Question

Get any string inside a string

Asked by: kapot

Hi,

I need a function to search string using pattern.

InputString := '<b><font><script>Write("NAME")</script>APPLE</font></b>Other Text';
Pattern := '<font><script>Write("NAME")</script>*</font>';

value := GetValue(InputString, Pattern);

Then the result, variable "value" have string 'APPLE'.

Of course the InputString and Pattern will be different on other situation.

Anyone can help me to create the function GetValue() ?

Thanks.

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Asked On
2009-08-11 at 08:14:31ID24643421
Topic

Delphi Programming

Participating Experts
1
Points
245
Comments
7

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Answers

 

by: dougaugPosted on 2009-08-11 at 09:07:19ID: 25070574

Hi,

I've written the function below that solves your problem, but I suggest you find in Internet some Delphi Library about Regular Expressions that provides you a more flexible solution.


function GetValue(const InputString, Pattern: string): string;
var
  PosWildCard, PosPatternBeforeValue, PosPatternAfterValue, PosStartValue, PosEndValue: integer;
  PatternBeforeValue, PatternAfterValue: string;
begin
  Result := '';
 
  { Check if there is a '*' inside Pattern String }
  PosWildCard := Pos('*', Pattern);
 
  if PosWildCard > 0 then
  begin
    PatternBeforeValue := Copy(Pattern, 1, PosWildCard - 1);
    PatternAfterValue := Copy(Pattern, PosWildCard + 1, Length(Pattern));
 
    PosPatternBeforeValue := Pos(PatternBeforeValue, InputString);
    PosStartValue := PosPatternBeforeValue + Length(PatternBeforeValue);
 
    if PosPatternBeforeValue > 0 then
    begin
      PosPatternAfterValue := Pos(PatternAfterValue, InputString);
 
      if PosPatternAfterValue > 0 then
        PosEndValue := PosPatternAfterValue
      else
        PosEndValue := Length(InputString) + 1;
 
      Result := Copy(InputString, PosStartValue, PosEndValue - PosStartValue);
    end;
  end;
end;

                                              
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by: kapotPosted on 2009-08-11 at 11:47:48ID: 25072062

I found a good regular expression created by Russell Libby (rlibby):

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Programming/Languages/Pascal/Delphi/Q_21624547.html

But I don't know how to use it. Do you know?

PS: dougaug, your solution is quite interesting, I will try tomorrow.

 

by: dougaugPosted on 2009-08-11 at 20:09:40ID: 25075451

I've tried to use the regular expression library you've posted above, but I didn't understand some of its features. For example, the following code raises an exception (which I've supposed it must match):

with TRegExpr.Create do
begin
  Source := '<b><font><script>Write("NAME")</script>APPLE</font></b>Other Text';
  Pattern := '.*<font><script>Write("NAME")</script>.*</font>.*';
  if MatchFirst then
    showmessage('matched');
end;

Maybe if rlibby will be listening us, he can help us...

Regards

 

by: kapotPosted on 2009-08-12 at 00:20:37ID: 25076328

Hi dougaug,

From the source code, it said:

//   Please note the following special characters, that MUST be escaped if they
//   are meant to match a literal character:
//
//   $ ! ( , ) | ^ * ? + - @ [ ] . { } :

I changed the pattern to Pattern := '\.\*<font><script>Write("NAME")</script>\.\*</font>\.\*';

But no match.

 

by: kapotPosted on 2009-08-12 at 01:07:42ID: 25076549

I found a better regex for delphi:

http://regexpstudio.com/TRegExpr/TRegExpr.html

it works like below in the code, but I dont know how to extract the APPLE word.

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
  re: TRegExpr;
begin
  re := TRegExpr.Create;
 
  re.InputString := 'Bla bla <b><font><script>Write("NAME")</script>APPLE</font></b>Other Text'#13#10;
 
  re.Expression := '<font><script>Write\("NAME"\)</script>(.*?)</font>';
 
  if re.Exec then
    ShowMessage(re.Match[0]);
 
  re.Free;
end;

                                              
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by: kapotPosted on 2009-08-12 at 01:21:27ID: 25076625

I got it :

// to get the APPLE word

  if re.Exec then
  begin
    showmessage('|'+re.Substitute('$1')+'|');
    s := re.Match[0];
  end;

 

by: kapotPosted on 2009-08-12 at 01:22:44ID: 31614256

I give the point to you because you inspired me to use regexp.

I found the regex library that I used is very good!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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