Writing large files with Node.js

Question

I\'m writing a large file with node.js using a writable stream:

var fs     = require(\'fs\');
var stream = fs.createWriteStream(\'someFile.txt\', { flags : \         


        

Answer 1

The idea behind drain is that you would use it to test here:

var fs = require('fs');
var stream = fs.createWriteStream('someFile.txt', {flags: 'w'});

var lines;
while (lines = getLines()) {
    for (var i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
        stream.write(lines[i]); //<-- the place to test
    }
}

which you're not. So you would need to rearchitect to make it "reentrant".

var fs = require('fs');
var stream = fs.createWriteStream('someFile.txt', {flags: 'w'});

var lines;
while (lines = getLines()) {
    for (var i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
        var written = stream.write(lines[i]); //<-- the place to test
        if (!written){
           //do something here to wait till you can safely write again
           //this means prepare a buffer and wait till you can come back to finish
           //  lines[i] -> remainder
        }
    }
}

However, does this mean that you need to keep buffering getLines as well while you wait?

var fs = require('fs');
var stream = fs.createWriteStream('someFile.txt', {flags: 'w'});

var lines,
    buffer = {
     remainingLines = []
    };
while (lines = getLines()) {
    for (var i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
        var written = stream.write(lines[i]); //<-- the place to test
        if (!written){
           //do something here to wait till you can safely write again
           //this means prepare a buffer and wait till you can come back to finish
           //  lines[i] -> remainder
           buffer.remainingLines = lines.slice(i);
           break;
           //notice there's no way to re-run this once we leave here.
        }
    }
}

stream.on('drain',function(){
  if (buffer.remainingLines.length){
    for (var i = 0; i < buffer.remainingLines.length; i++) {
      var written = stream.write(buffer.remainingLines[i]); //<-- the place to test
      if (!written){
       //do something here to wait till you can safely write again
       //this means prepare a buffer and wait till you can come back to finish
       //  lines[i] -> remainder
       buffer.remainingLines = lines.slice(i);
      }
    }
  }
});