Hi Ista, Thanks for the suggestion. I didn't know mapply can be used this way! Let me take one more step. Instead of defining a pattern for each string, I would like to define a set of patterns from all the possible combination of the unique values of those variables. Then I need each string to find a pattern for itself. I know this is getting a little stretching. Thanks for all the suggestion/comments from everyone.
Jun On Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 9:44 PM, Ista Zahn <istaz...@gmail.com> wrote: > If you want to mach each element of 'strings' to a different regex, do > it. Here are three ways, using your original example. > > pattern1 <- "([^.]*)\\.([^.]*\\.[^.]*)\\.(.*)" > pattern2 <- "([^.]*)\\.([^.]*)\\.(.*)" > > patterns <- c(pattern1,pattern2) > strings <- c('TX.WT.CUT.mean','mg.tx.cv') > > for(i in seq(strings)) print(sub(patterns[i], "\\2", strings[i])) > > mapply(sub, pattern = patterns, x = strings, MoreArgs=list(replacement = > "\\2")) > > library(stringi) > stri_replace_all_regex(strings, patterns, "$2") > > Best, > Ista > On Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 9:20 PM, Jun Shen <jun.shen...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hi Jeff, > > > > Thanks for the reply. I tried your suggestion and it doesn't seem to work > > and I tried a simple pattern as follows and it works as expected > > > > sub("(3\\.mg\\.kg)\\.(>50-70\\.kg)\\.(.*)", '\\1', "3.mg.kg > .>50-70.kg.P05") > > [1] "3.mg.kg" > > > > sub("(3\\.mg\\.kg)\\.(>50-70\\.kg)\\.(.*)", '\\2', "3.mg.kg > .>50-70.kg.P05") > > [1] ">50-70.kg" > > > > sub("(3\\.mg\\.kg)\\.(>50-70\\.kg)\\.(.*)", '\\3', "3.mg.kg > .>50-70.kg.P05") > > [1] "P05" > > > > My problem is the pattern has to be dynamically constructed on the input > > data of the function I am writing. It's actually not too difficult to > > assemble the final.pattern with some code like the following > > > > sort.var <- c('TX','WTCUT') > > combn.sort.var <- do.call(expand.grid, lapply(sort.var, > > function(x)paste('(',gsub('\\.','\\\\.',unlist(unique(all. > exposure[x]))), > > ')', sep=''))) > > all.patterns <- do.call(paste, c(combn.sort.var, '(.*)', sep='\\.')) > > final.pattern <- paste0(all.patterns, collapse='|') > > > > You cannot run the code directly since the data object "all.exposure" is > > not provided here. > > > > Jun > > > > > > > > On Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 8:18 PM, Jeff Newmiller <jdnew...@dcn.davis.ca.us > > > > wrote: > > > >> I am not near my computer today, but each parenthesis gets its own > result > >> number, so you should put the parenthesis around the whole pattern of > >> alternatives instead of having many parentheses. > >> > >> I recommend thinking in terms of what common information you expect to > >> find in these various strings, and place your parentheses to capture > that > >> information. There is no other reason to put parentheses in the > pattern... > >> they are not grouping symbols. > >> -- > >> Sent from my phone. Please excuse my brevity. > >> > >> On September 6, 2016 5:01:04 PM PDT, Bert Gunter < > bgunter.4...@gmail.com> > >> wrote: > >> >Jun: > >> > > >> >1. Tell us your desired result from your test vector and maybe someone > >> >will help. > >> > > >> >2. As we played this game once already (you couldn't do it; I showed > >> >you how), this seems to be a function of your limitations with regular > >> >expressions. I'm probably not much better, but in any case, I don't > >> >intend to be your consultant. See if you can find someone locally to > >> >help you if you do not receive a satisfactory reply from the list. > >> >There are many people here who are pretty good at this sort of thing, > >> >but I don't know if they'll reply. Regex's are certainly complex. PERL > >> >people tend to be pretty good at them, I believe. There are numerous > >> >web sites and books on them if you need to acquire expertise for your > >> >work. > >> > > >> >Cheers, > >> >Bert > >> >Bert Gunter > >> > > >> >"The trouble with having an open mind is that people keep coming along > >> >and sticking things into it." > >> >-- Opus (aka Berkeley Breathed in his "Bloom County" comic strip ) > >> > > >> > > >> >On Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 3:59 PM, Jun Shen <jun.shen...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> >> Hi Bert, > >> >> > >> >> I still couldn't make the multiple patterns to work. Here is an > >> >example. I > >> >> make the pattern as follows > >> >> > >> >> final.pattern <- > >> >> > >> >"(240\\.m\\.g)\\.(>50-70\\.kg)\\.(.*)|(3\\.mg\\.kg)\\.(> > >> 50-70\\.kg)\\.(.