Write a line into a .txt file with Node.js - node.js

Question

I want to use Node.js to create a simple logging system which prints a line before the past line into a .txt file. However, I don't know how the file system functionality from Node.js works.
Can someone explain it?

Answer 1

Inserting data into the middle of a text file is not a simple task. If possible, you should append it to the end of your file.
The easiest way to append data some text file is to use build-in fs.appendFile(filename, data[, options], callback) function from fs module:
var fs = require('fs')
fs.appendFile('log.txt', 'new data', function (err) {
if (err) {
// append failed
} else {
// done
}
})
But if you want to write data to log file several times, then it'll be best to use fs.createWriteStream(path[, options]) function instead:
var fs = require('fs')
var logger = fs.createWriteStream('log.txt', {
flags: 'a' // 'a' means appending (old data will be preserved)
})
logger.write('some data') // append string to your file
logger.write('more data') // again
logger.write('and more') // again
Node will keep appending new data to your file every time you'll call .write, until your application will be closed, or until you'll manually close the stream calling .end:
logger.end() // close string
Note that logger.write in the above example does not write to a new line. To write data to a new line:
var writeLine = (line) => logger.write(`\n${line}`);
writeLine('Data written to a new line');

Answer 2

Simply use fs module and something like this:
fs.appendFile('server.log', 'string to append', function (err) {
if (err) return console.log(err);
console.log('Appended!');
});

Answer 3

Step 1
If you have a small file
Read all the file data in to memory
Step 2
Convert file data string into Array
Step 3
Search the array to find a location where you want to insert the text
Step 4
Once you have the location insert your text
yourArray.splice(index,0,"new added test");
Step 5
convert your array to string
yourArray.join("");
Step 6
write your file like so
fs.createWriteStream(yourArray);
This is not advised if your file is too big

Answer 4

I created a log file which prints data into text file using "Winston" logger. The source code is here below,
const { createLogger, format, transports } = require('winston');
var fs = require('fs')
var logger = fs.createWriteStream('Data Log.txt', {
flags: 'a'
})
const os = require('os');
var sleep = require('system-sleep');
var endOfLine = require('os').EOL;
var t = ' ';
var s = ' ';
var q = ' ';
var array1=[];
var array2=[];
var array3=[];
var array4=[];
array1[0] = 78;
array1[1] = 56;
array1[2] = 24;
array1[3] = 34;
for (var n=0;n<4;n++)
{
array2[n]=array1[n].toString();
}
for (var k=0;k<4;k++)
{
array3[k]=Buffer.from(' ');
}
for (var a=0;a<4;a++)
{
array4[a]=Buffer.from(array2[a]);
}
for (m=0;m<4;m++)
{
array4[m].copy(array3[m],0);
}
logger.write('Date'+q);
logger.write('Time'+(q+' '))
logger.write('Data 01'+t);
logger.write('Data 02'+t);
logger.write('Data 03'+t);
logger.write('Data 04'+t)
logger.write(endOfLine);
logger.write(endOfLine);
function mydata() //user defined function
{
logger.write(datechar+s);
logger.write(timechar+s);
for ( n = 0; n < 4; n++)
{
logger.write(array3[n]);
}
logger.write(endOfLine);
}
var now = new Date();
var dateFormat = require('dateformat');
var date = dateFormat(now,"isoDate");
var time = dateFormat(now, "h:MM:ss TT ");
var datechar = date.toString();
var timechar = time.toString();
mydata();
sleep(5*1000);