Question Need help understanding reading text file into array

[chanm]

So I am trying to learn vb.net and am a beginner. I find alot of online tutorials, but have yet to find one where I can follow what I'm attemping to do, just bits and pieces. I want to keep the code basic until I learn more, and in this case use two - one dimenstion arrays. I built a program to write Employee Names and Wages to a txt file.
ie.

Jack Black vbtab 60000
Nick Mole vbtab 45000
and so on

I want to bring back that data and place the name and the and wage each into an array so I can calculate different criteria when I hit a search button. I will not know how many names and wages will be written to txt file. I am having trouble understanding exactly how to do this as all the examples I've found list only one array or the txt file is line by line like.
Jack Black
60000
Nick Mole
45000

Everything else I've found is over myhead so far...
Here is my code so far if anyone can let me know where I'm going wrong. I have one error that tells me "property chars is read only". I have no idea what that means, even after reading up on it really...and I'm not sure if the rest of the code I've wrote is 100% anyway. Any help is surely apprepriated. I assure you that I've spent more than a few hours trying to solve this myself.

[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff] Private[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000] WageStatistics_Load([/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000] sender [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000] System.Object, [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000] e [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000] System.EventArgs) [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Handles[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]MyBase[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000].Load[/COLOR]
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] intNum [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Integer[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'number of rows in txt file
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] i [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Integer[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'loop counter for the array index
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] index [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Integer[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] intWage [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Integer[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'Wage[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] strName [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]String
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] intLastBlank [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Integer
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] strInput [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]String
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] dblWage [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Double
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]If[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] File.Exists(file_Name) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Then
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] srReader [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]New[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] StreamReader(file_Name)
intNum = [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]CInt[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2](srReader.ReadLine()) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'first line in file, number of rows
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]index = [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]CInt[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2](intNum)
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]For[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] i = 0 [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]To[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] index - 1
file_Name = srReader.ReadLine() [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'read one line and go to the next
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]intLastBlank = [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]CInt[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]([/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]CStr[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2](strInput.IndexOf(vbTab)))
strName(intWage) = strInput.Substring(0, intLastBlank)
intWage = [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]CInt[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]([/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Double[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2].Parse(strInput.Substring(intLastBlank + 1)))
arrName(i) = strName [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'store the name in the current index position of the array
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]arrWage(i) = intWage [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'store the wage in the current index position of the array
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Next
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]srReader.Close()
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Else
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]MessageBox.Show([/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#a31515][SIZE=2][COLOR=#a31515]"File does not exist"[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2])
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]End[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]If
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[jmcilhinney]

Two ways:

1. Use a StreamReader to read each line. Call ReadLine to read a line into a String, call Split on the String to create a String array containing the parts and then put each part into a different array.
2. Use a TextFieldParser to read each line directly into a String array, then do as before.

Keep in mind that, if you want to store your data in arrays, you will have to know the number of items beforehand, because you have to specify the size of the array. When adding items one by one, it is more common to use a List(Of T), which can grow and shrink as required.

 

[chanm]

Thanks for the reply...hopefully this isn't me totally missing it, but I thought I did use the readline and split the string?

 

[jmcilhinney]

You're not calling Split on the String. There are a few other issues there too, like using variable names that have little to do with the purpose of the data and also using Double.Parse to get an Integer.

Using reader As New StreamReader(fileName)
    Dim recordCount As Integer = CInt(reader.ReadLine)
    Dim upperBound As Integer = recordCount - 1

    ReDim names(upperBound)
    ReDim wages(upperBound)

    For index As Integer = 0 To upperBound
        Dim fields As String() = reader.ReadLine().Split(ControlChars.Tab)

        names(index) = fields(0)
        wages(index) = CInt(fields(1))
    Next
End Using

 

[chanm]

Thank you, I'll will try this and thanks so much for helping as I find that this isn't coming to me very easily!