Using C# regex, getting a value between two strings

Question

My test data

Date:Fri 14-Mar-2003 Venue:S.F.S. Crowd:24,172

The data I am interested in

Fri 14-Mar-2003

The code I currently have

string datePattern = "Date:(.*?) Venue";
string tempDate = Regex.Match(values[(int)HomeColumnNames.VenueCrowdDate], datePattern).Value;

The data that is being returned

Date:Fri 14-Mar-2003 Venue

Any advice or assistance would be much appreciated.

Yes it seemed like my google skills failed me. – baldie Apr 04 '13 at 09:34 — baldie, Apr 04 '13 at 09:34

bash.d · Answer 1 · 2013-04-04T10:58:09.117

1

You are including the words into your regex, so they will be in the extracted string. Try

string datePattern = @"{\w+}\s+{\d{1,2}-{\w+}-{\d{4,}";

edited Apr 04 '13 at 10:58

answered Apr 04 '13 at 09:27

bash.d

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I offered yours but I think the `@`(literal) character should be before `"` and it didn't match. Are you sure it works ? – Davut Gürbüz Apr 04 '13 at 10:41
No, you are right! It was in the haste of the moment... Thank you for clarification – bash.d Apr 04 '13 at 10:57

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 04 '13 at 09:30

1

You can also loop thought the matched groups.

var groups = Regex.Match(values[(int)HomeColumnNames.VenueCrowdDate], datePattern).Groups;
Console.WriteLine(groups[1].Value); //Fri 14-Mar-2003

answered Apr 04 '13 at 09:30

Vignesh.N

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For java groups start from index 1 but for c# I think it is 0. – Davut Gürbüz Apr 04 '13 at 09:33
@DavutGürbüz I'm never sure either. it's this uncertainty that is why I suggested explicit group naming :-) – Sepster Apr 04 '13 at 09:39
the array index starts from 0, I'm sure and have also tested the code – Vignesh.N Apr 04 '13 at 09:54
index starts from 0 but 0 index gives us the matched text not group. So group 1 is right for both java and c#. +1 – Davut Gürbüz Apr 04 '13 at 10:23

Davut Gürbüz · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-04T10:35:05.100

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Your regex is ok. Just you need to get group one.

var match= Regex.Match(values[(int)HomeColumnNames.VenueCrowdDate], datePattern);

match.Groups[0]; //returns full match
match.Groups[1]; //returns 1st group

//Gets MatchCollection
var matches= Regex.Matches(values[ManyAddresses, datePattern);

using @bash.d's pattern is better for other samples.

edited Apr 04 '13 at 10:35

answered Apr 04 '13 at 09:32

Davut Gürbüz

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Sepster · Answer 4 · 2013-04-04T09:36:04.243

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You're returning the match, not your capture group.

The following code will allow you to explicitly name (and subsequently reference) your capture. It's not necessary to explicitly name or number your groups... But it's good practice.

String groupName = "yourGroupName";
Regex r = new Regex(@"Date:(?<" + groupName + ">.*?) Venue");
Matches m = r.Match(yourTestData);
Console.WriteLine(m.Groups[groupName]);

edited Apr 04 '13 at 09:36

answered Apr 04 '13 at 09:30

Sepster

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Using C# regex, getting a value between two strings

4 Answers4