Issue in splitting an array of strings

Question

I'm using webrequests to retrieve data in a .txt file that's on my dropbox using this "format".

SomeStuff
AnotherStuff
StillAnother

And i'm using this code to retrieve each line and read it:

Private Sub DataCheck()
    Dim datarequest As HttpWebRequest = CType(HttpWebRequest.Create("https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com.txt"), HttpWebRequest)
    Dim dataresponse As HttpWebResponse = CType(datarequest.GetResponse(), HttpWebResponse)
    Dim sr2 As System.IO.StreamReader = New System.IO.StreamReader(dataresponse.GetResponseStream())
    Dim datastring() As String = sr2.ReadToEnd().Split(CChar(Environment.NewLine))
    If datastring(datastring.Length - 1) <> String.Empty Then

        For Each individualdata In datastring
            MessageBox.Show(individualdata)
            Console.WriteLine(individualdata)
        Next
    End If
End Sub

The problem is, the output is this:

It always adds a line break (equal to " " as i see as first character on each but the first line string) after the first line like: http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/1296/gejb.png

Why this happens? I tried also replacing the Environment.Newline with nothing like this:

Dim newstring as String = individualdata.Replace(Environment.Newline, String.Empty)

But the result was the same... what's the problem here? I tried with multiple newline strings and consts like vbnewline, all had the same result, any ideas?

Tim Schmelter · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-09 21:37:40Z

4

You are not splitting by NewLine since you are cutting off Environment.NewLine which is a string with CChar. You just have to use the overload of String.Split that takes a String() and a StringSplitOption:

So instead of

Dim text = sr2.ReadToEnd()
Dim datastring() As String = text.Split(CChar(Environment.NewLine))

this

Dim datastring() As String = text.Split({Environment.NewLine}, StringSplitOptions.None)

answered Jan 9, 2014 at 21:37

Tim Schmelter

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1 Comment

SomeNickName Over a year ago

Thanks, that works !! I may have to study more about splitting since i never used the overloads... I was converting with CChar because i didn't remember to use curly brackets in this case and Option Strict complained :p

Steve · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-09 21:45:51Z

2

I suspect that your file contains a mix of NewLine+CarriageReturn (vbCrLf) and a simple NewLine (vbLf).
If this is the case then you could create an array of the possible separators

Dim seps(2) as Char 
seps(0) = CChar(vbLf)
seps(1) = CChar(vbCr)
Dim datastring() As String = sr2.ReadToEnd().Split(seps, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)

The StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries is required because a vbCrLf creates an empty string between the two separators

answered Jan 9, 2014 at 21:45

Steve

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2 Comments

SomeNickName Over a year ago

Your solution also works, thank you very much, i didn't knew that ;)

Kangoo13 Over a year ago

Thanks for your answer, searched everywhere this is the only working.

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