Using an array of regex expressions for .match

Question

I have something I am trying to accomplish.

I'd like to take an array built with AJAX/xml.

array[/word0/, /word1/, /word2/]

and put this into a form that could be used in a .match():

result = string.match(array)

I have tried using a for loop and stepping through the array using string.match(array[i]) to no avail.

Is there an easy way to do this?

What was the error you got? I think you'll have to be more descriptive than "to no avail". What you were doing is a valid solution, so my guess is your problem lies elsewhere (see my answer for a more specific guess). — benekastah
– benekastah, Commented Mar 15, 2013 at 22:56
I'm not actually getting any errors. I understand the principle of using your example, however, if I dump the contents of the array prior to the .join I get "word1", "word2", "word3". After the .join I get this: /(?:)/ — Hewhoshallnotbenamed
– Hewhoshallnotbenamed, Commented Mar 16, 2013 at 0:31

benekastah · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-15 22:56:13Z

1

Edit: You may have a syntax problem. The following is not valid syntax:

array[/word0/, /word1/, /word2/]

Something like this fixes it:

var regexps = [/word0/, /word1/, /word2/];

Original answer:

Javascript RegExps already do this. You're looking for:

var regexp = /word0|word1|word2/;

Assuming your list of matches comes back in the right format, you could achieve this like so:

var words = ["word0", "word1", "word2"];
var regexp = new Regexp(words.join("|"));
str.match(regexp);

edited Mar 15, 2013 at 22:56

answered Mar 15, 2013 at 22:49

benekastah

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1 Comment

Hewhoshallnotbenamed Over a year ago

Thank you sir. I did indeed have a syntax problem. I had a } cutting off access the original array. Although it took several hours you helped me track it down. Also thanks to the others for the suggestions. Cheers

Julian H. Lam · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-15 22:49:27Z

1

http://jsfiddle.net/KALPh/

Your approach was fine. Here's my implementation:

var regexes = [/^def/, /^abc/],
    testString = 'abcdef',
    numRegexes = regexes.length;

for(var x=0;x<numRegexes;x++) {
    alert(regexes[x].test(testString));
}

answered Mar 15, 2013 at 22:49

Julian H. Lam

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Comments

Denys Séguret · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-15 22:47:43Z

0

To initialize your array, use

var array = [/word0/, /word1/, /word2/];

Then you can use

str.match(array[i])

If your problem is the transmission in "AJAX/xml", then you'll need to build the regular expressions client side with new RegExp(somestring) where somestring might for example be "word0" : you can't embed a regex literal in XML.

answered Mar 15, 2013 at 22:47

Denys Séguret

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1 Comment

Hewhoshallnotbenamed Over a year ago

Sorry I guess I should have been more precise. I just gave abridged code.

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