Get substring from string date using regex

Question

I have this string "Date.2014.07.04"

Then if I want to get "07" from string above using regex.

How do I do that?

I don't want to use split.

Why I don't want to use split? Because when we split, the result will be in array of string. And usually we'll try to get the index of array that we want. In my case it will be

var date = "Date.2014.07.04";
date.Split('.')[2];

But let say we update the date to new string (Remove all '.').

var date = "Date20140704";
date.Split('.')[2];

This will throw an error because it can't find index number 2.

By using regex, this error won't occur and it will just return empty string if the pattern that we want can't be found inside string. :)

I'm with @Jerry Regex isn't the easiest thing in the word to deal with and if it's always going to be this format, then you can do String.split('.')[2] (Sorry if syntax isn't perfect on that) — Dan Drews
– Dan Drews, Commented Apr 7, 2014 at 4:53
fwiw, the best way to do this is to use one of date.parse family of functions and then take the Month property. — Joel Coehoorn
– Joel Coehoorn, Commented Apr 7, 2014 at 4:53

Adil · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-07 05:02:28Z

6

You better parse the date and then get the desired part using DateTime.ParseExact but you have to remove Date. from the date string first.

DateTime dt = DateTime.ParseExact(strDate.Replace("Date.",""), "yyyy.MM.dd", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
int month = dt.Month;

You can also use string.Split

string month =  strDate.Split('.')[2];

edited Apr 7, 2014 at 5:02

answered Apr 7, 2014 at 4:52

Adil

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1 Comment

Dan Drews Over a year ago

That's pretty neat that you can define a term ('Date') that the ParseExact method will expect, I didn't know that

Amit Joki · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-07 04:59:29Z

1

Just do this:

"Date.2014.07.04".Split('.')[2];

Since you are insisting on Regex, do this:

var value = Regex.Match("Date.2014.07.04",@"(?<=\w{4}\.\d{4}\.)\d+").Value

edited Apr 7, 2014 at 4:59

answered Apr 7, 2014 at 4:53

Amit Joki

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4 Comments

Amit Joki Over a year ago

Glad to have helped you ;)

muhihsan Over a year ago

I put the reason why I don't want to use split :)

Amit Joki Over a year ago

@IhsanMuhammad, well, in that case my regex wont work

muhihsan Over a year ago

Yes, I will know that this doesn't work when it returns empty string. Instead of throwing an error while we use split. Btw thanks again.

NeverHopeless · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-07 05:03:13Z

0

It is a good advvice to use a datetime function like ParseExact or TryParse or TryParseExact etc since it will validate each part as well. But if you really need regex, have a look at this one, it will validate month part as well:

(0?[1-9]|1[0-2])\.\d{2}$

Demo

answered Apr 7, 2014 at 5:03

NeverHopeless

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