Compare Multiple Differences in Java Strings

Question

I have a string template that looks something like this:

This position is reserved for <XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX>. Start date is <XXXXXXXX>

Filled out, this might look like this (fixed width is preserved):

This position is reserved for <JOHN SMITH                 >. Start date is <20150228>

How can I extract multiple differences in a single String? I don't want to use an entire templating engine for one task if I can avoid it.

Why don't use substring() then? For you example s.substring(31, 58) will return JOHN SMITH and so on. — red1ynx
– red1ynx, Commented Jan 13, 2015 at 12:57

TheLostMind · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-13 12:53:44Z

10

You can try regex like this :

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    String s = "This position is reserved for <JOHN SMITH                 >. Start date is <20150228>";
    Pattern p = Pattern.compile(".*?<(.*?)>.*<(.*?)>");
    Matcher m = p.matcher(s);
    while(m.find()){
        System.out.println("Name : " +m.group(1).trim());
        System.out.println("Date : " +m.group(2).trim());
    }

}

O/P :

Name : JOHN SMITH
Date : 20150228

edited Jan 13, 2015 at 12:53

answered Jan 13, 2015 at 12:51

TheLostMind

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SubOptimal · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-13 13:26:01Z

1

If the template might be modified you could use a format pattern.

String expected = "This position is reserved for <JOHN SMITH                 >. Start date is <20150228>";
System.out.println(expected);
// define the output format
String template = "This position is reserved for <%-27s>. Start date is <%s>";
String name = "JOHN SMITH";
String startDate = "20150228";
// output the values using the defined format
System.out.println(String.format(template, name, startDate));

answered Jan 13, 2015 at 13:26

SubOptimal

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