PHP's preg_split question

Question

I want to split text by the letter-followed-by-period rule. So I do this:

$text = 'One two. Three test. And yet another one';
$splitted_text = preg_split("/\w\./", $text);
print_r($splitted_text);

Then I get this:

Array ( [0] => One tw [1] => Three tes [2] => And yet another one )

But I do need it to be like this:

Array ( [0] => One two [1] => Three test [2] => And yet another one )

How to settle the matter?

Answer 1

use explode statement

$text = 'One two. Three test. And yet another one';
$splitted_text = explode(".", $text);
print_r($splitted_text);

Update

$splitted_text = explode(". ", $text);

using ". " the explode statement check also the space.

You can use any kind of delimiters also a phrase non only a single char

Answer 2

Using regex is an overkill here, you can use explode easily. Since a explode based answer is already give, I'll give a regex based answer:

$splitted_text = preg_split("/\.\s*/", $text);

Regex used: \.\s*

• \. - A dot is a meta char. To match a literal match we escape it.
• \s* - zero or more white space.

If you use the regex: \.

You'll have some leading spaces in some of the pieces created.

Answer 3

Its splitting on the letter and the period. If you want to test to make sure that there is a letter preceding the period, you need to use a positive look behind assertion.

$text = 'One two. Three test. And yet another one';
$splitted_text = preg_split("/(?<=\w)\./", $text);
print_r($splitted_text);

Answer 4

thetaiko won. thetaiko's answer is what i was looking for. thought how would i save dots, too? (Cookie are turned off, thus, sorry.)