CODEWITHSUNDEEP
filepowershellsplitdelimiter
Rafferty
Rafferty

Reputation: 1017

How to split multiple big text files into multiple files using powershell

I have a folder with 1 or more files like this:

bigfileA.txt
bigfileB.txt
bigfileC.txt

Each file contains 1 line and is delimited by ' For example, bigfileA.txt may contain abcdef'ghijklmnop'qrst

How can I use powershell so that when I run the .ps file it will automatically split all files in the specified directory into multiple files? The output will look like this:

bigfileA1.txt --> abcdef
bigfileA2.txt --> ghijklmnop
bigfileA3.txt --> qrst
bigfileB1.txt --> uvw
bigfileB2.txt --> xyz
bigfileC1.txt --> ... and so on...
... and so on...

Can someone help? Thank you in advance!

Upvotes: 0

Views: 991

Answers (1)

Bluecakes
Bluecakes

Reputation: 2149

The below script will go through a directory you choose and create a text file with the name of the base file + the current index (For example bigfileA + 1) and will have the delimited value inside.

$bigfiles = Get-ChildItem -Path 'C:\path\to\bigfiles\here'

ForEach ($path in $bigfiles)
{
    $contents = Get-Content $path.FullName

    ForEach ($line in $contents)
    {
        $splitItems = $line.split("'")

        For ($i = 0; $i -lt $splitItems.count; $i++)
        {
            New-Item -Path "$($path.Directory)\$($path.BaseName)$i.txt" -ItemType File -Value $splitItems[$i]
        }
    }
}

EDIT: Re-read question, must have misinterpreted the first time. Updated code.

If you want the files to start at 1 instead of 0 change this line

New-Item -Path "$($path.Directory)\$($path.BaseName)$i.txt" -ItemType File -Value $splitItems[$i]

to this

New-Item -Path "$($path.Directory)\$($path.BaseName)$($i+1).txt" -ItemType File -Value $splitItems[$i]

We're simply changing the $i to $($i+1)

Functional Edit

Has not been tested and was put together quickly because i'm at work but it's at least a start :)

function Split-BigFiles
{
    [CmdletBinding(DefaultParameterSetName='All', 
                  SupportsShouldProcess=$false, 
                  PositionalBinding=$false)]
    Param
    (
        # Paths to bigfiles
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$false, 
                   ValueFromPipeline=$true,
                   ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$false, 
                   ValueFromRemainingArguments=$false, 
                   Position=0,
                   ParameterSetName='All')]
        [ValidateScript({Test-Path $_ -PathType Container})]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
        [String[]]
        $Path
    )

    Begin
    {
        Write-Verbose "Starting Function Split-BigFiles"
    }
    Process
    {
        ForEach($folder in $Path)
        {
            Try
            {
                $bigfiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $folder -ErrorAction Stop
            }
            Catch
            {
                Write-Warning "Oh no i couldn't get the folder! This is the error i got $($_.Exception.Message)"
            }

            if ($bigfiles)
            {
                ForEach ($path in $bigfiles)
                {
                    $contents = Get-Content $path.FullName

                    ForEach ($line in $contents)
                    {
                        $splitItems = $line.split("'")

                        For ($i = 0; $i -lt $splitItems.count; $i++)
                        {
                            New-Item -Path "$($path.Directory)\$($path.BaseName)$i.txt" -ItemType File -Value $splitItems[$i]
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
    End
    {
        Write-Verbose "Exiting Function Split-BigFiles"
    }
}

Upvotes: 1

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