CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaregexbackreference
Dilshan G
Dilshan G

Reputation: 33

Storing backreferences from regex expression for later use

If I have, 

String str = "11"; 
Pattern p = Pattern.compile("(\\d)\\1"); 
Matcher m = p.matcher(str);

How do I store use the result of \1 later? For example I want to do, 

String str = "123123"; 
Pattern p = Pattern.compile("(\\d)\\1"); 
Matcher m = p.matcher(str);
String dependantString = //make this whatever was in group 1 of the pattern.

Is that possible?

Upvotes: 3

Views: 61

Answers (1)

anubhava
anubhava

Reputation: 785156

You need to first call Matcher#find and then Matcher#group(1) like this:

String str = "123123"; 
Pattern p = Pattern.compile("(\\d+)\\1"); 
Matcher m = p.matcher(str);
if (m.find())
    System.out.println( m.group(1) ); // 123

PS: Your regex also needed some correction to use \\d+ instead of \\d.

Upvotes: 2

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