Remove duplicate string from Array

Question

I have the following dynamically generated arrays:

,<div id="layer0" style="left: 470px; top: 286px;">Some Text</div>
,<div id="layer0" style="font-size: 68px; left: 70px; top: 286px; ">SomeText</div>
,<div id="layer1" style="font-size: 18px; left: 60px; top: 286px; ">SomeText</div>
,<div id="layer2" style="font-size: 18px; left: 50px; top: 286px; ">SomeText</div>

The first 2 entries are not exactly duplicates but have the same "id": layer0. The second one is different because it have a css font-size propriety.

How can I remove the first any from this array that have a duplicate "id" but may differ in the exact form.

The arrays are combined together trough:

var allcode = $.merge([oldarray],[newarray]) 

Where in oldarray are some duplicates I need to get rid of. Thank you.

Answer 1

I think you'd be ahead to more carefully combine the arrays, rather than mash them together and clean up later.

function matchId(htmlstring){
    var match = htmlstring.match( new RegExp(/id=\"([^\"]+)\"/i) ); 
    if (match && match[1]) {
        return match[1];
    }
    return '';
}

for (var j=0; j < oldarray.length; j++) {

    var exists = false;

    for (var k=0; k < newarray.length; k++) {

        var newId = matchId(newarray[k]);
        var oldId = matchId(oldarray[j]);

        if (newId == oldId) {
            // element already exists.
            exists=true;
            break;
        }
    }

    if (!exists) {
        newarray.push( oldarray[j] );
    }
}