Read/Parse text file line by line in VBA

Question

I'm trying to parse a text document using VBA and return the path given in the text file. For example, the text file would look like: ``` *Blah blah instructions *Blah blah instructions on line 2 G:\Folder\...\data.xls D:\AnotherFolder\...\moredata.xls ``` I want the VBA to load 1 line at a time, and if it starts with a `*` then move to the next line (similar to that line being commented). For the lines with a file path, I want to write that path to cell, say `A2` for the first path, `B2` for the next, etc. The main things I was hoping to have answered were: - What is the best/simple way to read through a text file using VBA? - How can I do that line by line?

Accepted Answer

for the most basic read of a text file, use `open`

example:

```
Dim FileNum As Integer
Dim DataLine As String

FileNum = FreeFile()
Open "Filename" For Input As #FileNum

While Not EOF(FileNum)
    Line Input #FileNum, DataLine ' read in data 1 line at a time
    ' decide what to do with dataline, 
    ' depending on what processing you need to do for each case
Wend
```

#Author note - Please stop adding in `close #FileNum` - it's addressed in the comments, and it's not needed as an improvement to this answer

Read/Parse text file line by line in VBA

Solution

Problem