CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaandroidregex
Tany
Tany

Reputation: 423

Doesn't work regular expression

I have string regex
"product_default_shipping_cost:\['(.*)'"

and string

"product_sale_price:['19.99'], product_default_shipping_cost:['1.99'], product_type:['Newegg']"

and i want get only 1.99. My code :

Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile(regex_string);
Matcher m = pattern.matcher(html);

while (m.find()) {
   for (int i = 1; i <= groupCount; i++) {
      Log.w(TAG,m.group(i));
   }
}

But i have got 1.99'], product_type:['Newegg'] Strange that it regular expression works perfectly in python and SWIFT but not java. I can not change this regular. What could be the issue and how to fix it?

P.S i really can't change this regular, it takes dynamic

Upvotes: 1

Views: 93

Answers (3)

Pedro Lobito
Pedro Lobito

Reputation: 98921

You're using a greedy regex .*, try using a non greedy, also know as lazy, by appending a ?, i.e.:

product_default_shipping_cost:\['(.*?)'\]

Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile("product_default_shipping_cost:\['(.*?)'\]");
Matcher m = pattern.matcher(html);

while (m.find()) {
   for (int i = 1; i <= groupCount; i++) {
      Log.w(TAG,m.group(i));
   }
}

DEMO

https://regex101.com/r/aF1hI6/1

Nice explanation about greedy and lazy regex

Upvotes: 1

Jiri Tousek
Jiri Tousek

Reputation: 12440

.* will match as many characters as possible (is "greedy").

You can either use non-gready .*?, or limit what can be matched: [^']*.

Upvotes: 2

d0nut
d0nut

Reputation: 2834

Try changing it to this:

product_default_shipping_cost:\['(.*?)'

.*? is lazy and will only try to match up to the first '

Upvotes: 2

Related Questions