and including a line break on the end. But, in the ELSE condition you are appending a line break to the original line (which already had a line break).

 

However, the problem is further exacerbated by the fact that fputs() also put in a line break - but you won't see it in a plain text editor. If you were to open the file using Word or Wordpad you would see the extra line breaks. To be honest, I don't really get it - but I think it boils down to a difference on how Linux/Windows define line breaks. I've run into this problem in other instances and had to fight through to resolve it. But the solution to your problem is just to write better code.

 

1. It is inefficient to write one line at a time. Instead, generate all the content for the new file THEN, when complete, replace the original file. You don't need a temp file at all. Just use a temp string.

2. The ELSE condition is not necessary. If the IF condition is true then redefine $aline. Then you only need one line to handle the disposition of the content.

3. Remove the "internal" line breaks using trim() then add your line breaks.

 

Personally, I would use file() to break the content into an array, redefine the values that need to be redefined, then implode the result and overwrite the file. But, using your method, I would rewrite as follows:

 

##-- Loop thruoght the ORIGINAL file
    while( ! feof($old))
    {
        ##-- Get a line of text
        $aline = trim(fgets($old));

        ##-- We only need to check for "="
        if(strpos($aline, "=") > 0 )
        {
            $aline = "{$info[$i]} = {$rslt[$i]}";
            $i++;
        }
        $new .= $aline . PHP_EOL;
    }//while eof(old)
//Close file handle for reading
fclose($old);

//Reopen file in write mode
$old = @fopen($file, "w");
fputs($old, $new);
fclose($old);

[klyxmaster]

I agree with the "file" method. see my new post above. much cleaner and I was able to plug it into a function