*)|(240\\.m\\.g)\\.(>70-90\\.kg)\\.(.*)|(3\\ > >> .mg\\.kg)\\.(>70-90\\.kg)\\.(.*)|(240\\.m\\.g)\\.(>90-110\\. > >> kg)\\.(.*)|(3\\.mg\\.kg)\\.(>90-110\\.kg)\\.(.*)|(240\\.m\\ > >> .g)\\.(50\\.kg\\.or\\.less)\\.(.*)|(3\\.mg\\.kg)\\.(50\\.kg\ > >> \.or\\.less)\\.(.*)|(240\\.m\\.g)\\.(>110\\.kg)\\.(.*)|(3\\. > >> mg\\.kg)\\.(>110\\.kg)\\.(.*)" > >> >> > >> >> test.string <- c('240.m.g.>110.kg.geo.mean', '3.mg.kg.>110.kg.P05', > >> >> '240.m.g.>50-70.kg.geo.mean') > >> >> > >> >> sub(final.pattern, '\\1', test.string) > >> >> sub(final.pattern, '\\2', test.string) > >> >> sub(final.pattern, '\\3', test.string) > >> >> > >> >> Only the third string has been correctly parsed, which matches the > >> >first > >> >> pattern. It seems the rest of the patterns are not called. > >> >> > >> >> Jun > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> On Mon, Sep 5, 2016 at 10:21 PM, Bert Gunter <bgunter.4...@gmail.com > > > >> >wrote: > >> >>> > >> >>> Just noticed: My clumsy do.call() line in my previously posted code > >> >>> below should be replaced with: > >> >>> pat <- paste(pat,collapse = "|") > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> > pat <- c(pat1,pat2) > >> >>> > paste(pat,collapse="|") > >> >>> [1] "a+\\.*a+|b+\\.*b+" > >> >>> > >> >>> ************ replace this ************************** > >> >>> > pat <- do.call(paste,c(as.list(pat), sep="|")) > >> >>> ******************************************** > >> >>> > sub(paste0("^[^b]*(",pat,").*$"),"\\1",z) > >> >>> [1] "a.a" "bb" "b.bbb" > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> -- Bert > >> >>> Bert Gunter > >> >>> > >> >>> "The trouble with having an open mind is that people keep coming > >> >along > >> >>> and sticking things into it." > >> >>> -- Opus (aka Berkeley Breathed in his "Bloom County" comic strip ) > >> >>> > >> >>> > >> >>> On Mon, Sep 5, 2016 at 12:11 PM, Bert Gunter > >> ><bgunter.4...@gmail.com> > >> >>> wrote: > >> >>> > Jun: > >> >>> > > >> >>> > You need to provide a clear specification via regular expressions > >> >of > >> >>> > the patterns you wish to match -- at least for me to decipher it. > >> >>> > Others may be smarter than I, though... > >> >>> > > >> >>> > Jeff: Thanks. I have now convinced myself that it can be done (a > >> >>> > "proof" of sorts): If pat1, pat2,..., patn are m different > >> >patterns > >> >>> > (in a vector of patterns) to be matched in a vector of n strings, > >> >>> > where only one of the patterns will match in any string, then use > >> >>> > paste() (probably via do.call()) or otherwise to paste them > >> >together > >> >>> > separated by "|" to form the concatenated pattern, pat. Then > >> >>> > > >> >>> > sub(paste0("^.*(",pat, ").*$"),"\\1",thevector) > >> >>> > > >> >>> > should extract the matching pattern in each (perhaps with a little > >> >>> > fiddling due to precedence rules); e.g. > >> >>> > > >> >>> >> z <-c(".fg.h.g.a.a", "bb..dd.ef.tgf.", "foo...b.bbb.tgy") > >> >>> > > >> >>> >> pat1 <- "a+\\.*a+" > >> >>> >> pat2 <-"b+\\.*b+" > >> >>> >> pat <- c(pat1,pat2) > >> >>> > > >> >>> >> pat <- do.call(paste,c(as.list(pat), sep="|")) > >> >>> >> pat > >> >>> > [1] "a+\\.*a+|b+\\.*b+" > >> >>> > > >> >>> >> sub(paste0("^[^b]*(",pat,").*$"), "\\1", z) > >> >>> > [1] "a.a" "bb" "b.bbb" > >> >>> > > >> >>> > Cheers, > >> >>> > Bert > >> >>> > > >> >>> > > >> >>> > Bert Gunter > >> >>> > > >> >>> > "The trouble with having an open mind is that people keep coming > >> >along > >> >>> > and sticking things into it." > >> >>> > -- Opus (aka Berkeley Breathed in his "Bloom County" comic strip ) > >> >>> > > >> >>> > > >> >>> > On Mon, Sep 5, 2016 at 9:56 AM, Jun Shen <jun.shen...@gmail.com> > >> >wrote: > >> >>> >> Thanks for the reply, Bert. > >> >>> >> > >> >>> >> Your solution solves the example. I actually have a more general > >> >>> >> situation > >> >>> >> where I have this dot concatenated string from multiple > >> >variables. The > >> >>> >> problem is those variables may have values with dots in there. > >> >The > >> >>> >> number of > >> >>> >> dots are not consistent for all values of a variable. So I am > >> >thinking > >> >>> >> to > >> >>> >> define a vector of patterns for the vector of the string and > >> >hopefully > >> >>> >> to > >> >>> >> find a way to use a pattern from the pattern vector for each > >> >value of > >> >>> >> the > >> >>> >> string vector. The only way I can think of is "for" loop, which > >> >can be > >> >>> >> slow. > >> >>> >> Also these are happening in a function I am writing. Just wonder > >> >if > >> >>> >> there is > >> >>> >> another more efficient way. Thanks a lot. > >> >>> >> > >> >>> >> Jun > >> >>> >> > >> >>> >> On Mon, Sep 5, 2016 at 1:41 AM, Bert Gunter > >> ><bgunter.4...