Saving data in a binary file

[teja8100]

Hello,

I have 3 data arrays which i am saving in an Access database. But, I found out that saving them in a database is not a very good idea in terms of memory usage. I came to know that I could save the data in a binary file and could retrieve it whenever i need it. can anyone please tell me how I can save data in a data array on to a binary file and retrieve it when requied?

Thanks

[mstraf]

you can use the basic VB file I/O Open, Get, Put and Close.
This is just an example on how to read/write an array of bytes.
You can just use any data you want, the important is that when you read you use the exact format used for writing. In binary files, usually the beginning is an header (defined as a UDT) that explains offset and length in the file where the data is.

    '' write an array
    Dim ff As Integer
    Dim data() As Byte
    ReDim data(1023)
    ff = FreeFile
    Open "C:\tmp.data" For Binary Access Write As #ff
    Put #ff, , data
    Close #ff
    
    '' read an array
    ff = FreeFile
    Open "C:\tmp.data" For Binary Access Read As #ff
    ReDim data(LOF(ff) - 1)
    Get #ff, , data
    Close #ff

Marco

[teja8100]

Hi mstraf,

Thanks for your reply. I tried writing a data array into a binary file. but when i opened the saved file, I dont see any data in it. I modified your code to save a data array and is as shown below. Please help me out in find the error.

Private A() As Single

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    '' write an array
    Dim ff As Integer
    'Dim data() As Byte
    ReDim A(100)
    ff = FreeFile
    Open "C:\tmp1.data" For Binary Access Write As #ff
    Put #ff, , A
    Close #ff
End Sub

Private Sub Command2_Click()
    '' read an array
    ff = FreeFile
    Open "C:\tmp1.data" For Binary Access Read As #ff
    ReDim A(LOF(ff) - 1)
    Get #ff, , A
    Close #ff
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
ReDim Preserve A(100)
For i = 1 To 100
    A(i) = i
Next i
End Sub

[mstraf]

you are redim-ming the A array before saving it, thus losing the data saved in the Load event
Marco

[teja8100]

But I am using the "Preserve" keyword.....

The MSDN documentation says...

"The following statement resizes the array but does not erase elements.

Redim Preserve MyArray(15) ' Resize to 15 elements."

so i dont think thats the problem.

[mstraf]

you are using preserve in the Load event (that is useless, because at that time A was not initialized yet) and NOT afterwards (in the command1_click) you must always use it!
Marco

[teja8100]

Yup, got it. Thanks!!