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Groups > comp.lang.basic.misc > #232

Re: Opening a .DAT file

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"Todd Vargo" <tlvargo@sbcglobal.netz> wrote in message 
news:jjlorh$rla$1@news.albasani.net...
> On 3/12/2012 12:29 PM, DonH wrote:
>> "Todd Vargo"<tlvargo@sbcglobal.netz>  wrote in message
>> news:jjidpl$m5v$1@news.albasani.net...
>>> On 3/10/2012 2:39 PM, DonH wrote:
>>>> Is this possible, to view contents on-screen?
>>>>     QBasic enables data to be stored in a Sequential file, and you can 
>>>> use
>>>> .TXT or .DAT as the storage unit.  But only .DAT is possible for 
>>>> storage
>>>> as
>>>> a Random Access file.
>>>>     Any .TXT file can be opened on-screen.
>>>>     Indeed, data can be loaded into a normal WordPad text file, and 
>>>> saved
>>>> as
>>>> "Text Document - MS-DOS Format", and then transfer to Basic file 
>>>> folder,
>>>> for
>>>> renaming as .BAS.
>>>>     The data can then be copied into Basic programs, using QBasic's own
>>>> clipboard, and Edit/Cut, Paste.  (Selected text, highlighted).
>>>>     Of course, this may only apply to limited amounts of data, 
>>>> otherwise
>>>> storage on hard disk (c: drive) might be necessary.
>>>>      The reverse of TXT-to-BAS is possible, ie a .BAS file can be
>>>> renamed/saved as .TXT (Useful if you want to incorporate into WORD
>>>> documents).  Such text can be supplemented by a ScreenPrint of the
>>>> program
>>>> results, then use Paint to reverse colours...
>>>
>>> That is kind of a long way to go just "to view contents on-screen". 
>>> Since
>>> you can use Edit or Wordpad to view files of any extension, I have to 
>>> ask,
>>> what are you trying to accomplish here?
>>
>> # Thanks for the tip, and I've now opened a DAT file using WordPad.
>>     As for the rest of my experimenting with TXT files and BAS, I find 
>> you
>> can edit (add, delete, replace, entries) in a (Sequential) TXT file,
>> on-screen, and such amendments are accepted by the related BAS program.
>> However, you can't fool QBasic by trying to substitute a whole TXT file 
>> in a
>> program - it must have been created by that program, using filenumber, 
>> etc.
>> Fair enough.
>>     The whole business of data storage by Basic has probably been 
>> superseded
>> by WORKS spreadsheets or databases.
>>     So, why bother with BASIC at all?
>>     Maybe, as (1) it forces us to think logically, and (2) is basis of 
>> most
>> other programming systems.
>>     A computer is entirely logical, even to the extent of "garbage in,
>> garbage out".
>>     It can't generate an entirely random number - needs a seed, and an
>> algorithm.
>
> As far as reading an entire text file into memory goes, that is covered in 
> the topic "QBasic Environment Limits" in the help menu. But you ask, "Why 
> bother with BASIC at all"? Well, for doing useful things that go beyond 
> viewing a files contents. Other than that, it does not appear you are 
> trying to accomplish anything. GIGO
>
> Todd Vargo
> (Post questions to group only. Remove "z" to email personal messages)

# "trying to accomplish anything"?
   Yes, we all have aims, and one of mine is to do a frequency count of 
letters in a cryptogram, now successfully accomplished using SELECT CASE, 
which is neater than nested IF loops.
   My dabbling with TYPE and file storage is likewise to copy data, eg. text 
of cryptograms, from Internet source, to insert into Basic programs, for 
analysis.
   Incidentally, can you *sort* a Basic storage file - Sequential, or Random 
Access - by one of its components, so all others stay in alignment?  (as you 
can in a WORKS spreadsheet.)  Or must the whole file be downloaded into a 
Basic program, and there manipulated?
 

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Opening a .DAT file "DonH" <donlhumphries@bigpond.com> - 2012-03-11 06:39 +1100
  Re: Opening a .DAT file "Auric__" <not.my.real@email.address> - 2012-03-11 01:04 +0000
    Re: Opening a .DAT file "DonH" <donlhumphries@bigpond.com> - 2012-03-13 04:14 +1100
      Re: Opening a .DAT file H-Man <Spam@bites.fs> - 2012-03-12 12:25 -0600
      Re: Opening a .DAT file ralph <nt_consulting64@yahoo.net> - 2012-03-12 13:28 -0500
  Re: Opening a .DAT file Todd Vargo <tlvargo@sbcglobal.netz> - 2012-03-11 09:45 -0500
    Re: Opening a .DAT file "DonH" <donlhumphries@bigpond.com> - 2012-03-13 04:29 +1100
      Re: Opening a .DAT file Todd Vargo <tlvargo@sbcglobal.netz> - 2012-03-12 16:12 -0500
        Re: Opening a .DAT file "DonH" <donlhumphries@bigpond.com> - 2012-03-14 05:47 +1100
          Re: Opening a .DAT file Todd Vargo <tlvargo@sbcglobal.netz> - 2012-03-13 17:18 -0500
            Re: Opening a .DAT file H-Man <Spam@bites.fs> - 2012-03-13 15:38 -0600
          Re: Opening a .DAT file "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2012-03-15 22:48 +0100

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