@gmail.com> > >> >>> >> wrote: > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> Well, he did provide an example, and... > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> > z <- c('TX.WT.CUT.mean','mg.tx.cv') > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> > sub("^.+?\\.(.+)\\.[^.]+$","\\1",z) > >> >>> >>> [1] "WT.CUT" "tx" > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> ## seems to do what was requested. > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> Jeff would have to amplify on his initial statement however: do > >> >you > >> >>> >>> mean that separate patterns can always be combined via "|" ? Or > >> >>> >>> something deeper? > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> Cheers, > >> >>> >>> Bert > >> >>> >>> Bert Gunter > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> "The trouble with having an open mind is that people keep coming > >> >along > >> >>> >>> and sticking things into it." > >> >>> >>> -- Opus (aka Berkeley Breathed in his "Bloom County" comic strip > >> >) > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> > >> >>> >>> On Sun, Sep 4, 2016 at 9:30 PM, Jeff Newmiller > >> >>> >>> <jdnew...@dcn.davis.ca.us> > >> >>> >>> wrote: > >> >>> >>> > Your opening assertion is false. > >> >>> >>> > > >> >>> >>> > Provide a reproducible example and someone will demonstrate. > >> >>> >>> > -- > >> >>> >>> > Sent from my phone. Please excuse my brevity. > >> >>> >>> > > >> >>> >>> > On September 4, 2016 9:06:59 PM PDT, Jun Shen > >> >>> >>> > <jun.shen...@gmail.com> > >> >>> >>> > wrote: > >> >>> >>> >>Dear list, > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>I have a vector of strings that cannot be described by one > >> >pattern. > >> >>> >>> >> So > >> >>> >>> >>let's say I construct a vector of patterns in the same length > >> >as the > >> >>> >>> >>vector > >> >>> >>> >>of strings, can I do the element wise pattern recognition and > >> >string > >> >>> >>> >>substitution. > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>For example, > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>pattern1 <- "([^.]*)\\.([^.]*\\.[^.]*)\\.(.*)" > >> >>> >>> >>pattern2 <- "([^.]*)\\.([^.]*)\\.(.*)" > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>patterns <- c(pattern1,pattern2) > >> >>> >>> >>strings <- c('TX.WT.CUT.mean','mg.tx.cv') > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>Say I want to extract "WT.CUT" from the first string and "tx" > >> >from > >> >>> >>> >> the > >> >>> >>> >>second string. If I do > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>sub(patterns, '\\2', strings), only the first pattern will be > >> >used. > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>looping the patterns doesn't work the way I want. Appreciate > >> >any > >> >>> >>> >>comments. > >> >>> >>> >>Thanks. > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>Jun > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >> [[alternative HTML version deleted]] > >> >>> >>> >> > >> >>> >>> >>______________________________________________ > >> >>> >>> >>R-help@r-project.org mailing list -- To UNSUBSCRIBE and more, > >> >see > >> >>> >>> >>https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > >> >>> >>> >>PLEASE do read the posting guide > >> >>> >>> >>http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > >> >>> >>> >>and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible > >> >code. > >> >>> >>> > > >> >>> >>> > ______________________________________________ > >> >>> >>> > R-help@r-project.org mailing list -- To UNSUBSCRIBE and more, > >> >see > >> >>> >>> > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > >> >>> >>> > PLEASE do read the posting guide > >> >>> >>> > http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > >> >>> >>> > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible > >> >code. > >> >>> >> > >> >>> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> > >> > > > > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] > > > > ______________________________________________ > > R-help@r-project.org mailing list -- To UNSUBSCRIBE and more, see > > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > > PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/ > posting-guide.html > > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] ______________________________________________ R-help@r-project.org mailing list -- To UNSUBSCRIBE and more, see https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.