VB.net get string between two strings returns error or wrong value

Question

I have a long string. Within this string, there are strings I want to parse. After parsing, I pass the values to a listview. It´s already working, but I have struggles with one String.. Here is a picture:

Here you can see, that the second value is wrong

I am using this string:

UserToken:8VE91632C25166906Amount:5.00Accounts:10buyTime:2018-02-20 12:16:56untilTime:2018-03-22 12:16:56EndBREAKUserToken:2BB32950CL297560CAmount:25.00Accounts:50buyTime:2018-02-21 13:05:52untilTime:2018-03-23 13:05:52EndBREAKUserToken:8S034548J4871372YAmount:30.00Accounts:60buyTime:2018-02-21 15:26:28untilTime:2018-03-23 15:26:28EndBREAKUserToken:84692313143307443Amount:60.00Accounts:120buyTime:2018-02-22 11:33:54untilTime:2018-03-24 11:33:54EndBREAKUserToken:3JJ04496CB952290AAmount:30.00Accounts:60buyTime:2018-02-23 19:28:42untilTime:2018-03-25 19:28:42EndBREAKUserToken:9K197884LF5914344Amount:60.00Accounts:120buyTime:2018-02-27 17:07:16untilTime:2018-03-29 17:07:16EndBREAKUserToken:28C99011N17519701Amount:135.00Accounts:180buyTime:2018-03-05 09:00:00untilTime:2018-04-05 09:00:00EndBREAKUserToken:0TD98762R1733752EAmount:225.00Accounts:300buyTime:2018-03-07 19:00:00untilTime:2018-04-07 20:00:00EndBREAK

This is the way how I parse the values:

 Dim words() As String
        Dim space() As Char = {"BREAK"}
        words = STRINGABOVE.Split(space)
        Dim word As String


        For Each word In words


            Try
                Dim sSource As String = word
                Dim sDelimStart As String = "UserToken:"
                Dim sDelimEnd As String = "Amount:"
                Dim nIndexStart As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimStart)
                Dim nIndexEnd As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimEnd, nIndexStart + sDelimStart.Length + 1)

                Dim sDelimStart2 As String = "Amount:"
                Dim sDelimEnd2 As String = "Accounts:"
                Dim nIndexStart2 As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimStart2)
                Dim nIndexEnd2 As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimEnd2, nIndexStart2 + sDelimStart2.Length + 1)

                Dim sDelimStart3 As String = "Accounts:"
                Dim sDelimEnd3 As String = "buyTime:"
                Dim nIndexStart3 As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimStart3)
                Dim nIndexEnd3 As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimEnd3, nIndexStart3 + sDelimStart3.Length + 1)

                Dim sDelimStart4 As String = "buyTime:"
                Dim sDelimEnd4 As String = "untilTime:"
                Dim nIndexStart4 As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimStart4)
                Dim nIndexEnd4 As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimEnd4, nIndexStart4 + sDelimStart4.Length + 1)

                Dim sDelimStart5 As String = "untilTime:"
                Dim sDelimEnd5 As String = "End"
                Dim nIndexStart5 As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimStart5)
                Dim nIndexEnd5 As Integer = sSource.IndexOf(sDelimEnd5, nIndexStart5 + sDelimStart5.Length + 1)

                Dim res As String = Strings.Mid(sSource, nIndexStart + sDelimStart.Length + 1, nIndexEnd - nIndexStart - sDelimStart.Length)
                Dim res2 As String = Strings.Mid(sSource, nIndexStart2 + sDelimStart2.Length + 1, nIndexEnd2 - nIndexStart2 - sDelimStart2.Length)
                Dim res3 As String = Strings.Mid(sSource, nIndexStart3 + sDelimStart3.Length + 1, nIndexEnd3 - nIndexStart3 - sDelimStart3.Length)
                Dim res4 As String = Strings.Mid(sSource, nIndexStart4 + sDelimStart4.Length + 1, nIndexEnd4 - nIndexStart4 - sDelimStart4.Length)
                Dim res5 As String = Strings.Mid(sSource, nIndexStart5 + sDelimStart5.Length + 1, nIndexEnd5 - nIndexStart5 - sDelimStart5.Length)

                ListView1.Items.Add(New ListViewItem({res, res2, res3, res4, res5}))

            Catch
            End Try
        Next

The result of the second string I parse is always "7560C", so it´s only a part of the string.. The other values are correct. Also, when I set this string to another string like "8VE91632C25166906" its showing me the whole String. Also with regex i can´t get the full string.. Where is the problem? This drives me crazy..

Best regards..

Splitting on a character array does not search for a string. It splits on **all** of the characters inside the array. — Nyerguds, Mar 08 '18 at 18:48
Possible duplicate of [C# Split A String By Another String](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2245442/c-sharp-split-a-string-by-another-string) — Nyerguds, Mar 08 '18 at 18:53

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 08 '18 at 19:18

The following expression below will match all instances in the string you've specified:

Expression:

UserToken:([A-Z0-9]{17})Amount:(\d+\.\d+)Accounts:(\d+)buyTime:(\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2})untilTime:(\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2})EndBREAK

Code (auto-generated, you might want to adjust it):

Dim AllMatchResults As MatchCollection
Try
    Dim RegexObj As New Regex("UserToken:([A-Z0-9]{17})Amount:(\d+\.\d+)Accounts:(\d+)buyTime:(\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2})untilTime:(\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2})EndBREAK")
    AllMatchResults = RegexObj.Matches(SubjectString)
    If AllMatchResults.Count > 0 Then
        ' Access individual matches using AllMatchResults.Item[]
    Else
        ' Match attempt failed
    End If
Catch ex As ArgumentException
    'Syntax error in the regular expression
End Try

Check the expression online (click the Table tab)

Welcome to SO, note, when you are satisfied by answer, accept it (check the mark on its left) so it can be seen as answered on the site. — aybe, Mar 08 '18 at 23:34

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 08 '18 at 18:59

You are looking for something between Token and Amount:.
So the regex
(?<=Token\:)(.*?)(?=Amount\:)
will match what you're looking for.
Explanation:
(?<=Token\:): it's a look behind, so that the expression you write after this will match only if 'Token:' is present right before the expression after it.
(.*?): matches every character except by the new line character. So, you'll be able to match anything, how many times you need till it founds something you wrote after (.*?) (i.e the match will stop when the string 'Amount:' if found ahead of the current match).
(?=Amount\:): it's a look ahead. Works in exactly the same way look behind works, except that it seeks for 'Amount' right after the previous matched expression.

I don't know how to help you with the other way you tried to solve the problem but hope this satisfies you once you said you've tried regex (and therefore I infer you are willing to use them :) ).

Hey, working like a charm, but when I try to change the regex to: (?<=Amount\:)(.*?)(?=Accounts\:) I get "An item with the same key has already been added" exception. So, how to get the other values? :) — xored, Mar 08 '18 at 19:26
1 - @xored please upvote my answer, if it works. 2 - you can use the same reasoning if you understand correctly the concepts I explained. 3 - I don't know why this is happening. The regex you typed will catch everything but a newline between 'Amount:' and 'Accounts:' — Leonardo Maffei, Mar 08 '18 at 23:06

VB.net get string between two strings returns error or wrong value

2 Answers2