ArcGIS query "dash" character multiple times in a string & replace/remove dash

Question

Using ArcMap 10.2.2 and have a string field in an attribute table that has values such as:

xxxx-xxxx-x
xxxx-xxxx-x
xxxx-xxxx-x
xxxx-xxxx
xxxx-xxxx
xxxx-xxxx

1. I want to query for all records that have two dashes in a string (three records in the sample above).
2. I want to remove the second dash from the string.

I would prefer to do this in two separate steps where I can first query/identify identify the records w/two dashes and then run an update to remove the second dash.

Answer 1

First use Select by Attributes:

"stringfield" LIKE '%-_'

This will select any record where the value in your field has a dash as the second-to-last character.

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Then use the Field Calculator to remove the second dash -> Python Parser, Show Codeblock.

In Pre-logic script code:

def removedash(field):
 if field[-2] == '-':
 x = "{0}{1}".format(field[:-2], field[-1:])
 return x
 else:
 return field

Expression:

removedash(!stringfield!)

Where stringfield is the name of the field you're wanting to update.

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