Find a line in a file and remove it

Question

I'm looking for a small code snippet that will find a line in file and remove that line (not content but line) but could not find. So for example I have in a file following:

myFile.txt:

aaa
bbb
ccc
ddd

Need to have a function like this: public void removeLine(String lineContent), and if I pass removeLine("bbb"), I get file like this:

myFile.txt:

aaa
ccc
ddd

Answer 1

Super simple method using maven/gradle+groovy.

public void deleteConfig(String text) {
    File config = new File("/the/path/config.txt")
    def lines = config.readLines()
    lines.remove(text);
    config.write("")
    lines.each {line -> {
        config.append(line+"\n")
    }}
}

Answer 2

This solution reads in an input file line by line, writing each line out to a StringBuilder variable. Whenever it encounters a line that matches what you are looking for, it skips writing that one out. Then it deletes file content and put the StringBuilder variable content.

public void removeLineFromFile(String lineToRemove, File f) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException{
    //Reading File Content and storing it to a StringBuilder variable ( skips lineToRemove)
    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
    try (Scanner sc = new Scanner(f)) {
        String currentLine;
        while(sc.hasNext()){
            currentLine = sc.nextLine();
            if(currentLine.equals(lineToRemove)){
                continue; //skips lineToRemove
            }
            sb.append(currentLine).append("\n");
        }
    }
    //Delete File Content
    PrintWriter pw = new PrintWriter(f);
    pw.close();

    BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(f, true));
    writer.append(sb.toString());
    writer.close();
}

Answer 3

This solution uses a RandomAccessFile to only cache the portion of the file subsequent to the string to remove. It scans until it finds the String you want to remove. Then it copies all of the data after the found string, then writes it over the found string, and everything after. Last, it truncates the file size to remove the excess data.

public static long scanForString(String text, File file) throws IOException {
    if (text.isEmpty())
        return file.exists() ? 0 : -1;
    // First of all, get a byte array off of this string:
    byte[] bytes = text.getBytes(/* StandardCharsets.your_charset */);

    // Next, search the file for the byte array.
    try (DataInputStream dis = new DataInputStream(new FileInputStream(file))) {

        List<Integer> matches = new LinkedList<>();

        for (long pos = 0; pos < file.length(); pos++) {
            byte bite = dis.readByte();

            for (int i = 0; i < matches.size(); i++) {
                Integer m = matches.get(i);
                if (bytes[m] != bite)
                    matches.remove(i--);
                else if (++m == bytes.length)
                    return pos - m + 1;
                else
                    matches.set(i, m);
            }

            if (bytes[0] == bite)
                matches.add(1);
        }
    }
    return -1;
}

public static void remove(String text, File file) throws IOException {
    try (RandomAccessFile rafile = new RandomAccessFile(file, "rw");) {
        long scanForString = scanForString(text, file);
        if (scanForString == -1) {
            System.out.println("String not found.");
            return;
        }
        long remainderStartPos = scanForString + text.getBytes().length;
        rafile.seek(remainderStartPos);
        int remainderSize = (int) (rafile.length() - rafile.getFilePointer());
        byte[] bytes = new byte[remainderSize];
        rafile.read(bytes);
        rafile.seek(scanForString);

        rafile.write(bytes);
        rafile.setLength(rafile.length() - (text.length()));
    }
}

Usage:

File Contents: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Method Call: remove("ABC", new File("Drive:/Path/File.extension"));

Resulting Contents: DEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

This solution could easily be modified to remove with a certain, specifiable cacheSize, if memory is a concern. This would just involve iterating over the rest of the file to continually replace portions of size, cacheSize. Regardless, this solution is generally much better than caching an entire file in memory, or copying it to a temporary directory, etc.

Answer 4

Here you go. This solution uses a DataInputStream to scan for the position of the string you want replaced and uses a FileChannel to replace the text at that exact position. It only replaces the first occurrence of the string that it finds. This solution doesn't store a copy of the entire file somewhere, (either the RAM or a temp file), it just edits the portion of the file that it finds.

public static long scanForString(String text, File file) throws IOException {
    if (text.isEmpty())
        return file.exists() ? 0 : -1;
    // First of all, get a byte array off of this string:
    byte[] bytes = text.getBytes(/* StandardCharsets.your_charset */);

    // Next, search the file for the byte array.
    try (DataInputStream dis = new DataInputStream(new FileInputStream(file))) {

