Getting info from a text file

borg.stef

This is my code where im getting information from a text file. it is a loop like this: 0th line in variable machine (string), 1nd line in variable x (integer), 2rd line in variable y (integer), 3th line in var rot (integer), 4th line in machine again etc. however if in the string line there is "floor" written, those 4 lines will be skipped and go to the next string line (therefore counter = counter +4). However when i run it, nothing happens

	a = []
	counter = 0
	file = File.new("trial.txt", "r")
	while (line = file.gets)
		a[counter] = line

		if counter % 4 == 0.0         # lines 0 , 4, 8 etc
			if a[counter] = #{floor}
				counter = counter + 4
			 else machine = "#{a[counter].3ds"
			end
		elsif counter % 4 == 1.0    # lines 1 , 5, 9 etc
			x = a[counter].to_f
		elsif counter % 4 == 2.0     # lines 2 , 6, 10 etc
			y = a[counter].to_f
		elsif counter % 4 == 3.0    # lines 3 , 7, 11 etc
			rot = a[counter].to_i

TIG

A much simpler way is to read all of the file's lines into an array like this
lines=IO.readlines(file_path)
then process the lines in turn...
lines.each{|line| ...### do something to 'line' or use 'next' if it's not a type you want... }
This way you don't need to open/close the file or use 'counters' etc...

Dan Rathbun

But if you still wish to use a counter, you may by using the each_with_index iterator (that is mixed into the Array class, from module Enumerable.)

lines.each_with_index {|line,counter| ...### do something to 'line' or use 'next' if it's not a type you want... }

Dan Rathbun

The reason it does not work is this line:

if a[counter] = #{floor}

should be:

if a[counter] == "floor"

Because:
(1) = is the assignment operator, and == is the equality method for class String.

(2) the #{var} replacement operator must be nested within a double-quoted String literal.
BUT... in your case, "floor" is NOT a variable (reference), it is a String value, so you just need to specify the literal String.

Dan Rathbun

By the way... if YOU are creating the files.. why not simplify things and write out CSV records, where each line is:
"string tag",x,y,rot

We have a topic on reading CSV text files:
[code] reading a CSV file

EDIT: Oh you are using MatLab written files, as in this post http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=35961&start=30#p319047