Extract key-value pairs using a Java regex

Question

I have a string with the following format: <element>Key:Value</element>

Similar strings are appended to one another to create a compound string, so if there are three strings, I'd have the following format: <element>Key:Value</element><element>Key:Value</element><element>Key:Value</element>

There are no characters between two elements.

I want to write a regex expression so I can extract the key-value pairs and put them in a HashMap. The mapping part is easy, but I don't know how to do the regex part.

Best advice: don't use regexp to read XML or HTML

Guillaume Polet
– Guillaume Polet

2012-03-14 18:43:26 +00:00
Commented Mar 14, 2012 at 18:43 — Guillaume Polet
– Guillaume Polet, Commented Mar 14, 2012 at 18:43

dule · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-14 18:57:25Z

3

Aye, as mentioned, an XML parser would probably be more appropriate here, but if you want to do with a regex:

    String str = "<element>Key1:Value1</element><element>Key2:Value2</element><element>Key2:Value2</element>";
    final Pattern p = Pattern.compile("<element>(.*?):(.*?)</element>");

    Matcher m = p.matcher(str);
    while (m.find()) {
        System.out.print("Key=" + m.group(1));
        System.out.println("; Value=" + m.group(2));
    }

answered Mar 14, 2012 at 18:57

dule

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Comments

rapadura · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-14 18:43:49Z

2

Don't do it with regexp, use a real XML parser and extract the contents of the element erm elements, and use the regexp on that, or a simple string.split(":")

Like,

List<XMLElements> els = XMLParser.parse(yourXmlFile); 
then for each XMLElement is element in els element.split(":") and take [0] for key and [1] for value.

answered Mar 14, 2012 at 18:43

rapadura

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