Convert a string that looks like an array into an actual array

Question

If I have str = "[[1,Warriors,NBA],[2,Kings,NBA],[3,Knicks,NBA]]" how could I turn that into a array in JavaScript?

An array where each element of the array is an array itself.

Possible?

Why not just create an array to begin with, or at least valid JSON — adeneo
– adeneo, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 1:35
If this is the content format you're stuck with, then you will have to write your own parser that understands that format. There is no pre-built way to parse this non-standard format. — jfriend00
– jfriend00, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 1:38
What is source of this string? Making it valid json at source would help — charlietfl
– charlietfl, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 1:38
I think I will explore making it into valid JSON and going from there... thx. Though I am curious if the above can be turned into an actual array. — slindsey3000
– slindsey3000, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 1:40

A.J. Uppal · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-21 01:50:43Z

2

You can try this rudimentary function I put together for 2D arrays:

function customParse(data){
    arr = []
    for(var i = 0; i < str.length; i++){
      if(str[i] == ','){
        if(!isNaN(str[i-1])){
          arr.push(',')
          arr.push('"')
        }else{
          if(str[i-1] != "]"){
            arr.push('"')
            arr.push(',')
            arr.push('"')
          }else{
            arr.push(',')
          }
        }
      }else{
        if(str[i] == ']' && str[i-1] != ']'){
          arr.push('"')
        }
        arr.push(str[i])
      }
    }
    return JSON.parse(arr.join(""))
}

str = "[[1,Warriors,NBA],[2,Kings,NBA],[3,Knicks,NBA]]"
result = customParse(str)
alert("Raw: "+result);
alert("Stringified: "+JSON.stringify(result));

answered Mar 21, 2016 at 1:50

A.J. Uppal

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Comments

zachzurn · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-21 02:01:49Z

2

A little dirty, but will do the trick. the "matches" variable would contain your array of arrays.

var str = "[[1,Warriors,NBA],[2,Kings,NBA],[3,Knicks,NBA]]";
var cleanStr = str.substring(1,str.length-1)

var matches = [];

var pattern = /\[(.*?)\]/g;
var match;

while ((match = pattern.exec(cleanStr)) != null)
{
  matches.push(match[1].split(","));
}

Additionally, if you have the option, just define the array in javascript.

var list = [[1,'Warriors','NBA'],['2','Kings','NBA'],[3,'Knicks','NBA']];

edited Mar 21, 2016 at 2:01

answered Mar 21, 2016 at 1:50

zachzurn

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Comments

v7d8dpo4 · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-21 01:41:46Z

0

There are some javascript parsers written in javascript. See this:JavaScript parser in JavaScript, this:https://github.com/mishoo/UglifyJS, this:http://esprima.org/, this:http://marijnhaverbeke.nl/acorn/.

answered Mar 21, 2016 at 1:41

v7d8dpo4

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1 Comment

RobG Over a year ago

This isn't an answer, it should be a comment.

Md Istiak Morsalin · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-21 01:53:07Z

0

var array = JSON.parse("[" + str + "]");

or you can use .split(), that will also end up with an Array of strings.

answered Mar 21, 2016 at 1:53

Md Istiak Morsalin

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