How to check if string is present in variable in jquery

Question

I have the variable like

var myVar = "The man is running"

pattern = "run"

I want to check via jquery that if it conatins words "run"

Like

if($(myVar).(:contains(pattern)))
return true

Is this possible

• Zhihao: I feel I should recommend that you review the difference between JavaScript and jQuery. Here you can read up on JavaScript. Here you can read up on jQuery.
• Marco Pappalardo: Check this: @john110016 check stackoverflow.com/questions/4581625/… is exactly like your questions

Answer 1

RegExp option...just because..RegExp.

var pattern = /run/;
//returns true or false...
var exists = pattern.test(myVar);
if (exists) {
 //true statement, do whatever
} else {
 //false statement..do whatever
}

Answer 2

You would use the Javascript method .indexOf() to do this. If you're trying to test whether the text of a DOM element contains the pattern, you would use this:

if($(myVar).text().indexOf(pattern) != -1)
 return true;

If the variable myVar isn't a selector string, you shouldn't wrap it in the jQuery function, though. Instead, you would use this:

if(myVar.indexOf(pattern) != -1)
 return true;

Answer 3

You do not need jQuery for this. Just check for the index of the string.

if (myVar.indexOf(pattern) !== -1) { ... }

Answer 4

Regex?

var hasRun = /run/i.test(myVar) // case insensitive

• jeff: A regex has unnecessary overhead for such a simple operation, though.
• elclanrs: Yeah, it's probably slower than indexOf but an option nonetheless and more readable, at least IMO.