How do I find a specific string in one of many text .log files using VBA?

Question

This is the code I have so far to find all the log files in a folder. But I need to be able to find a specific string in each file, if it is found in one file, stop looking and exit the loop and report back what filename it was in.

There seems to be so many different ways to open a file and search it that I do not know which is the best and I do not typically use VBA but it is all I have access to at the moment.

On a side note, there would be a max of 36 log files and each file max of 5MB each.

Sub StringExistsInFile()
    Dim TheString As String

    TheString = "MAGIC"

    Dim StrFile As String
    StrFile = Dir("c:\MyDownloads\*.log")
    Do While Len(StrFile) > 0
        'Find TheString in the file
        'If found, debug.print and exit loop
    Loop
End Sub

I had found this code but seems in 2007+ versions of Excel VBA Application.FileSearch was eliminated:

Sub FindText()
'http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/excel-questions/68673-text-file-search-excel-visual-basic-applications.html

Dim i As Integer

'Search criteria
With Application.FileSearch
    .LookIn = "c:\MyDownloads" 'path to look in
    .FileType = msoFileTypeAllFiles
    .SearchSubFolders = False
    .TextOrProperty = "*MAGIC*" 'Word to find in this line
    .Execute 'start search

'This loop will bring up a message box with the name of
'each file that meets the search criteria
    For i = 1 To .FoundFiles.Count
        MsgBox .FoundFiles(i)
    Next i

End With

End Sub

Solution 1

This code:

• looks for all *.log file extensions C:\MyDownloads\

• opens each *.log file and reads each line

• if theString   MAGIC is found, then it prints the file name in the Immediate Widnow (CTRL+G)

Sub StringExistsInFile()
    Dim theString As String
    Dim path As String
    Dim StrFile As String
    Dim fso As New FileSystemObject
    Dim file As TextStream
    Dim line As String

    theString = "MAGIC"
    path = "C:\MyDownloads\*.log"
    StrFile = Dir(path & "*.log")

    Do While StrFile <> ""

        'Find TheString in the file
        'If found, debug.print and exit loop

        Set file = fso.OpenTextFile(path & StrFile)
        Do While Not file.AtEndOfLine
            line = file.ReadLine
            If InStr(1, line, theString, vbTextCompare) > 0 Then
                Debug.Print StrFile
                Exit Do
            End If
        Loop

        file.Close
        Set file = Nothing
        Set fso = Nothing

        StrFile = Dir()
    Loop
End Sub

Solution 2

Application.FileSearch was removed in 2007+ versions of Excel. A while back, I found this function which replicates it. I have used it on occasion, but ordinarily I think I just use FileSystemObject or Dir.

Sub FileSearch()
'
' Example of FileSearchByHavrda procedure calling as replacement of missing FileSearch function in the newest MS Office VBA
' 01.06.2009, Author: P. Havrda, Czech Republic
'
Dim sDir As String
sDir = Range("K3").Value
Dim FileNameWithPath As Variant
Dim ListOfFilenamesWithParh As New Collection ' create a collection of filenames
Dim rCount As Long 'row counter
' Filling a collection of filenames (search Excel files including subdirectories)
Call FileSearchByHavrda(ListOfFilenamesWithParh, sDir, "*.xls", False)
' Print list to immediate debug window and as a message window
For Each FileNameWithPath In ListOfFilenamesWithParh ' cycle for list(collection) processing
Debug.Print FileNameWithPath & Chr(13)
'MsgBox FileNameWithPath & Chr(13)
rCount = Application.WorksheetFunction.CountA(Range("A:A")) + 1
ActiveSheet.Cells(rCount, 1).Value = FileNameWithPath

Next FileNameWithPath
' Print to immediate debug window and message if no file was found
If ListOfFilenamesWithParh.Count = 0 Then
Debug.Print "No file was found !"
MsgBox "No file was found !"
End If
End Sub
'//------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FileSearchByHavrda(pFoundFiles As Collection, pPath As String, pMask As String, pIncludeSubdirectories As Boolean)
'
' Search files in Path and create FoundFiles list(collection) of file names(path included) accordant with Mask (search in subdirectories if enabled)

' 01.06.2009, Author: P. Havrda, Czech Republic
'
Dim DirFile As String
Dim CollectionItem As Variant
Dim SubDirCollection As New Collection
' Add backslash at the end of path if not present
pPath = Trim(pPath)
If Right(pPath, 1) <> "\" Then pPath = pPath & "\"
' Searching files accordant with mask
DirFile = Dir(pPath & pMask)
Do While DirFile <> ""
pFoundFiles.Add pPath & DirFile 'add file name to list(collection)
DirFile = Dir ' next file
Loop
' Procedure exiting if searching in subdirectories isn't enabled
If Not pIncludeSubdirectories Then Exit Sub
' Searching for subdirectories in path
DirFile = Dir(pPath & "*", vbDirectory)
Do While DirFile <> ""
' Add subdirectory to local list(collection) of subdirectories in path
If DirFile <> "." And DirFile <> ".." Then If ((GetAttr(pPath & DirFile) And vbDirectory) = 16) Then SubDirCollection.Add pPath & DirFile
DirFile = Dir 'next file
Loop
' Subdirectories list(collection) processing
For Each CollectionItem In SubDirCollection
Call FileSearchByHavrda(pFoundFiles, CStr(CollectionItem), pMask, pIncludeSubdirectories) ' Recursive procedure call
Next
End Sub

Comments

[Zev Spitz]

That's all I have at the moment. WSH+Javascript? Powershell?

[Zev Spitz]

If you need more flexibility than a single string, consider using regular expressions.

[David Zemens]

Could you just use If Instr(1, file.ReadAll, theString, vbTextCompare) > 0 Then Debug.Print StrFile instead of the Do While loop?

[Admin]

@DavidZemens im going to try that later but i think you are right, it would have been more efficient in a way. good point David

[psiphi75]

I had to add the "Microsoft Scripting Runtime" to get access to FileSystemObject. See: stackoverflow.com/questions/3233203/…

[Chito]

I think path = "C:\MyDownloads\*.log" should be path = "C:\MyDownloads\"