how to use JFileChooser to select file -> string

[gezzel]

I'm trying to use jfilechooser to select a text file, and convert it to a string that i can manipulate. The file is going to be fairly large so i don't know if i need a buffer or anything.

My end goal is to select a text file, format it by replacing certain strings, and then output the newly formatted text file.

Thanks in advance

[Norm]

You forgot to post your code and explain what your problem is.

[gezzel]

im' pretty new to java. My problem is i hve a JForm and the user selects the file. I stored the file as a file object...

private void FileChooserActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                              

    int retval = FileChooser.showOpenDialog(null);
if (retval == FileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
    File input = FileChooser.getSelectedFile();
    toFormat = input.String();
}

I want to convert the file to a string so i can use Regex to find/replace instances of specific strings but i don't knwo how to manipulate/work with a File object...

[Supamagier]

String s = String.valueOf(File);

might work.

[gezzel]

the file i'm trying to select is very large, ~160 megs. It's technically a csv file. not sure if this will cause any problems as i have to parse through the entire file to replace about 7 strings with different strings..

[Norm]

don't knwo how to manipulate/work with a File object

Have you read the API doc for File. That is usually the best place to start. And often faster than asking someone here to read it to you. There are lots of methods that return different values. Write test code to use all of them to see which one is what you want.

I want to convert the file to a string

Does that mean you want to read the contents of the file to work on
or do you want to work on the name of the file?

[Supamagier]

BufferedReader file = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(String));
String s = file.readLine();
and to write use
BufferedWriter file = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(String));

don't forget to use file.flush & file.close for both.

Instead of String you also can use a file, I think.

This is what you ment?

[gezzel]

i went over the doc but was confused about it...
I'm trying to read the contents of the file(.csv file) and convert it to a string so i can use regular expressions to find/replace certain text in the line, then save the newly formatted file to a .txt

[Supamagier]

That's gonna be one hell of a string. Use a loop to compare it all line by line.

[Norm]

There are plenty of code examples on this forum that show how to read a file. Do a Search for BufferedReader for example.