How to convert HTML <table> to a 2D array

Question

Lets say I copy a complete HTML table (when each and every tr and td has extra attributes) into a String. How can I take all the contents (what is between the tags) and create an 2D array that is organized like the original table?

For example for this table:

<table border="1">
    <tr align= "center">
        <td align="char">TD1</td>
        <td>td1</td>
        <td align="char">TD1</td>
        <td>td1</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>TD2</td>
        <td>tD2</td>
        <td class="bold>Td2</td>
        <td>td2</td>
    </tr>
</table>

I want this array: array

PS: I know I can use regex but it would be extremely complicated. I want a tool like JSoup that can do all the work automatically without much code writing

If HTML is valid you can use SAX XML parser or HTMLCleaner htmlcleaner.sourceforge.net. And there are a lot of other libs that helps to parse html. Just check this list: java-source.net/open-source/html-parsers — Sergii Stotskyi
– Sergii Stotskyi, Commented Aug 15, 2012 at 10:41
You are actually asking for the algorithm that will parse your table string to data array? — Less
– Less, Commented Aug 15, 2012 at 10:41
I have just added that I want a simple tool like JSoup that does the work automatically without much code writing and analyzing — RE6
– RE6, Commented Aug 15, 2012 at 10:42

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:46:52Z

13

This is how it could be done using JSoup (srsly, don't use regexp for HTML).

Document doc = Jsoup.parse(html);
Elements tables = doc.select("table");
for (Element table : tables) {
    Elements trs = table.select("tr");
    String[][] trtd = new String[trs.size()][];
    for (int i = 0; i < trs.size(); i++) {
        Elements tds = trs.get(i).select("td");
        trtd[i] = new String[tds.size()];
        for (int j = 0; j < tds.size(); j++) {
            trtd[i][j] = tds.get(j).text(); 
        }
    }
    // trtd now contains the desired array for this table
}

Also, the class attribute value is not closed properly here in your example:

<td class="bold>Td2</td>

it should be

<td class="bold">Td2</td>

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:46

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Aug 15, 2012 at 11:25

Jens

17.1k4 gold badges59 silver badges52 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

GML-VS Over a year ago

if we have colspan and rowspan attributes in HTML table?

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:46:52Z

5

Maybe String.split('<whateverhtmltabletag>') can help you?

Also StringTokenizer class can be useful. Example:

String data = "one<br>two<br>three";  
StringTokenizer tokens = new StringTokenizer(data, "<br>");  
while (tokens.hasMoreElements()) {  
   System.out.println(tokens.nextElement());  // prints one, then two, then three
}

Also, using indexOf("<tag"), example here: http://forums.devshed.com/java-help-9/parse-html-table-into-2d-arrays-680614.html

You can also use an HTML parser (like jsoup) and then copy the contents from the table to an array. Here's an example in javascript: JavaScript to parse HTML table of numbers into an array

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:46

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Aug 15, 2012 at 10:48

NotGaeL

8,5555 gold badges46 silver badges72 bronze badges

Comments

trashgod · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-15 11:37:37Z

0

Nevermind, I saw this code in the internet: HtmlTableParser

It actually seems that now I have another problem, but it is not exactly related to this question, so I will open another one.

edited Aug 15, 2012 at 11:37

trashgod

206k33 gold badges264 silver badges1.1k bronze badges

answered Aug 15, 2012 at 10:57

RE6

2,7346 gold badges34 silver badges58 bronze badges

Comments

karoles · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-15 00:23:54Z

what i have so far, it is not the best one, but I hope it's helpful... simple with string

public void read_data() {
    try {
        file = new File("_result.xml");
        FileReader fileReader = new FileReader(file);
        BufferedReader bufferedReader = new BufferedReader(fileReader);
        String line = "";
        String output = "";
        int a = 0, b = 0;
        boolean _write = false;

        while ((line = bufferedReader.readLine()) != null) {
            if(line.trim().startsWith("<td")) { _write = true; } else { _write = false; }

            if(_write) {
                a = line.indexOf('>')+1;
                b = line.lastIndexOf('<');
                output += line.substring(a,b) + "|";
            }

            if(line.trim().equals("</tr>")) {
                System.out.println(output);
                output = "";
            }

        }
        fileReader.close();
    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }

JohnP2 · Accepted Answer · 2021-12-24 13:46:06Z

0

For my own needs, I found a way that javascript automatically converts a table into something like a 2D array. Consider the following code:

document.querySelector("#table").children[0].children[r].children[c].innerText

In the above, r = the row index and c = the column index. Data can be accessed just like a 2D array using the row and column indices, automatically.

Here is yet another way, similar to the 2D-array access, but with CSS selectors:

document.querySelector("tr:nth-child(5) td:nth-child(4)")

finding the 4th column in the 5th row

edited Dec 24, 2021 at 13:46

answered Dec 23, 2021 at 23:34

JohnP2

2,34523 silver badges20 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to convert HTML <table> to a 2D array

5 Answers 5

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

5 Answers 5

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related