        List<Integer> matches = new LinkedList<>();

        for (long pos = 0; pos < file.length(); pos++) {
            byte bite = dis.readByte();

            for (int i = 0; i < matches.size(); i++) {
                Integer m = matches.get(i);
                if (bytes[m] != bite)
                    matches.remove(i--);
                else if (++m == bytes.length)
                    return pos - m + 1;
                else
                    matches.set(i, m);
            }

            if (bytes[0] == bite)
                matches.add(1);
        }
    }
    return -1;
}

public static void replaceText(String text, String replacement, File file) throws IOException {
    // Open a FileChannel with writing ability. You don't really need the read
    // ability for this specific case, but there it is in case you need it for
    // something else.
    try (FileChannel channel = FileChannel.open(file.toPath(), StandardOpenOption.WRITE, StandardOpenOption.READ)) {
        long scanForString = scanForString(text, file);
        if (scanForString == -1) {
            System.out.println("String not found.");
            return;
        }
        channel.position(scanForString);
        channel.write(ByteBuffer.wrap(replacement.getBytes(/* StandardCharsets.your_charset */)));
    }
}

Example

Input: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Method Call:

replaceText("QRS", "000", new File("path/to/file");

Resulting File: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP000TUVWXYZ

Answer 5

Old question, but an easy way is to:

• Iterate through file, adding each line to an new array list
• iterate through the array, find matching String, then call the remove method.
• iterate through array again, printing each line to the file, boolean for append should be false, which basically replaces the file

Answer 6

So, whenever I hear someone mention that they want to filter out text, I immediately think to go to Streams (mainly because there is a method called filter which filters exactly as you need it to). Another answer mentions using Streams with the Apache commons-io library, but I thought it would be worthwhile to show how this can be done in standard Java 8. Here is the simplest form:

public void removeLine(String lineContent) throws IOException
{
    File file = new File("myFile.txt");
    List<String> out = Files.lines(file.toPath())
                        .filter(line -> !line.contains(lineContent))
                        .collect(Collectors.toList());
    Files.write(file.toPath(), out, StandardOpenOption.WRITE, StandardOpenOption.TRUNCATE_EXISTING);
}

I think there isn't too much to explain there, basically Files.lines gets a Stream<String> of the lines of the file, filter takes out the lines we don't want, then collect puts all of the lines of the new file into a List. We then write the list over top of the existing file with Files.write, using the additional option TRUNCATE so the old contents of the file are replaced.

Of course, this approach has the downside of loading every line into memory as they all get stored into a List before being written back out. If we wanted to simply modify without storing, we would need to use some form of OutputStream to write each new line to a file as it passes through the stream, like this:

public void removeLine(String lineContent) throws IOException
{
    File file = new File("myFile.txt");
    File temp = new File("_temp_");
    PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(new FileWriter(temp));
    Files.lines(file.toPath())
        .filter(line -> !line.contains(lineContent))
        .forEach(out::println);
    out.flush();
    out.close();
    temp.renameTo(file);
}

Not much has been changed in this example. Basically, instead of using collect to gather the file contents into memory, we use forEach so that each line that makes it through the filter gets sent to the PrintWriter to be written out to the file immediately and not stored. We have to save it to a temporary file, because we can't overwrite the existing file at the same time as we are still reading from it, so then at the end, we rename the temp file to replace the existing file.

Answer 7

    public static void deleteLine() throws IOException {
        RandomAccessFile file = new RandomAccessFile("me.txt", "rw");
        String delete;
        String task="";
        byte []tasking;
        while ((delete = file.readLine()) != null) {
            if (delete.startsWith("BAD")) {
                continue;
            }
            task+=delete+"\n";
        }
        System.out.println(task);
        BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter("me.txt"));
        writer.write(task);
        file.close();
        writer.close();
    }

Answer 8

Try this:

public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {

    File file = new File("file.csv");

    CSVReader csvFileReader = new CSVReader(new FileReader(file));

    List<String[]> list = csvFileReader.readAll();

    for (int i = 0; i < list.size(); i++) {
        String[] filter = list.get(i);
        if (filter[0].equalsIgnoreCase("bbb")) {
            list.remove(i);
        }
    }
    csvFileReader.close();
    CSVWriter csvOutput = new CSVWriter(new FileWriter(file));

    csvOutput.writeAll(list);
    csvOutput.flush();

    csvOutput.close();
}

Answer 9

I refactored the solution that Narek had to create (according to me) a slightly more efficient and easy to understand code. I used embedded Automatic Resource Management, a recent feature in Java and used a Scanner class which according to me is more easier to understand and use.

