How can I split a String into an Array then return a given element?

Question

I have a string like this: "Name foo Modified bar"

I want to split this string and then return only "foo". I have looked into splitting strings and found this:

String nameString = "Name foo Modified bar";
System.out.println(
    java.util.Arrays.toString(
    nameString.split(" ")
));

Output:

[Name, foo, Modified, bar]

I would like to be able to get "foo" on it's own, as a local variable. Something like this:

String name = output.get(1);

This would work if output was an ArrayList that namestring was split into.

How should I approach getting this result? Should I use the string splitting method I have found or something else? Is there a way to split a string into an arraylist?

Thanks.

is what you want always going to be the 2nd element? Or always going to be "foo"? — Snake
– Snake, Commented Jul 19, 2012 at 15:51
@Sean Kelly - array indexing is "Java 101" stuff. I recommend that you take the time to do the Java tutorial, or read an introduction to Java programming book. — Stephen C
– Stephen C, Commented Jul 19, 2012 at 16:02
@StephenC Whilst true, I was getting confused with where the output was going to rather than the index. As demonstrated by the fact that I had code which would retrieve a given index from an ArrayList. — user1486147
– user1486147, Commented Jul 23, 2012 at 15:16

Chris Dargis · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-20 16:54:27Z

5

In one line:

String name = nameString.split(" ")[1];

In two:

String []tokens = nameString.split(" ");
String name = tokens[1];

To create an ArrayList:

ArrayList<String> tokenList = new ArrayList<String>(Arrays.asList(tokens));

edited Jul 20, 2012 at 16:54

answered Jul 19, 2012 at 15:50

Chris Dargis

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ᴇʟᴇvᴀтᴇ · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-19 15:54:21Z

2

Easiest thing is to grab the element from the array using square bracket notation:

String nameString = "Name foo Modified bar";
String name = nameString.split(" ")[1];

Or, if you particularly want it as a collection:

List<String> nameList = Arrays.asList(nameString.split(" "));
String name = nameList.get(1);

answered Jul 19, 2012 at 15:54

ᴇʟᴇvᴀтᴇ

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Comments

Brian Agnew · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-19 15:51:12Z

1

String.split() returns an array.

So

String[] elems = nameString.split(" ");
String result = elems[1];

See the Arrays tutorial for more info.

answered Jul 19, 2012 at 15:51

Brian Agnew

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1 Comment

user1486147 Over a year ago

Thanks but I think Doug Ramsey's answer is more concise.

triclosan · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-19 15:51:44Z

0

if you want ArrayList -

new ArrayList<String>( Arrays.asList(nameString.split(" ") ) )

answered Jul 19, 2012 at 15:51

triclosan

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Comments

Akhi · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-19 16:13:52Z

0

Is there a way to split a string into an arraylist? Yes:

String toFindString="foo";
String nameString = "Name foo Modified bar";
List<String> nameStringList = Arrays.asList(nameString.split(" "));

To find any string from the list.

for (String string : nameStringList) {
        if(string.equals(toFindString)){
                return string;
        }
    }

edited Jul 19, 2012 at 16:13

answered Jul 19, 2012 at 15:52

Akhi

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1 Comment

Simon Nickerson Over a year ago

I don't think Arrays.asList() has to return an ArrayList (though it probably does). Can't you just keep it as a List<String> and lose the cast?

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