Possible to create a batch file to delete the contents of a text file?

kaisersose77 · 07-06-2007 05:18PM #1

Im using a program which writes ten lines of data to a text file called a.txt but the next time I use this program, it adds another 10 lines of data instead overwriting the original 10 lines. So im wondering can anyone tell me is their any way to create a batch file to erase all the data in a txt file without deleting the actual file itself. So I can run a batch file, and their will only be 10 lines at most in the text file after I run this program.

if anyone can help it would be appreciated!

aidan_walsh · 07-06-2007 05:21PM

I presume you're adding to the file using piping? Delete and recreate the file?

seamus · 07-06-2007 05:35PM

Easy enough.

REM -- First thing we need to do is delete the file. We're going to rename it instead of deleting it, just in case we need it.

rename a.txt a.txt.bak

REM -- Now we need to create a new blank file called "a.txt"

cmd /c > a.txt

REM -- Now we can run our program

program.exe

kaisersose77 · 07-06-2007 07:39PM

thanks for the replies

well this below seems to work fine

copy /Y a2.txt a.txt

with a2.txt being an empty file

so a.txt is emptied when the batch file is run

Alun · 07-06-2007 08:34PM

kaisersose77 wrote:

thanks for the replies

well this below seems to work fine

copy /Y a2.txt a.txt

with a2.txt being an empty file

so a.txt is emptied when the batch file is run

Easier way is to do a COPY /Y NUL a.txt

No need for a separate file a2.txt then

Possible to create a batch file to delete the contents of a text file?

Comments