Hi EvilSOB,
Thanks for the help, I haven't quite been able to try your methods yet because my problem has grown more complicated to the point where I dont knopw if I can even explain it online

Basically I used Helghast's method to count spaces with file_find and that worked, but for some reason it was incredibly slow, taking up to a minute to go through a 5000 number list. It also became difficult for me because I am actually reading multiple files at once.

So right now I have some larger issues to contend with. I do have to say that your second way definitely looks like it is in the right direction except for the fact that I may have misrepresented my data. I dont actually know the range, I was only posting those exampkles as to the variables types and format of my numbers.

Also your first method looks ok too, but isnt file_length strictly for judging file lengths in terms of bytes?

Anyway, as I said, I have to deal with the issue of how to seperate my queries for each individual file because I am reading multiple files at once, so I have larger issues right now

Thanks very much for the help