Create strings on the fly using VB.NET

Question

I'm trying to create a number of strings based on one long string that i'm passing.

Basically this is an example of my long string

StrMain = AL123456 - PR123456 - RD123456 - LO123456

So in this case I want to create 4 separate strings.

Str1 = AL123456
Str2 = PR123456
Str3 = RD123456
Str4 = LO123456

But there isn't always that many or there may be more so I need to count how many - there are and with that then create the amount strings needed.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Jamie

Answer 1

You could use the Split function:

Dim tokens As String() = "AL123456 - PR123456 - RD123456 - LO123456".Split("-"C)

or if you want to use a string as separator:

Dim tokens As String() = "AL123456 - PR123456 - RD123456 - LO123456".Split({" - "}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)

Answer 2

Let we have:

var input = "AL123456 - PR123456 - RD123456 - LO123456"

then

input.Split('-');

will return

{ "AL123456 ", " PR123456 ", " RD123456 ", " LO123456" }

i.e. with leading and trailing spaces.

So you need trim each:

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

IEnumerable<string> result = input.Split('-').Select(s => s.Trim());

(Select() requires .NET 3.5+)

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Or just split by " - ":

var result = input.Split(new string[] { " - " }, StringSplitOptions.None);

or using VB.NET syntax:

Dim result As String() = input.Split({ " - " }, StringSplitOptions.None)

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I guess VB.NET has next syntax for for-each:

For Each str As String In result
    Response.Write(str) ' or use str in other context '
End For

Answer 3

Use the split function

This is the use i recommend is below, you can adapt it by either:

• adding more separators (add strings to the separator array like this: New String() {" - ", " _ "} )
• removing empty entries (not necessary, but usually useful)

Dim MyString As String = "value1 - value2 - value3 -  - value4"
Dim results As String() = MyString.Split(New String() {" - "}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)
' you get an array with 4 entries containing each individual string

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