Split string, create group 1 to n relationship, possiblities

Question

Split string, create group 1 to n relationship, possiblities

Markus Freitag 3,791

Hello,

I have an input of string and need to derive a list, dictionary from it. What is the best and easiest way to do this?

Maybe split or better RegEx?

/// Input
// objects="Object0-EAN13CODE^27730180^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730180^Object3-TEXT^AT1^" 

// Output
Object0 Type=RECEIVER Value=27730180
Object1 Type=TEXT Value=104612
Object2 Type=TEXT Value=27730180


Key         Value
Object0     type=EAN13CODE Value=27730180
Object1     type=TEXT Value=104612
Object2     type=TEXT Value=27730180
Object3     type=TEXT Value=AT1
         
Problem 
   Input is a loop, can be until 10 items.

1 -> objects="Object0-EAN13CODE^27730180^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730180^Object3-TEXT^AT1^" 
2 -> objects="Object0-EAN13CODE^27730181^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730181^Object3-TEXT^AT1^" 
3 -> objects="Object0-EAN13CODE^27730182^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730182^Object3-TEXT^AT1^" 

Maybe better

Group         Value
1           
   Key         Value
   object0     type=EAN13CODE Value=27730180
   object1     type=TEXT Value=104612
   object2     type=TEXT Value=27730180
   object3     type=TEXT Value=AT1
------------
2           
   Key         Value
   object0     type=EAN13CODE Value=27730181
   object1     type=TEXT Value=104612
   object2     type=TEXT Value=27730181
   object3     type=TEXT Value=AT1
----------
3           
   Key         Value
   object0     type=EAN13CODE Value=27730182
   object1     type=TEXT Value=104612
   object2     type=TEXT Value=27730182
   object3     type=TEXT Value=AT1

The goal is to create a new string.

   newValue = "27730180;27730181;27730182;104612;27730180;27730181;27730182;AT1";

The rule is to list all object0 elements one after the other, then object1, object2 if they are the same do not add. In the sample you can see 104612 und AT1 appears only once.

Accepted answer

0 additional answers

Your answer

Answer 1

gekka 11,856 MVP

string[] inputs ={
    "Object0-EAN13CODE^27730180^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730180^Object3-TEXT^AT1^",
    "Object0-EAN13CODE^27730181^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730181^Object3-TEXT^AT1^",
    "Object0-EAN13CODE^27730182^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730182^Object3-TEXT^AT1^",
};

Regex reg = new Regex(@"(?<=(^|\^))Object(?<NUM>\d+)-(?<KEY>.+?)\^(?<VALUE>.*?)\^");

var dictionaries = inputs.Select(input =>
        reg.Matches(input)
        .OfType<Match>()
        .ToDictionary(m => int.Parse(m.Groups["NUM"].Value), m => new { type = m.Groups["KEY"].Value, value = m.Groups["VALUE"].Value })
        ).ToArray();

if (dictionaries.Length == 0)
{
    return;
}
           
for (int i = 0; i < inputs.Length; i++)
{
    var dic = dictionaries[i];

    Console.WriteLine(i + 1);
    Console.WriteLine("\tKey\t\tValue");
    foreach (var kv in dic)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"\tobject{kv.Key}\t\ttpe={kv.Value.type} value={kv.Value.value}");
    }
    Console.WriteLine("------------");
}

int[] keys = dictionaries.SelectMany(dic => dic.Keys).Distinct().OrderBy(_ => _).ToArray();
int keymin = keys.First();

IEnumerable<string> ie 
    = dictionaries
    .Select(dic => dic[keymin].value)
    .Concat(keys.Skip(1)
            .SelectMany(key => dictionaries
                                .Where(dic => dic.ContainsKey(key))
                                .Select(dic => dic[key].value)
                                .Distinct()));

string result = string.Join(";", ie);
Console.WriteLine(result);

Markus Freitag 3,791 Reputation points

2024-03-02T15:33:41.4933333+00:00
Hello @gekka ,

It works as expected. Perfect. Thanks a lot!
However, I would like to understand it in case I need to change something.
Can you comment on anything else?
What does what exactly?

Current result is

"27730180;27730181;27730182;104612;27730180;27730181;27730182;AT1"

If I only need the EAN13CODE objects and the first Object1 text object. What and how would I have to change?

"27730180;27730181;27730182;104612"
gekka 11,856 Reputation points MVP

2024-03-03T02:42:02.14+00:00
If you know the object number in advance, just replace it with int[] keys = {0,1};.

//int[] keys = dictionaries.SelectMany(dic => dic.Keys).Distinct().OrderBy(_ => _).ToArray(); int[] keys = { 0, 1 };
Markus Freitag 3,791 Reputation points

2024-03-03T17:37:44.5433333+00:00
Hello, you are right!

Two more items. a)
How did you come up with the RegEx?
I would never have thought of it. Is there a procedure?
How do you go about it?

Regex reg = new Regex(@"(?<=(^|\^))Object(?<NUM>\d+)-(?<KEY>.+?)\^(?<VALUE>.*?)\^");

b)

^Object1-TEXT^104612^ ^Object1-TEXT^104612^ ^Object1-TEXT^104612^

Who makes sure that the Object1 only appears once in the result? This

.Concat(keys.Skip(1)

or

.Distinct()));

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/linq/standard-query-operators/set-operations

I assume Distinct is responsible. What does skip do then?

Thanks in advance for your explanations.

gekka 11,856 MVP

> a)

It is difficult to explain a regular expression in simple terms. The range to be clipped is indicated by a "^", so start with object and think to find the second "^".

