Compare and update file contents in folders (sourcetarget)

Question

I have 2 directories (source target) which contain multiple files with the same filenames e.g 001.txt 002.txt 003.txt... and so on for example on the source directory with this 001.txt file [ZERO_POINT_004] X=0.000000 Y=52000.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_005] X=-38000.000000 Y=52000.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_006] X=-76000.000000 Y=52000.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_LEFT_001] X=0.000000 Y=0.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_LEFT_002] X=-38000.000000 Y=0.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_LEFT_003] X=-76000.000000 Y=0.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 and on the target directory with this 001.txt file [ZERO_POINT_004] X=0.000000 Y=52000.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_005] X=-38000.000000 Y=52000.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_006] X=-76000.000000 Y=52000.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 Notice that the file in the target directory contain information similar to that from the source directory but less those highlighted in red. How do I copy the contents difference (in Red color) to the file in the target directory? The contents difference copied over must be on the same lines as what the file in the source directory.

Vulpes · Answer

OK I think I'm clear what the problem is now :) Try something like this. I've assumed that each section will consist of the header plus 4 more lines: using System; using System.IO; using System.Collections.Generic; class Program { static void Main() { string sourceDir = @c:\whatever1; // insert source directory path string targetDir = @c:\whatever2; // insert target directory path var headers = new List (); var lines = new string[5]; string line = null; foreach(string sourcePath in Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir *.txt)) { string fileName = Path.GetFileName(sourcePath); string targetPath = targetDir + \ + fileName; if (!File.Exists(targetPath)) continue; // get a list of section headers from target file headers.Clear(); using (var sr = new StreamReader(targetPath)) { while((line = sr.ReadLine()) != null) { if(line.Length > 0 && line[0] == '[') headers.Add(line); } } // now look for non-existing headers in source file using (var sr = new StreamReader(sourcePath)) { while((line = sr.ReadLine()) != null) { if(line.Length > 0 && line[0] == '[' && !headers.Contains(line)) { lines[0] = line; for(int i = 1; i File.AppendAllLines(targetPath lines); } } } } } }

TAN WhoAMI · Answer

I would try out your solutions thank you very much Vulpes

TAN WhoAMI · Answer

yes Vulpes...you did miss something here which I did not explain fully... Step 1: Copy all files from source directory#1 to target directory -- completed. Step 2: Conversion factor needed for files on target directory: e.g -- completed. [ZERO_POINT_004] X=0.000000 Y=52000.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 becomes [ZERO_POINT_004] X=0.000000 Y=26000.000000 Z=25413.500000 ZD=38530.000000 Step 3 is what I am stuck: Now there is another source directory#2 which is similar to source directory#1 but contains something new. Example it contains [ZERO_POINT_LEFT_001] X=0.000000 Y=0.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_LEFT_002] X=-38000.000000 Y=0.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 [ZERO_POINT_LEFT_003] X=-76000.000000 Y=0.000000 Z=50827.000000 ZD=38530.000000 I need those new contents (highlighted in red) from source directory#2 to be copied to the files in the target directory. The files in source directory#2 and target directory are having the same filenames.

Vulpes · Answer

I'm probably missing something here but if you want similarly named files in both the source and target directories to have the same content couldn't you just copy them over from the source directory and overwrite the existing files in the target directory?

Compare and update file contents in folders (source,target)