Here is the code with edited Comments:

public class RemoveLineInFile {

    private static File file;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        //create a new File
        file = new File("hello.txt");
        //takes in String that you want to get rid off
        removeLineFromFile("Hello");
    }


    public static void removeLineFromFile(String lineToRemove) {


        //if file does not exist, a file is created

            if (!file.exists()) {
                try {
                    file.createNewFile();
                } catch (IOException e) {
                    System.out.println("File "+file.getName()+" not created successfully");
                }
            }

            // Construct the new temporary file that will later be renamed to the original
            // filename.
            File tempFile = new File(file.getAbsolutePath() + ".tmp");

           //Two Embedded Automatic Resource Managers used
            // to effectivey handle IO Responses
          try(Scanner scanner = new Scanner(file)) {
              try (PrintWriter pw = new PrintWriter(new FileWriter(tempFile))) {

                  //a declaration of a String Line Which Will Be assigned Later
                  String line;

                  // Read from the original file and write to the new
                  // unless content matches data to be removed.
                  while (scanner.hasNextLine()) {
                      line = scanner.nextLine();
                      if (!line.trim().equals(lineToRemove)) {

                          pw.println(line);
                          pw.flush();
                      }
                  }
                  // Delete the original file
                  if (!file.delete()) {
                      System.out.println("Could not delete file");
                      return;
                  }

                  // Rename the new file to the filename the original file had.
                  if (!tempFile.renameTo(file))
                      System.out.println("Could not rename file");
              }
          }
        catch (IOException e)
        {
            System.out.println("IO Exception Occurred");
        }

    }



}

Answer 10

This solution requires the Apache Commons IO library to be added to the build path. It works by reading the entire file and writing each line back but only if the search term is not contained.

public static void removeLineFromFile(File targetFile, String searchTerm)
        throws IOException
{
    StringBuffer fileContents = new StringBuffer(
            FileUtils.readFileToString(targetFile));
    String[] fileContentLines = fileContents.toString().split(
            System.lineSeparator());

    emptyFile(targetFile);
    fileContents = new StringBuffer();

    for (int fileContentLinesIndex = 0; fileContentLinesIndex < fileContentLines.length; fileContentLinesIndex++)
    {
        if (fileContentLines[fileContentLinesIndex].contains(searchTerm))
        {
            continue;
        }

        fileContents.append(fileContentLines[fileContentLinesIndex] + System.lineSeparator());
    }

    FileUtils.writeStringToFile(targetFile, fileContents.toString().trim());
}

private static void emptyFile(File targetFile) throws FileNotFoundException,
        IOException
{
    RandomAccessFile randomAccessFile = new RandomAccessFile(targetFile, "rw");

    randomAccessFile.setLength(0);
    randomAccessFile.close();
}

Answer 11

package com.ncs.cache;

import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.FileReader;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.PrintWriter;

public class FileUtil {

    public void removeLineFromFile(String file, String lineToRemove) {

        try {

            File inFile = new File(file);

            if (!inFile.isFile()) {
                System.out.println("Parameter is not an existing file");
                return;
            }

            // Construct the new file that will later be renamed to the original
            // filename.
            File tempFile = new File(inFile.getAbsolutePath() + ".tmp");

            BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(file));
            PrintWriter pw = new PrintWriter(new FileWriter(tempFile));

            String line = null;

            // Read from the original file and write to the new
            // unless content matches data to be removed.
            while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {

                if (!line.trim().equals(lineToRemove)) {

                    pw.println(line);
                    pw.flush();
                }
            }
            pw.close();
            br.close();

            // Delete the original file
            if (!inFile.delete()) {
                System.out.println("Could not delete file");
                return;
            }

            // Rename the new file to the filename the original file had.
            if (!tempFile.renameTo(inFile))
                System.out.println("Could not rename file");

        } catch (FileNotFoundException ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        FileUtil util = new FileUtil();
        util.removeLineFromFile("test.txt", "bbbbb");
    }
}

src : http://www.javadb.com/remove-a-line-from-a-text-file/

Answer 12

Using apache commons-io and Java 8 you can use

 List<String> lines = FileUtils.readLines(file);
 List<String> updatedLines = lines.stream().filter(s -> !s.contains(searchString)).collect(Collectors.toList());
 FileUtils.writeLines(file, updatedLines, false);

