FileSeek() sorting by filename

[SM777]

I have a routine which scans a directory looking for TXT files ready for parsing.

How can I ensure that the files are read in a certain sequence?

If the filenames are generated sequentially:

file1.txt 10:14 21-May
file2.txt 10:17 21-May
file3.txt 10:20 21-May

Then they are read in the correct order.

However, If one of the files is written before the others:

file2.txt 10:17 21-May
file1.txt 10:14 21-May
file3.txt 10:20 21-May

Then fileseek() will not read file2 before file1 and this causes problems.

How can I ensure that the files are all read sequentially from 1 to 3? Is this just a matter of loading the file directory into an array and sorting? Or is there an option in fileseek to presort the dir before scanning it?

 

[Bozz]

Use the DIRECTORY() or ADIR() commands to get a list of matching files. Sort the arrays and work your way through the resulting arrays that will then be in the correct order.

Ian Boys
DTE Systems Ltd

 

[FBM357]

Bozz,

You're on point with your suggestion. I took it a step further which makes things a lot easier. I actually use a julian date in my file naming convention (i.e. FIL04143.txt) then use a wildcard with ADIR()

Example:

p_path := "FIL*.TXT"
DECLARE a_file_ary[ADIR(p_path)]
ADir(p_path, a_file_ary)
a_filesort := Asort(a_file_ary,,,{|x,y| x>y}) // sort in descending order
.........
........

This assures LIFO when printing the most recent file (I mainly use this routine in report generation/printing)

FBM

"If you want SQUARE work, you DON'T cut CORNERS!!!" ...