Data extraction, NEED help...

Note Pad is a plain text editor so it can be read directly by visual basic. Just open the file for input. Then use line input to read in each line of text. Since you have only one number per line just load the numbers into some sort of array or two arrays if one value is an x point and another is a y point. Then simply plot the graph. Create a form with a picture box and a command button and have the command button load the arrays and call the plotting routine. Something like this:
Private Sub cmdPlot_Click()
Dim x() As Long
Dim y() As Long
Dim I As Long
Dim FName As String
Dim Buf As String

'set path and file name
FName = App.Path & "\PlotPoints.txt"

'open the file for input
Open FName For Input As #1

'read the x and y points from the file
Do
'Dynamically size the arrays
ReDim Preserve x(I)
ReDim Preserve y(I)
'first load an x value
Do
Line Input #1, Buf
Buf = Trim(Buf) 'trim off extra spaces
Loop While Buf = "" And Not EOF(1) 'loop should ignore empty lines
If Not EOF(1) Then
x(I) = CInt(Buf)
'next load a y value
Do
Line Input #1, Buf
Buf = Trim(Buf) 'trim off extra spaces
Loop While Buf = "" And Not EOF(1) 'loop should ignore empty lines
If Not EOF(1) Then
y(I) = CInt(Buf)
'increment array size counter
I = I + 1
End If
End If
Loop While Not EOF(1) 'loop until end of file

'after loading the x and y arrays with point values, plot them
PlotGraph Me.Picture1, x(), y()

End Sub

Well you seemed more interested in how to get the values you needed out of your text file. I did not know what the values were nor what kind of graph you wanted to plot so I figured you already had an Idea of how to plot the graph and just needed help getting the data from the file. So the PlotGraph line is a call to a function that you would still need to write. I figured you would need some place to draw the chart so I passed it a PictureBox control as well as the array of X points and the array Y points.
To plot a graph you need both X and Y points, so I figured they were stored in your file. Were Line one was an X point, Line 2 was a Y point, Line 3 is the next X point, and Line 4 is the next Y point, etc. until the end of the file. So I resized the arrays by one every time I loaded in two lines, an X point and a Y point.
Now with a 3D graph you will need X, Y, and Z points. If only the Z points are in the file then where do the X and Y points come from? What kind of 3D graph are you going to plot? A 3D graph would look like a wire mesh where the height of each vertex is based on the value of the Z point. Without the X and Y points though how would you know which vertex needs to be which height?
I have not written a 3d plotting routine but I found this sample program that might give you what you need:
http://www.freevbcode.com/ShowCode.Asp?ID=626
It is a 3d Terrain Designer like for 3d Games.

Here is a modified version of the other code that just reads all the numbers into a single z array. This way you can see the difference in the load routine for the text file reading.
Private Sub cmdPlot_Click()
Dim z() As Long
Dim I As Long
Dim FName As String
Dim Buf As String

'set path and file name
FName = App.Path & "\PlotPoints.txt"

'open the file for input
Open FName For Input As #1

'read the x and y points from the file
Do
'Dynamically size the arrays
ReDim Preserve z(I)
'first load an z values
Do
Line Input #1, Buf
Buf = Trim(Buf) 'trim off extra spaces
Loop While Buf = "" And Not EOF(1) 'loop should ignore empty lines
If Not EOF(1) Then
z(I) = CInt(Buf)
I = I + 1
End If
Loop While Not EOF(1) 'loop until end of file

'after loading the z point values, plot them (you still need to write this)
PlotGraph Me.Picture1, z()

'to free up the memory used by the z array use Erase
Erase z
End Sub

could you help me with this problem?

'Modified by oto45

'Keeps track of x and y coordinates
Dim CurX, CurY As Integer
'Array of points
Dim Pointarray() As Integer
'Constants make code easier to read
Const XDist = 1
Const YDist = 0
'size of the array
Const SizeOfArray = 11
'randomness of the terrain
Dim Randomness As Single
'number of loops to refine terrain
Dim Loops As Integer
'more symbolic constants
Const RandLimit = 10
Const Draw = 10

Private Sub CmdMountain_Click()
'Build a mountain

'variables for calculation
Dim Corner1
Dim Corner2
Dim Corner3
Dim Corner4
Dim Average

Dim z() As Long
Dim I As Long
Dim FName As String
Dim Buf As String

'set path and file name
FName = App.Path & "\data2.txt"

'open the file for input
Open FName For Input As #1

'get values from text boxes and store them to variables (faster)
'Randomness = TxtRnd
'Loops = TxtLoops

'resize the array according to size variables
ReDim Pointarray(0 To SizeOfArray, 0 To SizeOfArray)

'basically, randomize the array completely
'For x = 0 To SizeOfArray
'Pointarray(x, 0) = Int(Rnd * 5)
'Next x
'For y = 0 To SizeOfArray
'Pointarray(0, y) = Int(Rnd * 5)
'Next y

'start running the mixing loops
'For z = 0 To Loops
'For x = 0 To SizeOfArray - 1
'For y = 0 To SizeOfArray - 1
'get the values of all the points around the current one
'Corner1 = Pointarray(x, y + 1)
'Corner2 = Pointarray(x + 1, y)
'Corner3 = Pointarray(x - 1, y)
'Corner4 = Pointarray(x, y - 1)

Do

For x = 0 To SizeOfArray - 1
For y = 0 To SizeOfArray - 1

'Dynamically size the arrays
'ReDim Preserve Average(I)
'first load an z values
Do
Line Input #1, Buf
Buf = Trim(Buf) 'trim off extra spaces
Loop While Buf = "" And Not EOF(1) 'loop should ignore empty lines
If Not EOF(1) Then
Average(I) = CInt(Buf)<--Problem Here on this line
I = I + 1

'build a mountain (add values) or valley (subtract values) plus a random amount (non-random creates perfect domes)
'Average = Int((Corner1 + Corner2 + Corner3 + Corner4) \ 4) + Int(Randomness)
'set the new point and continue through the loop
Pointarray(x, y) = Average

End If
Next y
Next x
Loop While Not EOF(1) 'loop until end of file
'Next y
'Next x
'Next z

'call the sub to draw the new terrain
DrawMesh

End Sub

Private Sub CmdReset_Click()
'very simple - reset all the terrain points to zero
For a = 0 To 11
For b = 0 To 11
Pointarray(a, b) = 0
Next b
Next a
Call DrawMesh

End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
'draw the base terrain and resize the array to its default values
ReDim Pointarray(0 To 11, 0 To 11) As Integer
Form1.Show
Call DrawMesh
End Sub

Public Sub DrawMesh()
'draws the top view
Dim temp As Integer
temp = (SizeOfArray - 1) * Draw
Picture1.Cls
'draw a grid with points raised or lowered according to their imaginary height
For a = 0 To temp Step Draw
For b = 0 To temp Step Draw
Picture1.Line (a + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw), b + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw))-(a + Draw + Pointarray(a / Draw + 1, b / Draw), b + Pointarray(a / Draw + 1, b / Draw))
Picture1.Line (a + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw), b + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw))-(a + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw + 1), b + Draw + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw + 1))
Next b
Next a

Dim StartPoint As Integer
Picture2.Cls

'isometric (aerial) view
For x = 0 To 50 Step 5
For y = 0 To 50 Step 5
StartPoint = 55 - x + y
'Picture1.PSet ((x + y + (XDist * y + x)), StartPoint), RGB(0, 0, 0)
'same as top view in theory, but drawn from a much more difficult angle
Picture2.Line ((x + y + (XDist * y + x)), StartPoint - Pointarray(x / 5, y / 5))-((x + y + (XDist * y + x + 10)), 5 - x + 50 - 5 + y - Pointarray((x / 5) + 1, y / 5))
Picture2.Line ((x + y + (XDist * y + x)), StartPoint - Pointarray(x / 5, y / 5))-((x + y + (XDist * y + x + 10)), 5 - x + 50 + 5 + y - Pointarray(x / 5, (y / 5) + 1))
Next y
Next x

'color view
Dim TmpHigh As Integer
Dim TmpLow As Integer
TmpHigh = 0
TmpLow = 0

'rebuild the array so that the maximum lowness is 0 (you don't want negative color values)
For x = 0 To 10
For y = 0 To 10
If Pointarray(x, y) < TmpLow Then TmpLow = Pointarray(x, y)
Next y
Next x

For x = 0 To 10
For y = 0 To 10
Pointarray(x, y) = Pointarray(x, y) + Abs(TmpLow)
Next y
Next x

For x = 0 To 10
For y = 0 To 10
If Pointarray(x, y) > TmpHigh Then TmpHigh = Pointarray(x, y)
Next y
Next x
LblLow = TmpLow
LblHigh = TmpHigh

'calculation variables
Dim MagicNum As Double
Dim Color As Integer
Dim TempArray(0 To 10, 0 To 10) As Integer
Picture3.Cls
On Error Resume Next
'TmpHigh = 256 - TmpHigh
MagicNum = 256 / TmpHigh
'start color loop
For x = 0 To 10
For y = 0 To 10
'set the color according to the height of the terrain point
Color = Int(Pointarray(x, y) * MagicNum)
Picture3.PSet (x, y), RGB(Color, Color, Color)
Next y
Next x

End Sub

Private Sub mnuexit_Click()
'when exit is pressed, shut down
End
End Sub

Private Sub mnuload_Click()
'show commondialog box
CommonDialog1.ShowOpen
'if no filename is specified, exit
If CommonDialog1.FileName = "" Then Exit Sub
'put the array in the commondialog file
Open CommonDialog1.FileName For Binary As #1
Get #1, 1, Pointarray
Close #1
'redraw the mesh
DrawMesh
End Sub

Private Sub mnusave_Click()
'show commondialog box
CommonDialog1.ShowSave
'if no filename is specified, exit
If CommonDialog1.FileName = "" Then Exit Sub
On Error Resume Next
'put the array in the commondialog file
Kill CommonDialog1.FileName
Open CommonDialog1.FileName For Binary As #1
Put #1, 1, Pointarray
Close #1
'redraw the mesh
DrawMesh
End Sub

Private Sub Picture1_MouseDown(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, x As Single, y As Single)
'get drawing variable points
CurX = Int(x / Draw)
CurY = Int(y / Draw)
On Error Resume Next
'raise or lower the array depending on what mouse button is pressed
If Button = 1 Then
Pointarray(CurX, CurY) = Pointarray(CurX, CurY) + 1
End If
If Button = 2 Then
Pointarray(CurX, CurY) = Pointarray(CurX, CurY) - 1
End If
'redraw terrain
DrawMesh
End Sub

Private Sub Picture1_MouseMove(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, x As Single, y As Single)
'same as picture1_mousedown statement (see above)
CurX = Int(x / Draw)
CurY = Int(y / Draw)
On Error Resume Next
If Button = 1 Then
Pointarray(CurX, CurY) = Pointarray(CurX, CurY) + 1
Call DrawMesh
End If
If Button = 2 Then
Pointarray(CurX, CurY) = Pointarray(CurX, CurY) - 1
Call DrawMesh
End If

End Sub

this is what i did so far... the error message is: Type mismatch

Comments on your code:
'Modified by oto45

'Keeps track of x and y coordinates
Dim CurX, CurY As Integer
When you Dim a variable without giving it a data type VB defaults it to
a type variant so CurX is a Variant and CurY is an Integer

'Array of points
Dim Pointarray() As Integer
'Constants make code easier to read
Const XDist = 1
Const YDist = 0
'size of the array
Const SizeOfArray = 11
'randomness of the terrain
Dim Randomness As Single
'number of loops to refine terrain
Dim Loops As Integer
'more symbolic constants
Const RandLimit = 10
Const Draw = 10

Private Sub CmdMountain_Click()
'Build a mountain

'variables for calculation
Dim Corner1
Dim Corner2
Dim Corner3
Dim Corner4
Dim Average
These are all variants

Dim z() As Long
Dim I As Long
Dim FName As String
Dim Buf As String

'set path and file name
FName = App.Path & "\data2.txt"

'open the file for input
Open FName For Input As #1

'get values from text boxes and store them to variables (faster)
'Randomness = TxtRnd
'Loops = TxtLoops

Pointarray was already set in the Form_Load Event so the ReDim won't work.
Once Defined you can only resize the last Dimention.
To get this to work you need to first reset the Array using the Erase statement.
Like So:
Erase Pointarray

'resize the array according to size variables
ReDim Pointarray(0 To SizeOfArray, 0 To SizeOfArray)

