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Q113278: How to Replace a String in a Text File

Article: Q113278
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): 2.00 2.50 2.50a 2.50b 2.60 | 2.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 30-JUL-2001

2.00 2.50 2.50a 2.50b 2.60 | 2.50 2.50a 2.50b 2.60 3.00 | 2.50b
MS-DOS                     | WINDOWS                    | MACINTOSH
kbprg

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0
- Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.0, 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6
- Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, version 2.5b
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SUMMARY
=======

FoxPro does not contain a function for replacing a character string in an
ASCII text file. One way to do this is to use low-level file functions. A
simpler way is to copy the text file to a memo field, make the change using
STRTRAN(), and copy the memo field back to an ASCII file, as demonstrated
below.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The following steps demonstrate this procedure:

1. Create an ASCII text file that contains the following sentence:

     This sentence demonstrates how a character string can be changed.

2. Create a database that contains only a memo field.

3. Append a blank record to that database.

4. Create a program that contains the following code:

     USE <database>
     APPEND MEMO <memofield> FROM <ASCII file><![CDATA[ OVERWRITE
     Temp=STRTRAN(<memofield>,"demonstrates","shows")
     REPLACE <memofield> WITH Temp
     COPY MEMO <memofield> TO <ASCII file><![CDATA[

5. Run the program.

6. Open the ASCII file; the word "demonstrates" should now read "shows".

If the same ASCII filename is used in the APPEND MEMO and the COPY MEMO
commands, the file will be rewritten with the changes. The OVERWRITE
parameter on the APPEND MEMO command is needed so that the current text
file overwrites the existing contents of the memo field. This technique can
also be used to remove escape codes and page formatting from files by
placing the characters to remove in the STRTRAN() function.

Additional reference words: VFoxWin 3.00  FoxMac FoxDos FoxWin 2.00 2.50
2.50a 2.50b 2.60
KBCategory: kbprg
KBSubcategory: FxprgGeneral
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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbFoxPro250bMac kbFoxPro200DOS kbFoxPro250DOS kbFoxPro250aDOS kbFoxPro250bDOS kbFoxPro260DOS kbFoxPro260 kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbFoxPro250b kbVFP300
Version           : 2.00 2.50 2.50a 2.50b 2.60 | 2.5

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