Answer 13

Here is the complete Class. In the below file "somelocation" refers to the actual path of the file.

import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.BufferedWriter;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileReader;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.io.IOException;



public class FileProcess
{


    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
    {
        File inputFile = new File("C://somelocation//Demographics.txt");
        File tempFile = new File("C://somelocation//Demographics_report.txt");

        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(inputFile));
        BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(tempFile));

        String currentLine;

        while((currentLine = reader.readLine()) != null) {
            if(null!=currentLine && !currentLine.equalsIgnoreCase("BBB")){
                writer.write(currentLine + System.getProperty("line.separator"));
            }
        }
        writer.close(); 
        reader.close(); 
        boolean successful = tempFile.renameTo(inputFile);
        System.out.println(successful);
    }

}

Answer 14

This solution may not be optimal or pretty, but it works. It reads in an input file line by line, writing each line out to a temporary output file. Whenever it encounters a line that matches what you are looking for, it skips writing that one out. It then renames the output file. I have omitted error handling, closing of readers/writers, etc. from the example. I also assume there is no leading or trailing whitespace in the line you are looking for. Change the code around trim() as needed so you can find a match.

File inputFile = new File("myFile.txt");
File tempFile = new File("myTempFile.txt");

BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(inputFile));
BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(tempFile));

String lineToRemove = "bbb";
String currentLine;

while((currentLine = reader.readLine()) != null) {
    // trim newline when comparing with lineToRemove
    String trimmedLine = currentLine.trim();
    if(trimmedLine.equals(lineToRemove)) continue;
    writer.write(currentLine + System.getProperty("line.separator"));
}
writer.close(); 
reader.close(); 
boolean successful = tempFile.renameTo(inputFile);

Answer 15

public static void deleteLine(String line, String filePath) {

    File file = new File(filePath);

    File file2 = new File(file.getParent() + "\\temp" + file.getName());
    PrintWriter pw = null;
    Scanner read = null;

    FileInputStream fis = null;
    FileOutputStream fos = null;
    FileChannel src = null;
    FileChannel dest = null;

    try {


        pw = new PrintWriter(file2);
        read = new Scanner(file);

        while (read.hasNextLine()) {

            String currline = read.nextLine();

            if (line.equalsIgnoreCase(currline)) {
                continue;
            } else {
                pw.println(currline);
            }
        }

        pw.flush();

        fis = new FileInputStream(file2);
        src = fis.getChannel();
        fos = new FileOutputStream(file);
        dest = fos.getChannel();

        dest.transferFrom(src, 0, src.size());


    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    } finally {     
        pw.close();
        read.close();

        try {
            fis.close();
            fos.close();
            src.close();
            dest.close();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

        if (file2.delete()) {
            System.out.println("File is deleted");
        } else {
            System.out.println("Error occured! File: " + file2.getName() + " is not deleted!");
        }
    }

}

Answer 16

    public void removeLineFromFile(String file, String lineToRemove) {

    try {

      File inFile = new File(file);

      if (!inFile.isFile()) {
        System.out.println("Parameter is not an existing file");
        return;
      }

      //Construct the new file that will later be renamed to the original filename.
      File tempFile = new File(inFile.getAbsolutePath() + ".tmp");

      BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(file));
      PrintWriter pw = new PrintWriter(new FileWriter(tempFile));

      String line = null;

      //Read from the original file and write to the new
      //unless content matches data to be removed.
      while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {

        if (!line.trim().equals(lineToRemove)) {

          pw.println(line);
          pw.flush();
        }
      }
      pw.close();
      br.close();

      //Delete the original file
      if (!inFile.delete()) {
        System.out.println("Could not delete file");
        return;
      }

      //Rename the new file to the filename the original file had.
      if (!tempFile.renameTo(inFile))
        System.out.println("Could not rename file");

    }
    catch (FileNotFoundException ex) {
      ex.printStackTrace();
    }
    catch (IOException ex) {
      ex.printStackTrace();
    }
  }

This I have found on the internet.

Answer 17

You want to do something like the following:

• Open the old file for reading
• Open a new (temporary) file for writing
• Iterate over the lines in the old file (probably using a BufferedReader)
  • For each line, check if it matches what you are supposed to remove
  • If it matches, do nothing
  • If it doesn't match, write it to the temporary file
• When done, close both files
• Delete the old file
• Rename the temporary file to the name of the original file

(I won't write the actual code, since this looks like homework, but feel free to post other questions on specific bits that you have trouble with)