Javascript: Create an array out of a string

Question

I want to create an array out of a special string. The format is as follows:

(a),(b),(c(d,e)),(f(g(h,i,j)))

The array should be like this:

(a) | (b) | (c(d,e)) | (f(g(h,i,j)))

Using the split() function was not a good idea, as it gave me something like this:

(a) | (b) | (c(d | e)) | (f(g(h | i | j)))

Any ideas?

I think if you choose .split("),(") it should work. Were you using .split(",") before? — Warren R.
– Warren R., Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 8:48
How about splitting on ), and then concatenating back the ) on all elements but the last? — Sani Huttunen
– Sani Huttunen, Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 8:50
@MarouaGasmi Any chance the string will look like (a),(b),(c(d,e),(f,g)) (so even .split("),(") will fail)? Or do you think @WarrenR 's comment is helpful enough to be an answer? — Passerby
– Passerby, Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 8:58
You just have to go poking hole in everyone's work, huh? :) @Passerby — Warren R.
– Warren R., Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 9:01
@Passerby: We know only of one way the string can look like. So the answers are given in regards to that. We don't know any other ways the string might look like so why speculate? The rules aren't given, only the one example. So that's what we have to go with. — Sani Huttunen
– Sani Huttunen, Commented Jan 21, 2013 at 9:09

Yoshi · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-21 09:24:34Z

3

How about counting the number of open parenthesis? If the count is zero, you're safe to split.

var
  input = '(a),(b),(c(d,e)),(f(g(h,i,j)))',
  i = 0,
  lim = input.length,
  output = [],
  count = 0,
  stack = [],
  c;

for (; i < lim; i += 1) {
  c = input.charAt(i);

  switch (c) {
    case '(':
      count += 1;
      break;

    case ')':
      count -= 1;
      break;

    case ',':
      if (count === 0) {
        output.push(stack.join(''));
        stack = [];
        continue;
      }
      break;
  }

  stack.push(c);
}

if (stack.length > 0) {
  output.push(stack.join(''));
}

console.log(output); // ["(a)", "(b)", "(c(d,e))", "(f(g(h,i,j)))"]

http://jsbin.com/otofog/1/

or alternatively (if you're not targeting IE < 9):

function mySplit(input) {
  var count = 0, output = [], stack;

  stack = input.split('').reduce(function (stack, c) {
    switch (c) {
      case '(': count += 1; break;
      case ')': count -= 1; break;
      case ',':
        if (count === 0) {
          output.push(stack.join(''));
          return [];
        }
    }

    stack.push(c);
    return stack;
  }, []);

  if (stack.length > 0) {
    output.push(stack.join(''));
  }

  return output;
}

console.log( mySplit('(a),(b),(c(d,e)),(f(g(h,i,j)))') );

http://jsbin.com/ohasuc/1/

edited Jan 21, 2013 at 9:24

answered Jan 21, 2013 at 9:00

Yoshi

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1 Comment

MarGa Over a year ago

I just made some changes : var lim = input.length; var output = []; var count = 0; var stack = []; var c;

VisioN · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-21 10:01:34Z

3

Here is one possible short solution:

function strSplit(str, x) {
    return x = 0, str.replace(/./g, function(c, i, a) {
        return c === "(" ? (x++, c) :
               c === ")" && i < a.length - 1 && --x === 0 ? c + "|" : c;
    }).split("|,");
}

strSplit("(a),(b),(c(d,e)),(f(g(h,i,j),k(l,m),n))");
// >> ["(a)", "(b)", "(c(d,e))", "(f(g(h,i,j),k(l,m),n))"]

DEMO: http://jsfiddle.net/WRdAC/

To make the code more clear, here is the full-scale variant:

function strSplit(str) {
    var x = 0;
    return str.replace(/./g, function(c, i, a) {
        if (c === "(") {
            x++;
        } else if (c === ")" && i < a.length - 1 && --x === 0) {
            return c + "|";
        }
        return c;
    }).split("|,");
}

edited Jan 21, 2013 at 10:01

answered Jan 21, 2013 at 8:44

VisioN

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6 Comments

George Over a year ago

Is that replacing commas with pipes?

Warren R. Over a year ago

I think he was just using the pipe character to delimit array elements rather than actually adding them into the string. Or did I misunderstand something?

lc. Over a year ago

+1 Note it will not work if the OP has something like (a),(b),(c(d),(e))

lc. Over a year ago

@WarrenR. Yes I believe this is true; the OP could then split on "|" afterward though

Denys Séguret Over a year ago

+1 for a code I can read without scrolling even on my phone... Please add some parentheses to make it clearer, though...

|

Sani Huttunen · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-21 08:59:33Z

0

Something like this:

var s = "(a),(b),(c(d,e)),(f(g(h,i,j)))";
var a = s.split("),");
for (var i = 0; i < a.length - 1; i++)
  a[i] = a[i] + ")";

More complex structures might require this:

var s = "(a),(b),(c(d,e)),(f(g(h,i,j),k(l,m),n))";
var a = s.split("),(");
for (var i = 0; i < a.length - 1; i++)
  a[i] = a[i] + ")";
for (var i = 1; i < a.length; i++)
  a[i] = "(" + a[i];

edited Jan 21, 2013 at 8:59

answered Jan 21, 2013 at 8:53

Sani Huttunen

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2 Comments

Passerby Over a year ago

What if (a),(b),(c(d,e)),(f(g(h,i,j),k(l,m),n))?

Sani Huttunen Over a year ago

@Passerby: Then the split would have to be ),( and the concatenation would then be ) on all elements but the last and ( on all elements but the first.

THEtheChad · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-21 09:27:39Z

0

This function does exactly what you're looking for:

function parseStrToArr(str){
  var pairs = 0;
  var arr   = [];
  var chars = '';

  for(var i = 0, l = str.length; i < l; i++){
    var char = str[i];

    switch(char){
      case '(': pairs++; break;
      case ')': pairs--; break;
    }

    if(!pairs){
      if(chars){
        arr.push(chars + char);
        chars = '';
      }
    }
    else{
      chars += char;
    }
  }

  return arr;
}

The key is to match up pairs of parenthesis. This algorithm will work even if you remove the commas.

answered Jan 21, 2013 at 9:27

THEtheChad

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