Regex to get a list of strings within a pattern

Question

I have a load of strings like this:

.ls-resourceIcon .icon_xls_gif, .ls-resourceIcon .icon_xlt_gif, .ls-resourceIcon .icon_xlw_gif

I want to get the strings between icon_ and _gif into a comma separated list, so in this case "xls,xlt,xlw," (I can trim the trailing comma).

I have so far got this:

var regex = new RegExp("^.*icon_(.*)_gif.*$", "g");
var result = input.replace(regex, "$1,");

but that gives me

xlw,

as a result, not all the matches.

What am I missing? Is there an easier way to do this that I haven't noticed?

Bart Kiers · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-19 09:45:16Z

5

Your regex is greedy, so the leading .* will grab everything up until the final icon_xlw_gif. You need to make both sides non-greedy. This might work:

var regex = new RegExp("icon_([A-Za-z]*)_gif", "g");

Remove the leading and trailing .*

Also replaced the (.*) with I think also now wouldn't work the way you intended it.

edited Jan 19, 2011 at 9:45

Bart Kiers

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answered Jan 19, 2011 at 9:43

duncan

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2 Comments

Fiona - myaccessible.website Over a year ago

Ah I see. I'm getting the result ".ls-resourceIcon .xls,, .ls-resourceIcon .xlt,, .ls-resourceIcon .xlw," from your example though.

Fiona - myaccessible.website Over a year ago

Got it, var regex = new RegExp("\.ls-resourceIcon \.icon_([A-Za-z]*)_gif,?", "g");

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