CODEWITHSUNDEEP
stringtextf#
alex_z
alex_z

Reputation: 436

How to extract only words from a text file in F#?

I`m trying to extract only words from a text file that is very simple: 

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I have been using this function, but seems that it throws an Exception("No Overloads match for method Split"):

let wordSplit (text:string) = 
  text.Split([|' ','\n','\t',',','.','/','\\','|',':',';'|])
  |> Array.toList

Upvotes: 1

Views: 156

Answers (1)

rmunn
rmunn

Reputation: 36708

In F#, items in arrays or lists are separated by the ; (semicolon) character, not the , (comma). Your code is creating an array that contains one 10-item tuple. You should write the following if you want an array of ten items:

let wordSplit (text:string) = 
  text.Split([|' ';'\n';'\t';',';'.';'/';'\\';'|';':';';'|])
  |> Array.toList

If you also want to not get empty strings back as part of the split operation, then you want the version of String.Split that takes a StringSplitOptions parameter:

let wordSplit (text:string) = 
  text.Split([|' ';'\n';'\t';',';'.';'/';'\\';'|';':';';'|], StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)
  |> Array.toList

Note that StringSplitOptions is in the System namespace, so if you don't have an open System line at the top of your file, you'll need to add one.

Upvotes: 5

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