Is it possible in javascript regex, to match string inside the string matched by my capture group?

Question

I have following string dfed operator 11 - 145. I am trying to match string operator 11 and inside this matched string, i am trying to match string 11. Currently I successfully matched operator 11 with regex ((O|o)perator(i|I)?\s*)\d+(?=\s*(-|_)\s*\d+). As I am in javascript, I can not use lookbehinds.

Is my approach correct? Is there any way to accomplish this in regex? How can i match string 11 inside previously matched string operator 11?

Thank you

If you use `s.match(/.../g)`, see [How do you access the matched groups in a JavaScript regular expression?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/432493/how-do-you-access-the-matched-groups-in-a-javascript-regular-expression) — Wiktor Stribiżew, Nov 20 '18 at 08:18
@CertainPerformance could you provide demo of what you mean? Thank you — Tornike Shavishvili, Nov 20 '18 at 08:30
@PoulBak If OP uses `match` with `g`, OP won't have the access to captured values. Thus, OP must learn how to do it, hence the link is provided. — Wiktor Stribiżew, Nov 20 '18 at 08:31
Just replace the first `\d+` with `(\d+)`. eg `((O|o)perator(i|I)?\s*)(\d+)(?=\s*(-|_)\s*\d+)` — CertainPerformance, Nov 20 '18 at 08:34
@CertainPerformance Please see your example: https://regex101.com/r/xBUaFn/1 It matches whole `operator 11`. I want to match `11` inside `operator 11`. Is it possible to accomplish this via regex? — Tornike Shavishvili, Nov 20 '18 at 08:40
No, look at "Group 4". Group 4 is *exactly* `11` and nothing else, isn't that what you want? — CertainPerformance, Nov 20 '18 at 08:42
@CertainPerformance I am confused. How do i "look" at capture group 4 `\d+)`? — Tornike Shavishvili, Nov 20 '18 at 09:01
@TornikeShavishvili See https://stackoverflow.com/questions/432493/how-do-you-access-the-matched-groups-in-a-javascript-regular-expression — Ivar, Nov 20 '18 at 09:03

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 20 '18 at 08:14

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You could use (mind the case insensitive flag in the demo):

operator\D+(\d+)

See a demo on regex101.com.

answered Nov 20 '18 at 08:14

Jan

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Yosvel Quintero Arguelles · Accepted Answer · 2018-11-20T09:21:40.083

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You can modify your regex by creating a group for the first number in the matched string:

const str = 'dfed  operator  11 -  145';
const regex = /([O|o]perator)[i|I]?\s*(\d+)*[?=\s*(-|_)\s*\d+]/;
const found = str.match(regex);

console.log(found);
console.log(found[1]); // <-- group for string
console.log(found[2]); // <-- group for number

edited Nov 20 '18 at 09:21

answered Nov 20 '18 at 08:19

Yosvel Quintero Arguelles

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Thank you. Is there any way to accomplish this with regex? not to use mach twice? – Tornike Shavishvili Nov 20 '18 at 08:21
How would you get the same result with one call of `match`? – Tornike Shavishvili Nov 20 '18 at 08:26
Check the updated answer.. And just for you to know i have not downvoted your question – Yosvel Quintero Arguelles Nov 20 '18 at 08:35
Updated answer using `match` only one time – Yosvel Quintero Arguelles Nov 20 '18 at 08:46
1

Thank you for your response. I have upvoted your answer. Is there any way to mach string inside the substring matched by certain capturing group? Would this be correct approach? – Tornike Shavishvili Nov 20 '18 at 09:12
Edited answer according to this last comment to get the `string` and the `number` by adding the respective groups.. – Yosvel Quintero Arguelles Nov 20 '18 at 09:22

Is it possible in javascript regex, to match string inside the string matched by my capture group?

2 Answers2