'basically, randomize the array completely
'For x = 0 To SizeOfArray
'Pointarray(x, 0) = Int(Rnd * 5)
'Next x
'For y = 0 To SizeOfArray
'Pointarray(0, y) = Int(Rnd * 5)
'Next y

'start running the mixing loops
'For z = 0 To Loops
'For x = 0 To SizeOfArray - 1
'For y = 0 To SizeOfArray - 1
'get the values of all the points around the current one
'Corner1 = Pointarray(x, y + 1)
'Corner2 = Pointarray(x + 1, y)
'Corner3 = Pointarray(x - 1, y)
'Corner4 = Pointarray(x, y - 1)

Do

For x = 0 To SizeOfArray - 1
For y = 0 To SizeOfArray - 1

'Dynamically size the arrays
'ReDim Preserve Average(I)
'first load an z values
Do
Line Input #1, Buf
Buf = Trim(Buf) 'trim off extra spaces
Loop While Buf = "" And Not EOF(1) 'loop should ignore empty lines
If Not EOF(1) Then
Average(I) = CInt(Buf)<--Problem Here on this line
This fails becuse Buf does not contain a valid number
I = I + 1

'build a mountain (add values) or valley (subtract values) plus a random amount (non-random creates perfect domes)
'Average = Int((Corner1 + Corner2 + Corner3 + Corner4) \ 4) + Int(Randomness)
'set the new point and continue through the loop
Pointarray(x, y) = Average
Here Average is an array so it should be Average(I)

End If
Next y
Next x
Loop While Not EOF(1) 'loop until end of file
'Next y
'Next x
'Next z

'call the sub to draw the new terrain
DrawMesh

End Sub

Private Sub CmdReset_Click()
Here a and b are not defined this will cause an error
'very simple - reset all the terrain points to zero
For a = 0 To 11
For b = 0 To 11
Pointarray(a, b) = 0
Next b
Next a
Here you don't need the Call, just DrawMesh
Call DrawMesh

End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
'draw the base terrain and resize the array to its default values
ReDim Pointarray(0 To 11, 0 To 11) As Integer
Form1.Show
Here you don't need the Call, just DrawMesh
Call DrawMesh
End Sub

Public Sub DrawMesh()
'draws the top view
Dim temp As Integer
temp = (SizeOfArray - 1) * Draw
Picture1.Cls
'draw a grid with points raised or lowered according to their imaginary height
For a = 0 To temp Step Draw
For b = 0 To temp Step Draw
Picture1.Line (a + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw), b + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw))-(a + Draw + Pointarray(a / Draw + 1, b / Draw), b + Pointarray(a / Draw + 1, b / Draw))
Picture1.Line (a + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw), b + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw))-(a + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw + 1), b + Draw + Pointarray(a / Draw, b / Draw + 1))
Next b
Next a

Dim StartPoint As Integer
Picture2.Cls

'isometric (aerial) view
For x = 0 To 50 Step 5
For y = 0 To 50 Step 5
StartPoint = 55 - x + y
'Picture1.PSet ((x + y + (XDist * y + x)), StartPoint), RGB(0, 0, 0)
'same as top view in theory, but drawn from a much more difficult angle
Picture2.Line ((x + y + (XDist * y + x)), StartPoint - Pointarray(x / 5, y / 5))-((x + y + (XDist * y + x + 10)), 5 - x + 50 - 5 + y - Pointarray((x / 5) + 1, y / 5))
Picture2.Line ((x + y + (XDist * y + x)), StartPoint - Pointarray(x / 5, y / 5))-((x + y + (XDist * y + x + 10)), 5 - x + 50 + 5 + y - Pointarray(x / 5, (y / 5) + 1))
Next y
Next x

'color view
Dim TmpHigh As Integer
Dim TmpLow As Integer
TmpHigh = 0
TmpLow = 0

'rebuild the array so that the maximum lowness is 0 (you don't want negative color values)
For x = 0 To 10
For y = 0 To 10
If Pointarray(x, y) < TmpLow Then TmpLow = Pointarray(x, y)
Next y
Next x

For x = 0 To 10
For y = 0 To 10
Pointarray(x, y) = Pointarray(x, y) + Abs(TmpLow)
Next y
Next x

