Is there a way to split a array into an X sized list?

Question

Im reading a text file that consists of thousands of codes but the order of the code is as follows.

First line: NS10 EW9
Second line: $1.91
Third line: $2.60
Fourth line: 42

Im trying to split the first line into two seperate lines in the new list.

I Modified my code but there still is another error. It is an index out of range exception error.

int size = FaresFile.Length / 4 * 5;
                int linecount = 0;
                String[] split = new string[size];
                conn.ConnectionString = "Data Source=***\\*** database=***; integrated security= true";
                do
                {
                    split = FaresFile[0].Split(' ');
                    cmd.CommandText = string.Format("INSERT INTO Fares Values ('{0}','{1}', '{2}', '{3}', '{4}' )", split[linecount], split[linecount + 1], split[linecount + 2], split[linecount + 3], split[linecount + 4]);
                    cmd.Connection = conn;
                    try
                    {
                        conn.Open();
                        cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
                    }
                    catch (Exception ex)
                    {

                    }
                    finally
                    {
                        conn.Close();
                    }
                    linecount = linecount + 5;
                }while(linecount != split.Length);

I expected the new list to look like this.

First line: NS10
Second line: EW9
Third line: $1.91
Fourth line: $2.60
Fifth line: 42

I cannot run the program as there is an error in the code.

Answer 1

I think the best would be to use two arrays. One with the source data and one that will contain the modified data.

Read the 1st line from the "source" array, split it into two and put it into the "output" array. Then copy (append) the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th line of the source arra to the output array. The 6th line of the source has to be split into two lines in the output array. Then copy (append) the 7th, 8th, ...

Answer 2

I'm not sure how FaresFile is formatted, but here's some code that worked for me. (\n is newline) It seems that you want to use ' ' instead of " " so that it is interpreted literally as a character.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        string text = "NS10 EW9 \n $1.91 \n \n $2.60 \n 42";

        List<String> split = text.Split(' ').ToList();

        foreach(string item in split)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("List Item:" + item);
        }

    }
}

Depending on how your file is formatted you may need to delete empty array items.

Answer 3

(answered before the OP changed the question significantly)

Instead of fixing just the one errant line, I suggest the following approach for reading the entire file and parsing it in one statement--avoiding the loops:

using System.Linq;
using System.IO;

var allLines = File
    .ReadAllLines(filepath)
    .SelectMany(x => x.Split(new [] {' '}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries))
    .ToList();

where filepath is your input file.

Notes:

• .Split here uses ' ' instead of " " (which resolves your original issue)
• StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries ensures that multiple consecutive spaces and any leading/trailing spaces are ignored, instead of creating blank lines in the output

Answer 4

string inputFile = "{filepath to your input file}";
using (var conn = new SqlConnection())
{
    conn.ConnectionString = "{your connection string}";
    conn.Open();
    File.ReadAllLines(inputFile)
        .SelectMany(l => l.Split(new[] { ' '}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries))
        .Select(l => $"INSERT INTO Fares  Values ('{l}')")
        .ToList()
        .ForEach(c =>
        {
            using (var cmd = new SqlCommand(c, conn))
            {
                cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
            }
        });
}

The important differences from your code here are:

1. Inserts one SQL row at a time. You were trying to insert 5 at a time, but the SQL syntax wasn't correct. I assume you were trying to reduce the total number of SQL commands issued, but it was muddying the issue. Get it working simply first.
2. Uses LINQ to make the code more concise.
3. Uses SelectMany() to accomplish your main stated objective (treating multiple tokens on one line of input as though they are individual lines). SelectMany() flattens multiple collections into a single collection.
4. Uses the "using" statement so you get free close/disposal of your SqlConnection and SqlCommand objects.
5. Dispenses with the intermediate FaresFile string array