I have saved many tips from these forums over many months for the momenteous event when I could actually use them. So now I would like to add them into one big file so I can do searches for subject matter in one document rather than dozens. Once I've found all instances of, say conforming clothing, then I would merge these into a collection of tips per subject. So does someone know of a handy merge program for txt files - preferably for free? Also, do you suppose others would like this collection of tips from this forum when it's ready?

Open an MS-DOS window. You want to put file1.txt at the end of file2.txt Type in the command: type file1.txt >> file2.txt Alternatively, just use a good text editor, use select all on file1.txt, copy, switch to file2.txt, put the cursor where you want to, and paste. Those are the simple methods. It gets tedious with a lot of files, and I expect that's why you want something more from the software.

you can also do from dos box

copy *.txt final.tmp
rename final.tmp final.txt

do it as two steps or the system tries to copy final.txt back into itself.

Note: this does not guarentee the order of the files in the consolidated file.

regards
reading your original post again I would use wordpad (if you have nothing better). Open your new document in one window, open another copy of wordpad and open each .txt file in order, do a copy and paste.

Message edited on: 07/09/2004 10:49

Or, for the lucky few, just search the folder by context in OS X. No need to concatenate the files on the DOS or UNIX level.

well, if you're in OS X, by definition, you're not in Dos (and probably Unix) anyway..;) yeah, these work. I have a directory called Geeptuts (about 50 meg), I put them in Word Documents.

Thanks for the suggestions :) Yep I'm on WIN XP, so the DOS batch copy tipped by Mark sounds like the way to go. Now I just have o look up how I get to directories in DOS, heh. Thought there'd be some litttle utility for this. Thanks again :) Masha

In MS-DOS, or a MS-DOS box in Windows, you can use the 'copy' command to concentrate text files. The following is an extract from the DOS help file:

To copy several files into one file, list any number of files as source
parameters on the COPY command line. Separate filenames with a plus sign (+)
and specify a filename for the resulting combined file, as the following
example shows:

copy mar89.rpt + apr89.rpt + may89.rpt report

This command combines the files named MAR89.RPT, APR89.RPT, and MAY89.RPT
from the current drive and directory and places them in a file named REPORT
in the current directory on the current drive. When files are combined, the
destination file is created with the current date and time. If you omit
destination, MS-DOS combines the files and stores them under the name of the
first specified file. For example, if a file named REPORT already exists,
you can use the following command to combine all four files in REPORT:

copy report + mar89.rpt + apr89.rpt + may89.rpt

You can also combine several files into one by using wildcards, as the
following example shows:

copy *.txt combin.doc

This command combines all files in the current directory on the current
drive that have the extension .TXT into one file named COMBIN.DOC, also in
the current directory on the current drive.

In EditPad light, and probably most other good text editors you have an option to "Insert File" (in the "Block" menu) that allows you to import the text from a file on disk into the current document. This is probably the best way to do it under Windows, as you can add any extra line brakes, headings, or other formating, on the fly. Unlike the DOS 'copy' method, this way you can only add one file at a time, but unless you have a very large number of files to concentrate, this should not be too big a problem.