Yeah OK there is a very good case to be made for delimited fields and even to do everything as variable string type eg not nearly as much space wasted and ease of adding fields later.
I don't think comma is best for a set of fields that includes comments, not for me (who seems to prefer them over periods) or Pete, who has run out.
Make a sequential file where each line is a record, very natural so you can use a regular editor or QB64 to load the file for some kind automated task.
Just a space between date and level and another right after level is all that is needed for johnno's needs.
Readable and editable with a regular WP and easy to split out fields once the file lines are loaded into an array so RA can be simulated off an array instead of slower file access. We have nice amounts of RAM these days. The file can be swallowed in a gulp, split into fields in a blink of the eye and rewritten before exit (that might be the hardest to protect from idiots part ;-))
Once the file is swallowed in a gulp, changing fields should be piece of cake programming wise, since file is rewritten probably to a new name to protect and backup old files until comfortable deleting them.
I don't think comma is best for a set of fields that includes comments, not for me (who seems to prefer them over periods) or Pete, who has run out.
Make a sequential file where each line is a record, very natural so you can use a regular editor or QB64 to load the file for some kind automated task.
Just a space between date and level and another right after level is all that is needed for johnno's needs.
Readable and editable with a regular WP and easy to split out fields once the file lines are loaded into an array so RA can be simulated off an array instead of slower file access. We have nice amounts of RAM these days. The file can be swallowed in a gulp, split into fields in a blink of the eye and rewritten before exit (that might be the hardest to protect from idiots part ;-))
Once the file is swallowed in a gulp, changing fields should be piece of cake programming wise, since file is rewritten probably to a new name to protect and backup old files until comfortable deleting them.
b = b + ...