splitting a string using regex

I am trying to split a string in pharo using a regular expression.

A simple example that works:
myString := 'one\n\ntwo\n\n'.
myString splitOn: '\n\n'.

A simple example that does not work:
myString := 'one\n\ntwo\n\n'.
re := '\n\n' asRegex.
myString splitOn: re.

The result of the above is I get the regular old string back
('one\n\ntwo\n\n'). I went through the source code and it should be able
to handle a regex object:
 > "splitter - can be a subsequence, a Block or a Regex (String receiver
 > only). Any other object used as a splitter is treated as an Array
 > containing that object."

I am baffled as to why it's not working. is there something simple I am
missing?

- Steve

I am answering my own question because I found the solution for it.

This is the code that didn't work:
 > myString := 'one\n\ntwo\n\n'.
 > re := '\n\n' asRegex.
 > myString splitOn: re.

The reason it didn't work was because you apparently have to escape the
newlines pattern in the regex line. So the correct (working) example is
here:
 > myString := 'one\n\ntwo\n\n'.
 > re := '\\n\\n' asRegex.
 > myString splitOn: re.

I am putting this on here just in case someone else runs into the same
problem.

- Steve



On 01/14/2019 09:06 AM, Steve Quezadas wrote:

Hi Steve

If you use \n then that is trying to match a non-printable character i.e. linefeed. The \\n will match the text '\n'.

Example matching linefeed:

> myString := 'one{1}{1}two{1}{1}' format: {String lf}.
> re := '\n' asRegex.
> myString splitOn: re.

Answers a collection of 5 elements.

Regards
Carlo

On 15 Jan 2019, at 06:25, Steve Quezadas <[hidden email]> wrote:

I am answering my own question because I found the solution for it.

This is the code that didn't work:
> myString := 'one\n\ntwo\n\n'.
> re := '\n\n' asRegex.
> myString splitOn: re.

The reason it didn't work was because you apparently have to escape the newlines pattern in the regex line. So the correct (working) example is here:
> myString := 'one\n\ntwo\n\n'.
> re := '\\n\\n' asRegex.
> myString splitOn: re.

I am putting this on here just in case someone else runs into the same problem.

- Steve



On 01/14/2019 09:06 AM, Steve Quezadas wrote: