Write Statement

Writes data to a sequential file.

Syntax

Write #filenumber, [outputlist]

Parts

• filenumber: Required. Any valid file number.
• outputlist: Optional. One or more comma-delimited numeric expressions or string expressions to write to a file.

Remarks

• Data Formatting: Data written with Write # is usually read from a file with Input #.
• Delimiters: The Write # statement inserts commas between items and quotation marks around strings as they are written to the file. You don't have to put explicit delimiters in the list.
• Universal Data: Write # writes data in a universal format that can be read by Input # regardless of the locale settings.
• Numeric Data: Numeric data is written with a period (.) as the decimal separator.
• Boolean Values: Boolean data is written as #TRUE# or #FALSE#.
• Date Values: Date data is written using the universal date format: #yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss#
• Empty Values: If outputlist data is Empty, nothing is written. However, if outputlist data is Null, #NULL# is written.
• Error Data: Error values are written as #ERROR errorcode#. The number sign (#) ensures the keyword is not confused with a variable name.
• Comparison with Print #: Unlike Print #, Write # inserts commas between items and quotes around strings automatically.

Examples

Write Simple Data

Open "test.txt" For Output As #1
Write #1, "Hello", 42, True
Close #1
' File contents: "Hello",42,#TRUE#

Write Multiple Lines

Open "data.txt" For Output As #1
For i = 1 To 10
Write #1, i, i * i, i * i * i
Next i
Close #1

Write Mixed Data Types

Open "record.txt" For Output As #1
Write #1, "John Doe", 30, #1/1/1995#, True
Close #1

Write Without Data (New Line)

Open "output.txt" For Output As #1
Write #1, "First line"
Write #1
Write #1, "Third line"
Close #1

Write Null and Empty

Open "test.txt" For Output As #1
Write #1, Null, Empty, "data"
Close #1
' File contents: #NULL#,,"data"

Write Error Values

Open "errors.txt" For Output As #1
Write #1, CVErr(2007)
Close #1
' File contents: #ERROR 2007#

Common Patterns

Export Data to CSV-like Format

Sub ExportData()
Open "export.txt" For Output As #1

' Write header
Write #1, "Name", "Age", "City"

' Write data rows
For i = 0 To UBound(employees)
Write #1, employees(i).Name, employees(i).Age, employees(i).City
Next i

Close #1
End Sub

Write Database Records

Sub SaveRecords()
Open "records.dat" For Output As #1

Do Until rs.EOF
Write #1, rs!ID, rs!Name, rs!Date, rs!Active
rs.MoveNext
Loop

Close #1
End Sub

Write Configuration Data

Sub SaveConfig()
Open "config.dat" For Output As #1
Write #1, appName, version, lastRun, isRegistered
Close #1
End Sub

Write Array Data

Sub WriteArray()
Open "array.dat" For Output As #1

For i = LBound(data) To UBound(data)
Write #1, data(i)
Next i

Close #1
End Sub

Append Data to Existing File

Sub AppendRecord()
Open "log.txt" For Append As #1
Write #1, Now(), userName, action, details
Close #1
End Sub