Split String Based On Regex In Perl

[thehemi]

Let's assume this is what I'm working with...

 

$string = 'xxxxxxxxyyyy';

$regex = 'xxxxxxxx';

 

And my goal is to have the following results...

 

$value1 = 'xxxxxxxx';

$value2 = 'yyyy'; (Remainder after $regex)

 

What commands am I using to get to that point?

I have used regex to remove and/or alter text, but

I have never used them to split apart a string.

 

I can hack around to get a result, but I prefer to

do it as 'properly' as possible and minimizing lines

and execution cycles.

[click]

I believe preg_split() may be what you want. Check out: http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.preg-split.php

 

On second thought, it doesn't look like there's anything separating the two parts of your string so it may not be exactly what you're looking for.

Edited May 10, 2007 by click

[click]

OK, looks like this should give you what you want.... I think

 

>$string = 'xxxxxxxxyyyy';
$regex = '/(xxxxxxxx)/';

$result = preg_split( $regex, $string, 2, PREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTY|PREG_SPLIT_DELIM_CAPTURE );

Edited May 10, 2007 by click

[MikeJ]

$result = preg_split( $regex, $string, 2, PREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTY|PREG_SPLIT_DELIM_CAPTURE );[/code]

 

Except preg_split is a php function and he's using perl.

 

This is the way I'd probably do it, although there may be a better way (made up the regex to match on example string just to show):

 

>$string = 'xxxxxxxxyyyy';
$regex = '(x)+';

if ($string =~ m/$regex/) {
  $value1 = $&;

  $value2 = $string;
  $value2 =~ s/$regex//;
}

 

Result of that:

$value1 = 'xxxxxxxx'

$value2 = 'yyyy'

 

I'm not aware of a way to split the string up in a single operation within perl natively.

[thehemi]

Thanks for the idea, guys. I found the solution.

 

my($v1, $v2) = $string =~ m|($regex)(.+)|;

 

I have input the syntax in my script and it works great.

Man, I love Perl. There's never an end to the features.

[MikeJ]

nice .

[click]

Except preg_split is a php function and he's using perl.

hahaha I think that officially makes me a moron!

 

Sorry, I don't know how I managed to miss that. I guess the $ variables threw me into php mode (I haven't done any significant perl in a while). Maybe there should be some basic IQ test before we're allowed to post. I think the Perl split() works pretty much the same as preg_split(), though. Any part of the regex in parenthesis will be included in the result array.

 

Anyhow, I'm glad you figured it out.