TextFiles API

Description
Features
Considerations and Guidelines

Since: 0.11.0
Context: Any
Category: Storage
—

Description

TextFiles API is used to perform various file processing operations. It can be used to open, read and write in files from current and subdirectories as well as list existing folders and files.

Features

textFiles.open

This method allows the user to open a sub directory. This can be used when trying to access a file located in another location. Takes name of the sub directory as a parameter.
Example:

public void openRecords() {
  textFiles.open(“nameOfSubDirectory”);
	/*
  After applying this method, file access is changed. 
  Now the extension is already in the subDirectory folder, so file operations only affect files in the active subDirectory. 
  */
  textFiles.read("TEXTFILE.txt", "UTF-8", updateTEXTFILE);	
}

textFiles.read

This method is responsible for reading data from the selected file and applying it via the corresponding command using the bufferedReader in the extension. Parameters:

String fileName - name of the file
String encoding - string representation of the encoding
Consumer readTask - consumer accepting BufferedReader to read from file. BufferedReader is a class which simplifies reading text from a character input stream. It buffers the characters in order to enable efficient reading of text data.

Example:

List<String> resolveFields(String line) {
  List<String> list = new ArrayList<>();
  String[] fields = line.split(resolveDelimiter(line));
  for(String field : fields) {
    list.add(field);
  }
  return list;
}
Closure<?> readCODEFILE = { BufferedReader reader ->
  List<String> header = resolveFields(reader.readLine());
  while((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
    reader.println(line);
  }
}
public void readRecords() {
  textFiles.read("CODEFILE.csv", "UTF-16", readCODEFILE);
}

textFiles.write

This method allows data to be written inside the selected file. Parameters:

String fileName - name of the file
String encoding - string representation of the encoding
boolean append - if true, append to the contents, otherwise (re)create the file
Consumer writeTask - consumer accepting PrintWriter to print to file. PrintWriter class is the implementation of Writer class. It is used to print the formatted representation of objects to the text-output stream.

Example:

void log(String message) {
  message = LocalDateTime.now().toString() + " " + XtendM3;
  Closure<?> consumer = { PrintWriter printWriter ->
    printWriter.println(message)M
  }
  textFiles.write(reportName, "UTF-16", true, consumer);
}

textFiles.delete

This method deletes the selected file. It takes the file name as parameter, in String format.
Example:

public void DeleteExample() {
  textFiles.delete("test.txt");
}

textFiles.size

This method allows to obtain information about the size of the selected file. The size is displayed as a number of the long type and the units are bytes.
Example:

public void SizeExample() {
  String fileName="test.txt";
  interactive.showOkDialog("Selected file has size of "+textFiles.size(fileName).toString()+"units...");
}

textFiles.exists

The method checks if the file is available in the extension file location. A boolean true/false value is returned depending on available files.
Example:

public void ExistExample() {
  if(textFiles.exists("test.txt")) {
    interactive.showOkDialog("Hello! The file test.txt does exist!");
  } else {
    interactive.showWarningDialog("Hello! The file test.txt does not exist!");
}

textFiles.listFiles

The method lists all files at the extension directory.
Example:

public void ListFiles() {
  textFiles.open("config_data");
  StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
  Iterator<String> list = textFiles.listFiles();

  for (String element : list) {
    sb.append(element);
    sb.append(" ");
  }
}

textFiles.listFolders

The method lists all folders at the extension directory.
Example:

public void ListFolders() {
  textFiles.open("config_data");
  StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
  Iterator<String> list = textFiles.listFolders();
      
  for (String element : list) {
    sb.append(element);
    sb.append(" ");
  }
}

Considerations and Guidelines

TextFile API can be used in Trigger and Transaction type extensions.