For x = 0 To 10
For y = 0 To 10
If Pointarray(x, y) > TmpHigh Then TmpHigh = Pointarray(x, y)
Next y
Next x
LblLow = TmpLow
LblHigh = TmpHigh

'calculation variables
Dim MagicNum As Double
Dim Color As Integer
Dim TempArray(0 To 10, 0 To 10) As Integer
Picture3.Cls
On Error Resume Next
'TmpHigh = 256 - TmpHigh
MagicNum = 256 / TmpHigh
'start color loop
For x = 0 To 10
For y = 0 To 10
'set the color according to the height of the terrain point
Color = Int(Pointarray(x, y) * MagicNum)
Picture3.PSet (x, y), RGB(Color, Color, Color)
Next y
Next x

End Sub

Private Sub mnuexit_Click()
'when exit is pressed, shut down
End
Here you should unload this form instead of using End.
Like So:
Unload Me

End Sub

Private Sub mnuload_Click()
'show commondialog box
CommonDialog1.ShowOpen
'if no filename is specified, exit
If CommonDialog1.FileName = "" Then Exit Sub
'put the array in the commondialog file
Open CommonDialog1.FileName For Binary As #1
Get #1, 1, Pointarray
Close #1
'redraw the mesh
DrawMesh
End Sub

Private Sub mnusave_Click()
'show commondialog box
CommonDialog1.ShowSave
'if no filename is specified, exit
If CommonDialog1.FileName = "" Then Exit Sub
On Error Resume Next
'put the array in the commondialog file
Kill CommonDialog1.FileName
Open CommonDialog1.FileName For Binary As #1
Put #1, 1, Pointarray
Close #1
'redraw the mesh
DrawMesh
End Sub

Private Sub Picture1_MouseDown(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, x As Single, y As Single)
'get drawing variable points
CurX = Int(x / Draw)
CurY = Int(y / Draw)
On Error Resume Next
'raise or lower the array depending on what mouse button is pressed
If Button = 1 Then
Pointarray(CurX, CurY) = Pointarray(CurX, CurY) + 1
End If
If Button = 2 Then
Pointarray(CurX, CurY) = Pointarray(CurX, CurY) - 1
End If
'redraw terrain
DrawMesh
End Sub

Private Sub Picture1_MouseMove(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, x As Single, y As Single)
'same as picture1_mousedown statement (see above)
CurX = Int(x / Draw)
CurY = Int(y / Draw)
On Error Resume Next
If Button = 1 Then
Pointarray(CurX, CurY) = Pointarray(CurX, CurY) + 1
Here you don't need the Call, just DrawMesh
Call DrawMesh
End If
If Button = 2 Then
Pointarray(CurX, CurY) = Pointarray(CurX, CurY) - 1
Here you don't need the Call, just DrawMesh
Call DrawMesh
End If

End Sub

Wow! that's really great, but all I wanted was the data file "data2.txt". This way I could look at it's contents and try to figure out why the number is invalid. :o
Indenting code is very much a personal choice, some like it indented by 2 characters some like 3 or even 4. If you don't want to indent, that is totally your choice. I only really meant, that when you post large blocks of code, it is much better to indent it. It allows people who don't really know your code, to have an easier time reading it. :rolleyes:

Ok I checked the file and it looks good. I looked at your code and found a few problems. To make things clearer I deleted alot of old code that was no longer being used. A bunch of the comments also, so you should not overwrite your original with the new version.
First thing is, you are using two nested For/Next loops, so you do not need the outer Do/Loop. Do loops are good when you don't know how many items you are going to read in, with For loops you have a set number that must be there or the loops will trigger and EndOfFile error.
Also you were not really using the Average array for anything so I dropped it and assigned the values directly into the Pointarray. In several places you were using variables (a,b,x,y) that were not defined so I added the needed Dim statements. I either removed or commented out a bunch of variables that were not being used.
At the end of loading the Pointarray you never closed the file, if you try to click the button again you get an error, because the file is already open. So I added a close statement after the Pointarray has been loaded.
Also I indented the code the way I like it, so you can see how much easier it is to quickly read through the code. You don't have to do it this way of course.
That's it! It seems to work now. The only thing you might change is the way the graph plots in the left most pictureBox. It tends to draw past the top, so you might save the Max value and shift the image down so it all fits in the picturebox. Have Fun!