CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptbackslashslash
Junior Mayhe
Junior Mayhe

Reputation: 16401

Converting backslashes into forward slashes using javascript does not work properly?

I have a javascript variable comming from legacy system with backslashes into forward slashes:

'/46\465531_Thumbnail.jpg'

and I am trying to convert into this:

'/46/465531_Thumbnail.jpg'.

There is no way to fix the problem on the legacy system.

Here is the command I am running on IE8 browser:

javascript:alert("/46\465531_Thumbnail.jpg".replace(/\\/g,"/"));

as response I get:

---------------------------
Message from webpage
---------------------------
/46&5531_Thumbnail.jpg
---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

actually I just want to be translated as '/46/465531_Thumbnail.jpg'

What is wrong?

Upvotes: 15

Views: 25369

Answers (4)

RHSeeger
RHSeeger

Reputation: 16262

The replacement part isn't the problem, it's the string itself. Your string:

"/46\465531_Thumbnail.jpg"

isn't /46\465531. Rather, the backslash is acting as an escape character. You need to change it to:

javascript:alert("/46\\465531_Thumbnail.jpg".replace(/\\/g,"/"));

ie, escapeing the backslash with a backslash.

Upvotes: 1

Jon
Jon

Reputation: 437336

Nothing wrong with the replace. The input is wrong.

javascript:alert("/46\\465531_Thumbnail.jpg".replace(/\\/g,"/"));
                     ^
                     \----------------  need to escape this!

Upvotes: 0

mellamokb
mellamokb

Reputation: 56769

It is actually interpreting \46 as an escape-code sequence for the character &. If you are going to hard-code the string, you need to escape the \:

alert("/46\\465531_Thumbnail.jpg".replace(/\\/g,"/"));
          ^^ change \ to \\

Sample: http://jsfiddle.net/6QWE9/

Upvotes: 4

Pointy
Pointy

Reputation: 413712

You need to double the backslash in your string constant:

alert("/46\\465531_Thumbnail.jpg".replace(/\\/g,"/"));

If your legacy system is actually creating JavaScript string constants on your pages with embedded, un-quoted (that is, not doubled) backslashes like that, then it's broken and you'll have problems. However, if you're getting the strings via some sort of ajax call in XML or JSON or whatever, then your code looks OK.

Upvotes: 33

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