How do I use string.replace with regular expressions

Question

I'm trying to strip the file extension from a file name using a regular expression and String.replace

I'm using this regex: /^.*(\..*)/ which should capture the extension, or at least everything after a .

Doing str.replace(/^.*(\..*)/,""); just gives me a blank string.

Doing str.replace(/^.*(\..*)/,""); gives me ".pdf"

How many dots are there in your filenames? You could split them by dot and take the first part? — putvande, Jan 31 '14 at 00:03
possible duplicate of [Regular expression to remove a file's extension](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1818310/regular-expression-to-remove-a-files-extension) — Ryan, Jan 31 '14 at 00:05
@Ryan Answers to that question do not use String.replace. I want to know how to use `string.replace` with regular expressions. Stripping the file name is a problem that can be solved many different ways. — , Jan 31 '14 at 00:07
@putvande I could, but then I wouldn't be using `string.replace` with regular expressions. — , Jan 31 '14 at 00:08
@Joeytje50 this appears to be just a regex tester. According to another regex tester that I use, it works in that it captures what I intend for it to capture on the types of strings I intend to use it on. I don't think this tool will help me — , Jan 31 '14 at 00:12

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 31 '14 at 00:09

1

You need to capture (with (.*)) the first bit of you file, not the extension itself:

var string = "CommercialTribe - Copy (14).pdf"
var re = /^(.*)\..*/;
console.log(string.replace(re,'$1'));

// Output: "CommercialTribe - Copy (14)"

answered Jan 31 '14 at 00:09

putvande

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 31 '14 at 00:12

There are two options here:

Only match the extension and replace it with an empty string:
```
str.replace(/\.[^.]*$/, "");
```
Match the entire string and capture everything but the extension, and then replace with the contents of that match:
```
str.replace(/^(.*)\..*$/, "$1");
```

2 Answers2