Trouble copying text file into Excel using VBA - debugging

Question

I want to copy contents from text file to an Excel cell using VBA. I can do this succesfully from most text files. But in case of certain files, the code is copying only partial data into the excel file.
This is the code I used for copying
FileName = folderpath & sFile
Set mytextfile = Workbooks.Open(FileName)
mytextfile.Sheets(1).Cells.CurrentRegion.Copy ThisWorkbook.Sheets("RawData").Range("A" & inputRow)
'mytextfile.Sheets(1).Range("A1").CurrentRegion.Copy ThisWorkbook.Sheets("RawData").Range("A" & inputRow)
mytextfile.Close (False)
I already understand what is the problem. While opening certain text files as excel files, some contents are present in cell A1 and the rest in cell A2.
I don't know why it is opened so. I am posting contents of two text file below:
1)Text file whose contents are contained in different cells when opened in excel
fwi!3F5A!041!g1ksIpqub7J MCMILLAN J. PIIKKILA RAYMONDBERRY#WEBTV.NET
+001 061 477 130 F g3ktHqrwc9 CLE!g1ksIpqub7 CLEHS04C |P.O. BOX 171 SEARSPORT,ME Nashville 68800 AZ| |5150 CTY RD 525 Raleigh 64292|
18000000 0412CL0 1 N 2
I got the following output when I used the above text file.
fwi!3F5A!041!g1ksIpqub7J MCMILLAN J. PIIKKILA RAYMONDBERRY#WEBTV.NET +001 061 477 130 F g3ktHqrwc9 CLE!g1ksIpqub7 CLEHS04C |P.O. BOX 171 SEARSPORT
2)Text file whose contents are contained in a single cell A1
fSj!3U68!071!gQloo3d5OGG Presley Y. TART JR PULPACTION82#HOIMAIL.COM
+001 047 475273 M gQmqq6d8ME CVE!gQloo3d5OG CVEGF07C |10001 SW 125TH CT RD Reno 88595 TN| |10849 DEBORAH DRIVE Glendale 70958| 97400000
0712CV0 0 N 0
I got the following output when I used the above text file.
fSj!3U68!071!gQloo3d5OGG Presley Y. TART JR PULPACTION82#HOIMAIL.COM +001 047 475273 M gQmqq6d8ME CVE!gQloo3d5OG CVEGF07C |10001 SW 125TH CT RD Reno 88595 TN| |10849 DEBORAH DRIVE Glendale 70958| 97400000 0712CV0 0 N 0
There is no apparent difference between the contents of these two file.
I also tried this code but without any success:
FileName = folderpath & sFile
Set mytextfile = Workbooks.Open(FileName)
mytextfile.Sheets(1).Range("A1").CurrentRegion.Copy ThisWorkbook.Sheets("RawData").Range("A" & inputRow)
mytextfile.Close (False)

Answer 1

Problem:
You are not using the right approach to read a *.txt file in VBA. Opening file using Workbooks.Open() treats the opened file as a *.csv. Therefore, when Excel is reading a stream and a comma occurs it treats it as a new line separator and throws the remaining part (after the comma) to the next cell. As stated on MSDN Workbooks.Open Method
expression .Open(FileName ... )
expression A variable that represents a Workbooks object.
Clearly, a Workbook object not a txt file.
Solution:
The right approach to read content of a *.txt file is to use the FileSystemObject and TextStream objects from the Microsoft Scripting Runtime Library.
I wrote a simple Sub for you that reads the entire content of a *.txt file. In order to make it work you have to add references to your project
In VBE window, click Tools » References » scroll down, find, and tick Microsoft Scripting Runtime
Now, screen through the below code and modify the path to your *.txt file or pass the path through a parameter and the entire content of your *.txt file will be placed in the first Sheet Sheet(1) Cell A1
Sub ReadTxtFile()
Dim oFSO As New FileSystemObject
Dim oFS As TextStream
Dim fileName As String
' make sure to update your path or
' pass it to the sub through parameter
fileName = "C:\Users\fooboo\Desktop\text.txt"
Set oFS = oFSO.OpenTextFile(fileName)
Dim content As String
content = oFS.ReadAll
With Sheets(1).Range("A1")
.ClearContents
.NumberFormat = "#"
.Value = content
End With
oFS.Close
Set oFS = Nothing
Set oFSO = Nothing
End Sub