Getting random characters when writing SMS message to .CSV (VBScript) - csv

Question

I am using the the program FrontlineSMS and some code written in VBScript to take incoming SMS messages and log them to a CSV file. However, random characters such as percents and numbers are ending up in the CSV file even though they are not in the SMS. Below is an example of what I mean:
I send an SMS with my phone to the modem connected to the computer reading
"07/12/2013 11:29:56 25 Happy Holidays"
The modem then receives the message and passes it on the script, which outputs it to a .CSV file. However when I open the file it reads:
"07%2F12%2F2013 | 11%3A29%3A56 | 25 | Happy | Holidays |
Where each word is in its own cell. I need help in figuring out how to get rid of the extra characters that show up (like "%2F"), my guess is that it has to do with the encryption/decryption of the characters when converting to .CSV but I don't know where to start looking to solve this.
Edit: I found out that it has to do with the ASCII coding. "%2F" is Hex for a slash "/", but I still don't know how to prevent this from happening.
Thanks!
Here is the entire script:
Option Explicit
Dim first, secnd
Dim fso, outFile
Dim strFile, strValues, strLine, strInfo
Dim stamp, num, i, identify
Const ForAppending = 8
'error handling/format
'Settings
identify = WScript.Arguments(1)
CStr(identify)
stamp = MyDate()
CStr(stamp)
strFile = "C:\SMScomm\Log\" &identify &" " &stamp & " log.csv"
'Create the file system object
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'Check whether argument were passed
If WScript.Arguments.Count <> 1 Then
WScript.Echo "No arguments were passed"
End If
strInfo = WScript.Arguments(0)
'Replace(strInfo, "%2C", ",")
'Split the argument from FSMS so it reads normally
strValues = Split(strInfo, "+")
'Open to append
Set outFile = fso.OpenTextFile(strFile, ForAppending, True)
num = UBound(strValues)
If num = 0 then
WScript.Echo "Formatting error"
End If
Do while i < num + 1
strValues(i) = strValues(i) & ","
i = i + 1
Loop
'Write to the .csv
i = 0
Do while i < num + 1
outFile.Write(strValues(i) + " ")
i = i + 1
Loop
outFile.WriteBlankLines(1)
'Close the file
outFile.Close
'Clean up
Set outFile = Nothing
Set fso = Nothing
Function MyDate()
Dim dteCurrent, dteDay, dteMonth, dteYear
dteCurrent = Date()
dteDay = Day(dteCurrent)
dteMonth = Month(dteCurrent)
dteYear = Year(dteCurrent)
MyDate = dteMonth & "-" & dteDay & "-" & dteYear
End Function

Answer 1

It looks like either your script or the modem is converting special characters such as "/" into their Hex format.
Can you post the script that dumps this information into CSV format?
Option Explicit
Dim first, secnd
Dim fso, outFile
Dim strFile, strValues, strLine, strInfo
Dim stamp, num, i, identify
Const ForAppending = 8
'error handling/format
'Settings
identify = WScript.Arguments(1)
CStr(identify)
stamp = MyDate()
CStr(stamp)
strFile = "C:\SMScomm\Log\" &identify &" " &stamp & " log.csv"
'Create the file system object
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'Check whether argument were passed
If WScript.Arguments.Count <> 1 Then
WScript.Echo "No arguments were passed"
End If
strInfo = WScript.Arguments(0)
'Replace(strInfo, "%2C", ",")
'Split the argument from FSMS so it reads normally
strValues = Split(strInfo, "+")
'Open to append
Set outFile = fso.OpenTextFile(strFile, ForAppending, True)
num = UBound(strValues)
If num = 0 then
WScript.Echo "Formatting error"
End If
Do while i < num + 1
strValues(i) = strValues(i) & ","
i = i + 1
Loop
'Write to the .csv
i = 0
Do while i < num + 1
Replace(strValues(i), '%2F', '/')
Replace(strValues(i), '%3A', ':')
outFile.Write(strValues(i) + " ")
i = i + 1
Loop
outFile.WriteBlankLines(1)
'Close the file
outFile.Close
'Clean up
Set outFile = Nothing
Set fso = Nothing
Function MyDate()
Dim dteCurrent, dteDay, dteMonth, dteYear
dteCurrent = Date()
dteDay = Day(dteCurrent)
dteMonth = Month(dteCurrent)
dteYear = Year(dteCurrent)
MyDate = dteMonth & "-" & dteDay & "-" & dteYear
End Function
I am sure there is a more elegant way of doing this but it should solve your problem.