javascript .replace() method not working properly

Question

I am trying to use the replace statement in javascript so that ultimately, i can create an array out of some data that is currently passed in a string.

I have the following javascript:

        console.log('data from server:' + server_rule_segements);
        //remove trailing ~
        server_rule_segements = server_rule_segements.substring(0,server_rule_segements.length-2); // stripping off trailing ~,
        console.log("1 - " + server_rule_segements); 
        server_rule_segements = server_rule_segements.replace("~,,", "~");
        console.log("2 - " + server_rule_segements);

Here's the results in the console:

data from server:Home Number,1234,1,no~,,Work Number,12342342,1,no~,,Work Number,12344412341234,1,no~, 
1 - Home Number,1234,1,no~,,Work Number,12342342,1,no~,,Work Number,12344412341234,1,no 
2 - Home Number,1234,1,no~Work Number,12342342,1,no~,,Work Number,12344412341234,1,no

What I'm wondering is why the replace command didn't replace all the instances of "~,,". As you can see in the 2nd debug statement, there's still one there.. in what I'm calling "record 2". I'm sure it's something simple that I've missed... but I can't see it right now.

As I test, I changed the code so that I call the replace method twice, like so:

server_rule_segements = server_rule_segements.replace("~,,", "~");
server_rule_segements = server_rule_segements.replace("~,,", "~");

and then it works. But I don't think I should have to do that.

Could be that the ~ or the commas are special characters. Try replace("\~\,\,","\~") and see if that works. — user1637579
– user1637579, Commented Oct 2, 2013 at 19:51
replace only replaces all occurrences if the first argument is a regexp with the g modifier. If it's a string, it just does one replacement. — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Oct 2, 2013 at 19:53

Kemal Dağ · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-02 19:53:37Z

1

replace method only replaces first instance, if you want all instances to be replaced use regular expressions. It would be easy because replace method also accepts regular expressions:

server_rule_segements = server_rule_segements.replace(/~,,/g, "~");

would do the trick. Notice the "g" flag means global replace. If you do not want to use regular expressions, use split immediately followed by a join,

server_rule_segements = server_rule_segements.split("~,,").join("~");

answered Oct 2, 2013 at 19:53

Kemal Dağ

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Simon Fischer · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-02 19:53:15Z

1

String.replace only replaces the first occurance by default. You need to change server_rule_segements.replace("~,,", "~"); to server_rule_segements.replace(/~,,/g, "~");

answered Oct 2, 2013 at 19:53

Simon Fischer

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Gaurav Singla · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-02 19:53:07Z

0

change this:

server_rule_segements.replace("~,,", "~")

to

var re = new RegExp("~,,", 'g');
server_rule_segements.replace(re,"~")


Note i didn't run this code

answered Oct 2, 2013 at 19:53

Gaurav Singla

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