linefile v0.0.2

linefile

Simple file-full-of-single-lines to array converter, includes trimming files and allowing for comments. Perfect for lists.

It has both sync and async methods (same methods, with or without callback).

npm install linefile

File example

# myfile.txt
these
are
# commented
lines
   and some have
      whitespace

Indentation is ignored in parsing. See Nesting if you want it to matter.

Methods

const linefile = require('linefile');

// sync
var myfile = linefile('myfile.txt');
=> ['these', 'are', 'lines', 'and some have', 'whitespace']

// async
linefile('myfile.txt', function(err, data) {
  if (err) throw err; // same err as from fs.readFile()
  myfile = data;
});

And saving back to file:

var myfile = ['# comments are just lines', 'data line', 'this is not a comment', '    # whitespace is trimmed in save'];
linefile.save('myfile.txt', myfile);

// async
linefile.save('myfile.txt', myfile, function(err) {
  if (!err) console.log('save success!');
});

myfile.txt after save:

# comments are just lines
data line
this is not a comment
# whitespace is trimmed in save

Comments

Comments are just lines with a # in front of it.

# this is a comment

You cannot add a comment to the end of a line.

some data line # this comment will be included as part of data

But it's fine if it has whitespace in front of it.

          # this is a comment that is indented a lot

Nesting

Nested arrays (relying on indentation) will come in the next version if I find it necessary. The function is there, but doesn't do anything.

Then

some
data
file
  with
  nested
arrays
  can
  be
    parsed
      properly
  aaaand
end

would, after

// just add in the optional second parameter nested as true
var array = linefile('filename', true);
// or
linefile('filename', true, function(err, data) => {
  array = data;
});

show up as

[ 'some'
, 'data'
, 'file'
, [ 'with'
  , 'nested' ]
, 'arrays'
, [ 'can'
  , 'be'
  , [ 'parsed'
    , [ 'properly' ]]
  , 'aaaand' ]
, 'end' ]

I could implement it now, but I don't see the immediate need. If someone wants to do it, send a pull request. See comments in source for how I would want it.

License

MIT