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Escaping special characters in JavaScript

Answer 1

+4 A:

String.prototype.slugify = function(){
    return this.replace('ø','oe').replace('å','aa').replace(/\W/gi,'_').replace(/_+/g,'_');
}
var x = 'sdfkjshødfjsåkdhf#@$%#$Tdkfsdfxzhfjkasd23hj4rlsdf9';
x.slugify();

Add as many rules as you'd like following the .replace('search','replace') pattern. Make sure that you finish it with .replace(/\W/gi,'_').replace(/_+/,'_'), which converts . Also ensure you serve it up in UTF-8 to accommodate the special characters like ø.

An alternate version, suggested by Strager:

String.prototype.slugify = function(){
    var replacements = {
     'ø': 'oe',
     'å': 'aa'
    }
    var ret = this;
    for(key in replacements) ret = ret.replace(key, replacements[key]);
    return ret.replace(/\W/gi,'_').replace(/_+/g,'_');
}

This version is certainly more flexible and maintainable. I'd use this one, though I'm keeping the previous iteration for posterity. Great idea, Strager!

cpharmston 2009-09-06 22:42:01

Using an object may be more convenient if there are a lot of special replacements to be made.

strager 2009-09-06 23:29:35

Also, I think you may want to add the /g flag to the underscore-collapse regexp.

strager 2009-09-06 23:30:11

When creating new string manipulation functions, I prefer to extend the `String` object to preserve chainability, etc. Good catch on the /g flag, my mistake! Edited.

cpharmston 2009-09-06 23:33:52

By object I meant iterating through an object for replacements, like: `{ 'ø': 'oe', 'å': 'aa' }`

strager 2009-09-06 23:47:10

Ah, great call with the dictionary! Answer updated.

cpharmston 2009-09-07 00:03:22

nice, its help just only one problem. var replacements = { 'ø': 'oe', 'Ø': 'OE', 'å': 'aa', 'Å': 'AA', 'æ': 'ae', 'Æ': 'AE' } var ret = str; for(key in replacements) { ret = ret.replace(key, replacements[key]); } document.getElementById( id ).value = ret.replace(/\W/gi,'_').replace(/_+/g,'_');when i run it, whit this ( øøø ) its make oe_ its replace to oeoeoe and not oe_ :/ pls help here to.

NeoNmaN 2009-09-07 02:08:44

You need to use http://pastebin.com - it's almost impossible to read code with linebreaks stripped like this.

cpharmston 2009-09-07 02:16:00

The issue is `.replace` doesn't replace all occurances, just the first. Either rewrite as `.replace(new RegExp(key, 'g'), replacements[key])` or use a loop. (Latter requires more code but is safer.)

strager 2009-09-07 21:23:24

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Escaping special characters in JavaScript

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