1. Dictionary Builder
Part 4
Loading Files

2. Step 8 – Loading Files
Note that there are 2 distinct types of files that the program needs to read:
Dictionary files
one word on each line
Text files
multiple words on multiple lines

3. Step 8 – Loading Files
However, in both cases, many of the same commands must be executed. Looks like a job for sub-programs!

4. Step 8a – Setting the stream
Private Sub setStream(ByRef reader As IO.StreamReader, ByRef theFile As IO.FileStream) ' Local declarations ' Set properties of the OpenFileDialog object ' and show the dialog. ' If the user selected a file and pressed Open ' Create the FileStream and StreamReader objects

5. Step 8b – Closing the stream
Private Sub closeStream(ByVal reader, ByVal theFile)
' Close the reader
' Close the file
' Set the flag
End Sub

6. Step 8c.1 – Reading a dictionary
To read the words from a dictionary file (one created by the program) the code needs to loop through the file one line at a time and add the line to the listBox.
Do Until reader.EndOfStream
lstWords.Items.Add(reader.ReadLine())
Loop

7. Step 8c.2 – Reading text
To read a text file, the program must take in the whole file as a string and then parse it into words, and decide if each word should be added to the list.
Dim newText As String
newText = LCase(reader.ReadToEnd)

8. Step 9 – Extracting words
Once the text file has been read into the string variable…
the string needs to be parsed, and
each word tested
to be added to the list.

9. Step 9 – Parsing the string
Private Sub extractFrom(ByVal theText) ' Local declarations ' Initialise the flag and thisWord ' Loop through the string ' Isolate the next character ' Is it a word ender? ' Does it really end a word? ' set the flag ' send the word for further testing ' reset the variable to empty ' Not a string ender ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord ' If it's the first letter of a word End Sub

10. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Local declarations Const enders = "_ & vbNewLine & vbTab Dim c As Integer Dim scanningWord As Boolean Dim thisWord As String ' Initialise the flag and thisWord …

11. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Local declarations Const enders = "_ & vbNewLine & vbTab Dim c As Integer Dim scanningWord As Boolean Dim thisWord As String ' Initialise the flag and thisWord scanningWord = False thisWord = vbNullString …

12. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop through the string ' Isolate the next character ' Is it a word ender? ' Does it really end a word? ' set the flag ' send the word for further testing ' reset the variable to empty ' Not a string ender ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord ' If it's the first letter of a word

13. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop through the string For c = 1 To Len(theText) ' Isolate the next character ' Is it a word ender? ' Does it really end a word? ' set the flag ' send the word for further testing ' reset the variable to empty ' Not a string ender ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord ' If it's the first letter of a word Next

14. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop through the string For c = 1 To Len(theText) ' Isolate the next character Dim thisChar = Mid(theText, c, 1) ' Is it a word ender? ' Does it really end a word? ' set the flag ' send the word for further testing ' reset the variable to empty ' Not a string ender ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord ' If it's the first letter of a word Next

15. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop through the string For c = 1 To Len(theText) ' Isolate the next character Dim thisChar = Mid(theText, c, 1) ' Is it a word ender? If InStr(enders, thisChar) > 0 Then ' Does it really end a word? ' set the flag ' send the word for further testing ' reset the variable to empty ' Not a string ender Else ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord ' If it's the first letter of a word End If Next

16. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop[ing] through the string ' and finding a word-ending character… … ' Does it really end a word? If scanningWord Then ' set the flag ' send the word for further testing ' reset the variable to empty End If ' Not a string ender Else ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord ' If it's the first letter of a word

17. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop[ing] through the string ' and finding a word-ending character… … ' Does it really end a word? If scanningWord Then ' set the flag scanningWord = False ' send the word for further testing submit(thisWord) ' reset the variable to empty thisWord = vbNullString End If ' Not a string ender Else …

18. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop[ing] through the string ' NOT finding a word-ending character… … ' Does it really end a word? … ' (on previous slide) ' Not a string ender Else ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord thisWord &= thisChar ' If it's the first letter of a word ' set the flag End If

19. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop[ing] through the string ' NOT finding a word-ending character… … ' Not a string ender Else ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord thisWord &= thisChar ' If it's the first letter of a word If Not scanningWord Then ' set the flag End If

20. Step 9 – Parsing the string
' Loop[ing] through the string ' NOT finding a word-ending character… … ' Not a string ender Else ' Concatenate the thisChar onto thisWord thisWord &= thisChar ' If it's the first letter of a word If Not scanningWord Then ' set the flag scanningWord = True End If

21. Step 9 – Parsing the string
Private Sub extractFrom(ByVal theText) Const enders = " & vbNewLine & vbTab Dim c As Integer, scanningWord As Boolean, thisWord As String scanningWord = False thisWord = vbNullString For c = 1 To Len(theText) Dim thisChar = Mid(theText, c, 1) If InStr(enders, thisChar) > 0 Then If scanningWord Then submit(thisWord) End If Else thisWord &= thisChar If Not scanningWord Then scanningWord = True Next End Sub

22. Step 10 – testing the word
The tests that a word needs to pass are the same as those imposed on those entered in the txtWord. Hurray for sub-programs!

23. Step 10 – testing the word
Private Sub submit(ByVal aWord As String)
If Len(aWord) <= 11 And Len(aWord) >= 7 _
And isWord(aWord) And isUnique(aWord) Then
lstWords.Items.Add(aWord)
End If
End Sub
Note the added condition that words have at least 7 letters.