"Dave" <dave@4_rem_ove_scotts.com> wrote in message
news:%23qLWbkCBFHA.3528@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>I think a way around this is to change the order of my pattern expressions
>so that the multiple character elements shown up first in the list ( ie
>["Br|Bk|Bi|Be|Ba|B"]). Not sure if this is the best way around the problem
>but it seems to work.
>
> Dave
>
> "Dave" <dave@4_rem_ove_scotts.com> wrote in message
> news:e0VAIgCBFHA.2552@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>>I was wondering if someone could help me with a regular expression
>>problem. I have a string of characters and numbers that will contain some
>>information about chemical formulas. I need to parse out of the string
>>what elements it contains and which numbers are associated with those
>>elements. The problem I'm having is that some elements contain 2
>>characters and some just one. For example, the elements Br and B. I had
>>originally set up a search pattern for the Regex object to have a complete
>>list of the periodic table "[B|Br| etc.]" and was going to use matches
>>method to get a collection of all elements matched in the string.
>>
>> dim myRegex as regularexpressions.regex("[B|Br| the rest of periodic
>> table here ]", regexoptions.ignorecase)
>> dim matchesMade as regularexpressions.matchescollection
>> matchesMade = myregex.Matches(aString)
>> for each matchMade as regularexpressions.match in matchesMade
>> ' do stuff to the match here
>> next
>>
>> The problem is the logic above would get a match on B even if the formula
>> really contain Br and I need to distinguish between the two.
>>
>> Any suggestions on how I do this would be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Dave
>>
>>
>
>

"Dave" <dave@4_rem_ove_scotts.com> wrote in message
news:e0VAIgCBFHA.2552@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>I was wondering if someone could help me with a regular expression problem.
>I have a string of characters and numbers that will contain some
>information about chemical formulas. I need to parse out of the string what
>elements it contains and which numbers are associated with those elements.
>The problem I'm having is that some elements contain 2 characters and some
>just one. For example, the elements Br and B. I had originally set up a
>search pattern for the Regex object to have a complete list of the periodic
>table "[B|Br| etc.]" and was going to use matches method to get a
>collection of all elements matched in the string.
>
> dim myRegex as regularexpressions.regex("[B|Br| the rest of periodic table
> here ]", regexoptions.ignorecase)
> dim matchesMade as regularexpressions.matchescollection
> matchesMade = myregex.Matches(aString)
> for each matchMade as regularexpressions.match in matchesMade
> ' do stuff to the match here
> next
>
> The problem is the logic above would get a match on B even if the formula
> really contain Br and I need to distinguish between the two.
>
> Any suggestions on how I do this would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Dave
>
>

"Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]" <Jay_Harlow_MVP@msn.com> wrote in message
news:ekHsE9CBFHA.4028@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Dave,
> That might be the "best way", at least its the "easist way" as | the
> alternation operator states "Matches any one of the terms... The leftmost
> successful match wins"
>
> Seeing as its going to find the first one (left most) it will do what you
> need...
>
> Hope this helps
> Jay
>
> "Dave" <dave@4_rem_ove_scotts.com> wrote in message
> news:%23qLWbkCBFHA.3528@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>I think a way around this is to change the order of my pattern expressions
>>so that the multiple character elements shown up first in the list ( ie
>>["Br|Bk|Bi|Be|Ba|B"]). Not sure if this is the best way around the problem
>>but it seems to work.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> "Dave" <dave@4_rem_ove_scotts.com> wrote in message
>> news:e0VAIgCBFHA.2552@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>>>I was wondering if someone could help me with a regular expression
>>>problem. I have a string of characters and numbers that will contain some
>>>information about chemical formulas. I need to parse out of the string
>>>what elements it contains and which numbers are associated with those
>>>elements. The problem I'm having is that some elements contain 2
>>>characters and some just one. For example, the elements Br and B. I had
>>>originally set up a search pattern for the Regex object to have a
>>>complete list of the periodic table "[B|Br| etc.]" and was going to use
>>>matches method to get a collection of all elements matched in the string.
>>>
>>> dim myRegex as regularexpressions.regex("[B|Br| the rest of periodic
>>> table here ]", regexoptions.ignorecase)
>>> dim matchesMade as regularexpressions.matchescollection
>>> matchesMade = myregex.Matches(aString)
>>> for each matchMade as regularexpressions.match in matchesMade
>>> ' do stuff to the match here
>>> next
>>>
>>> The problem is the logic above would get a match on B even if the
>>> formula really contain Br and I need to distinguish between the two.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions on how I do this would be appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Dave
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>