Extracting text from a bundle of files.

[jimoblak]

I confused how to handle this: I have a bunch of individual text files that I want to extract text from. The text that I want to extract is conveniently packaged between lines that say '*** START OF TEXT ***' and '*** END OF TEXT ***'. Should I do some sort of strtok trick with the asterisk-laden lines or is there another approach that someone can recommend?

An example of one of the original files follows:

//////////
Junk text appears at the beginning of the file. It is of variable length.
*** START OF TEXT ***
This is the text that I want to extract. It is of variable length
*** END OF TEXT ***
Junk text appears at the end of the file. It is of variable length.
//////////


- - picklefish - -

 

[sleipnir214]

It sounds like the text terminator is guaranteed to begin a line.

If so, then open the file, reading lines and discarding the input until the line reads your as your token ("*** START OF TEXT ***&quot.

Then continue reading lines, keeping track of the content until you get to the text termination token ("*** END OF TEXT ***&quot.

If there is only supposed to be one block of text to pay attention to, when you get to the terminator token, close the file.

Otherwise, start reading and discarding again.

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