.Contains or delimeters

Question

Hi All I am loading in data putting it in a string variable and the going through it with a char[] delimetersChars = { '
' ''}; and a string[] Values = FileData.Split(delimetersChars); The delimetersChars had the chars as I am using those to denote the start & end of messages. In the act of spotting possible errors as the data is not always reliable... if (!Values[a].Contains(' ')) Values[a] = ; My thinking was this would check to see if there is an is there an easier (better) way to do this. Glenn

Vulpes · Answer

I'm sure the regular expression works. This is how I tested it with various strings string regExp = @(? ); string[] strings = {  ssss  sss    s s }; foreach (string s in strings) { MatchCollection mc = Regex.Matches(s regExp); if (mc.Count > 0) { string temp = ; foreach (Match m in mc) { temp += m.Value + 
; } rtbFormattedData.Text += temp; } } The output in the RTB should be: abc def ghi jkl

Vulpes · Answer

Yeah the dot (.) was vital - it means match any character other than 
. Here's a couple of good articles on regular expressions: http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/9099/The-30-Minute-Regex-Tutorial http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/Kolonist/regularexpressions07042006083534AM/regularexpressions.aspx

Glenn Patton · Answer

Thanks again!

Glenn Patton · Answer

Solved it! nights sleep & coffee revealed a lack . in the reg expression string regExp = @(? ); instead of string regExp = @(? ); Know of a good source for RegEx for the unknowing Thanks Glenn

Glenn Patton · Answer

Morning What I was after was an expression method to go through the below text and disregard the aaaa and have the rest: aaaaa I suppose I should have mention it earlier! Glenn

Vulpes · Answer

The regular expression is designed to pick out any characters between ' ' excluding those delimiters themselves. Any other characters are ignored. Is that not what's wanted?

Glenn Patton · Answer

The actual data as a string eg aaaa XXX & YYYY are numbers don't know how big as yet but valid reading seperated by aaaa is invalid.

Vulpes · Answer

What's in the rtbData box?

Glenn Patton · Answer

I wasn't doubting you rest assured! It's just that I have never used RegEx. I need to fiddle more! The code I have is below but from the debugger I am not going in the the if any ideas? string regExp = @(? ); //char[] delimetersChars = { '
' '' }; //char[] delimeterCharFurther = { ' ' }; //int Location = 0; string FileData; FileData = rtbData.Text; MatchCollection mc = Regex.Matches(FileData regExp); if (mc.Count > 0) { string temp = ; foreach (Match m in mc) { temp += m.Value + 
; } rtbFormattedData.Text += temp; }

Glenn Patton · Answer

Have copied it over stepping through it seems as if the 'if'(if(mc.Count)) is always = 0 so it never enters. if there is an equals and it enters the loop nothing happens (regular expressions are a bit of a new area for me). (must remember . not ; when typing messages!)

Glenn Patton · Answer

Have copied it over stepping through it seems as if the 'if'(if(mc.Count)) is always = 0 so it never enters. if there is an equals and it enters the loop nothing happens (regular expressions are a bit of a new area for me). (must remember . not ; when typing messages!)

Vulpes · Answer

I'd try using regular expressions: using System.Text.RegularExpressions; // .... string regExp = @(? ); MatchCollection mc = Regex.Matches(FileData regExp); if (mc.Count > 0) { string temp = ; foreach(Match m in mc) { temp += m.Value + 
; } rtbFormattedData.Text += temp; }

Glenn Patton · Answer

I think the previous method was getting too involved (I really want a method of finding which bits of data enclosed in and throwing any that aren't) I am trying now the delimeterCharFurther is a character array of  the below code appears to take out the and blanks but includes data the does not have the enclosing Glenn string[] Values = FileData.Split(delimeterCharFurther); for (int a = 0; a { if(String.Empty!=Values[a]) rtbFormattedData.Text += Values[a]+
; }

Vulpes · Answer

You can cause an 'if' statement to be repeated until you get the 'right' result by wrapping it in a 'while' statement: for(;;) { // do some processing while(true) { if(condition) { // do some processing if(result) break; // breaks from 'while' but not 'for' } } }

Glenn Patton · Answer

The idea I had works only if two bits of data are not separated properly if there is more than one reading on the same line it ignores. If a break is used that will cause the for loop to be broken not the if I need a sort of EndIf does that make sense? I need it to restart the if()

Glenn Patton · Answer

Thanks!

Vulpes · Answer

As long as the string variable can't be null you have solved it - I'm only suggesting a simplification :)

Glenn Patton · Answer

Nuts just when you think I solved that one!

Glenn Patton · Answer

Nuts just when you think I solved that one!

Vulpes · Answer

The StartsWith and EndsWith methods still work correctly even if a string is empty so you could simplify that to: if (Values[a].StartsWith( )) MessageBox.Show(Values[a].Replace(  )); However if there was any possibility that values[a] could be null (not the same as empty) you'd need to put a check in for that.

Glenn Patton · Answer

Hi May have solved this my self what is the learned view of the below: if ((String.Empty != Values[a]) && ((Values[a].StartsWith( )))) MessageBox.Show(Values[a].Replace(  )); seems to work? but is it to standard? Glenn