String to array

Question

I have a string :

id0:xxxxx:id0-value:xxxxx:id1:xxxxxxxx:id1-value:xxxxx:id3:xxxxxxxx:id3-value:xxx

I just need the value for idX-value from the string into array.

How can I achieve it?

• nunespascal: Tried anything or totally clueless?
• CoderMarkus: Good place for some Regex! One word... Match Collection.

Answer 1

The simple way, the value is in position (4x - 1):

var list = input.Split(':');
var outputs = new List<string>();
for (int index = 0; index < list.Count(); index++)
{
 if (index % 4 == 3)
 outputs.Add(list.ElementAt(index));
}

• Alvin: The string can be dynamic, more then 3 values.
• Alvin: it can be id0:xxxxx:id0-value:xxxxx:id1:xxxxxxxx:id1-value:xxxxx:id3:xxxxxxxx:id3-value:xxx , or id0:xxxxx:id0-value:xxxxx:id1:xxxxxxxx:id1-value:xxxxx:id3:xxxxxxxx:id3-value:xxx:id4:xxxxxxxx:id4-value:xxx

Answer 2

Use String.Split()

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.string.split.aspx

String myString = "id0:xxxxx:id0-value:xxxxx:id1:xxxxxxxx:id1-value:xxxxx:id3:xxxxxxxx:id3-value:xxx";
String[] tokens = myString.Split(new Char[] {':'});

The token array will contain {"id0","xxxxx","id0-value","xxxxx","id1","xxxxxxxx","id1-value","xxxxx","id3","xxxxxxxx","d3-value","xxx"}

The second possibility is to use String.IndexOf() and String.Substring().

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/5xkyx09y http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aka44szs

Int start = 0; ArrayList tokens; while((start = myString.IndexOf("-value:", start))> -1) { ArrayList.Add(myString.Substring(start+6, myString.IndexOf(":", start+7); start += 6; // Jump past what we just found. }

Answer 3

Split it using a Regex(a regex which splits : coming after x), then split using colon : and use first index as a Dictionary Key and Second index as Dictionary value.

• Erik Nedwidek: The reason I wouldn't recommend RegEx is because the data appears to be in a set pattern. RegEx compilation and usage is expensive both in terms of CPU and memory in comparison to just splitting the string. If the data is not in a clear pattern, then RegEx is the way to go.