Powershell replace only exact match string

Question

I want to replace the exact word using replace but I can't seem to figure out.

$value1 = "I brought tea for my team"

$newValue = "coffee"
$token = "tea"

$value1 -replace $token, $newValue

Actual Result:

I brought coffee for my coffeem

Expected result:

I brought coffee for my team

Fix:

$value1 = "I brought tea for my team"

$newValue = "coffee"
$token = "tea"

$value1 -replace "\b$token\b", $newValue

does the search string always appear in the middle of the string, separated by spaces? (e.g. not I brought tea, tea was what I brought, I brought "tea" for my team) — mclayton
– mclayton, Commented Sep 9, 2019 at 19:18

HAL9256 · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-09 19:31:37Z

6

@Theo is correct. You can use regular expressions and the Word Boundary \b to wrap your search term to only match whole words.

$value1 = "I brought tea for my team"

$newValue = "coffee"
$token = "tea"

$value1 -replace "\b$token\b", $newValue

answered Sep 9, 2019 at 19:31

HAL9256

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4 Comments

user557597 Over a year ago

I don't get it, why use variables at all, why not just use $value1 -replace "\btea\b", "coffee" ? By mixing constructs with variables \b$token\b you pretend to know what a $token is...

AdminOfThings Over a year ago

@sln, $token is defined in the original post. The question is also tagged PowerShell. It makes sense to anyone who knows PowerShell. The original post was also using variables for matching and replacement. Why not have the answer follow the original idea? It shows the flexibility of the language.

user557597 Over a year ago

@AdminOfThings - What ? Language flexibility ? if $value1 = "I brought -'tea' for my team" and if $newValue = "coffee" and $token = "-'tea'" or even $token = "tea" won't match. I thought it was a regex question ?

João Ciocca Over a year ago

"I want to replace the exact word using replace" + "Expected result" should answer your question, @sin =)

João Ciocca · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-09 19:31:30Z

2

Just like Theo mentioned on the comments...

λ  $value1 = "I brought tea for my team"
λ  $newValue = "coffee"
λ  $token = "tea"
λ  $value1 -replace $token, $newValue
I brought coffee for my coffeem

λ  $value1 -replace "\b$token\b", $newValue
I brought coffee for my team

You need to set boundaries. Even if you're not a city.

answered Sep 9, 2019 at 19:31

João Ciocca

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Comments

Danilo Körber · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-09 19:08:11Z

0

You can use the following:

$token = " tea "
$newValue = " coffee "

answered Sep 9, 2019 at 19:08

Danilo Körber

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1 Comment

João Ciocca Over a year ago

You can, but you'd be altering the variables values, instead of using replace to solve the problem, which seems to be the point here

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