> b),c)

You said rules

First object is list all values
Otherwise, exclude the same value

Skip ignores the specified number of elements.
In this case, only object0 is ignored.

IEnumerable<string> ie 
    = dictionaries
    .Select(dic => dic[keymin].value) // first object is list all values (object0)
    .Concat(keys.Skip(1) // Add all other cases (object1,object2,object3,object4...)
            .SelectMany(key => dictionaries
                                .Where(dic => dic.ContainsKey(key))
                                .Select(dic => dic[key].value)
                                .Distinct())); //  exclude the same value

Markus Freitag 3,791 Reputation points

2024-03-04T14:56:52.79+00:00
It becomes a little more understandable!

Thank you again! If I need them all, I thought I'd go with Any or All. Does not work. I'm sure you know.

IEnumerable<string> ie = dictionaries .Select(dic => dic[keymin].value) .Concat(keys.Any(

Question answered and clear! Distinct.
Jiale Xue - MSFT 49,831 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-03-07T13:02:36.27+00:00

Hi @Markus Freitag , Welcome to Microsoft Q&A,

Maybe you could rephrase the question and avoid asking a new question in depth.

Thanks for your understanding.

Markus Freitag 3,791

First, Thanks, works well. One more questions, hope I receive an answer.

 //          (?<=(^|\^))  what is it? Works too, without it.
 //          \d+ means match one or more digits.
 //          .+? form requires at least one character to match, while .*? can match none at all
 //          .*? matches any character (.) any number of times (*), as few times as possible to make the regex match (?).

As I said, I want to understand it, not easily. How do I proceed, how do I start?

Testtoo number 1

Testtool number 2 I know it's not easy for you to explain? With or without skip, the result is the same, why? Is there or do you know of a tool, a wizard that can create a RegEx?

Or I'll ask again the next time I have a problem, if I may.

1
	Key		Value
	object0		type=EAN13CODE value=27730180
	object1		type=TEXT value=104612
	object2		type=TEXT value=27730180
	object3		type=TEXT value=AT1
------------
2
	Key		Value
	object0		type=EAN13CODE value=27730181
	object1		type=TEXT value=104612
	object2		type=TEXT value=27730181
	object3		type=TEXT value=AT1
------------
3
	Key		Value
	object0		type=EAN13CODE value=27730182
	object1		type=TEXT value=104612
	object2		type=TEXT value=27730182
	object3		type=TEXT value=AT1
------------
4
	Key		Value
	object0		type=EAN13CODE value=27730183
	object1		type=TEXT value=104612
	object2		type=TEXT value=27730183
	object3		type=TEXT value=AT1
------------
result= 27730180;27730181;27730182;27730183;104612     result2= 27730180;27730181;27730182;27730183;104612


List<string> listStrings = new List<string>();
listStrings.Add("Object0-EAN13CODE^27730180^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730180^Object3-TEXT^AT1^");
listStrings.Add("Object0-EAN13CODE^27730181^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730181^Object3-TEXT^AT1^");
listStrings.Add("Object0-EAN13CODE^27730182^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730182^Object3-TEXT^AT1^");
listStrings.Add("Object0-EAN13CODE^27730183^Object1-TEXT^104612^Object2-TEXT^27730183^Object3-TEXT^AT1^");

Regex reg = new Regex(@"(?<=(^|\^))Object(?<NUM>\d+)-(?<KEY>.+?)\^(?<VALUE>.*?)\^");

 //         (?<=(^|\^))  what is it? Works too, without it.
 //          \d+ means match one or more digits.
 //          .+? form requires at least one character to match, while .*? can match none at all
 //          .*? matches any character (.) any number of times (*), as few times as possible to make the regex match (?).

//var dictionaries = inputs.Select(input =>
var dictionaries = listStrings.Select(input =>
		reg.Matches(input)
		.OfType<Match>()
		.ToDictionary(m => int.Parse(m.Groups["NUM"].Value), m => new { type = m.Groups["KEY"].Value, value = m.Groups["VALUE"].Value })
 // ).ToArray();
 ).ToList();

if (dictionaries.Count == 0)
{
	return;
}

//for (int i = 0; i < inputs.Length; i++)
for (int i = 0; i < listStrings.Count; i++)
{
	var dic = dictionaries[i];

	Console.WriteLine(i + 1);
	Console.WriteLine("\tKey\t\tValue");
	foreach (var kv in dic)
	{
		Console.WriteLine($"\tobject{kv.Key}\t\ttype={kv.Value.type} value={kv.Value.value}");
	}
	Console.WriteLine("------------");
}

//int[] keys = dictionaries.SelectMany(dic => dic.Keys).Distinct().OrderBy(_ => _).ToArray();
int[] keys = { 0, 1 };

int keymin = keys.First();

IEnumerable<string> ie
	= dictionaries
	.Select(dic => dic[keymin].value)
	.Concat(keys.Skip(1)
			.SelectMany(key => dictionaries
								.Where(dic => dic.ContainsKey(key))
								.Select(dic => dic[key].value)
								.Distinct()));

string result = string.Join(";", ie);

IEnumerable<string> ie2
   = dictionaries
   .Select(dic => dic[keymin].value)
   .Concat(keys.SelectMany(key => dictionaries
							   .Where(dic => dic.ContainsKey(key))
							   .Select(dic => dic[key].value)
							   .Distinct()));

string result2 = string.Join(";", ie);
Trace.WriteLine($"result= {result}     result2= {result2}");

Markus Freitag 3,791 Reputation points

2024-03-08T17:33:59.7166667+00:00

First, Thanks, works well and we can close the thread.

Share via

Split string, create group 1 to n relationship, possiblities

0 additional answers

Your answer