Pull number value from string

Question

So I need to pull a number value from a string. I currently have a working solution but I feel that maybe I can improve this using a regular expression or something.

Here is my working solution

var subject = "This is a test message [REF: 2323232]";

if(subject.indexOf("[REF: ") > -1){
  var startIndex = subject.indexOf("[REF: ");
  var result = subject.substring(startIndex);
  var indexOfLastBrace = result.indexOf("]");
  var IndexOfRef = result.indexOf("[REF: ");
  var ticketNumber = result.substring(IndexOfRef + 6, indexOfLastBrace);

  if(!isNaN(ticketNumber)){
    console.log("The ticket number is " + ticketNumber)
    console.log("Valid ticket number");
  }
  else{
    console.log("Invalid ticket number");
  }
}

As you can see I'm trying to pull the number value from after the "[REF: " string.

Simply do \[REF: *(\d+) in a match(): subject.match(/\[REF: *(\d+)/)[1] — revo
– revo, Commented Feb 16, 2018 at 17:54
You could also do +subject.split("[REF: ")[1].slice(0,-1); — zfrisch
– zfrisch, Commented Feb 16, 2018 at 17:57

Satyam Pathak · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-16 18:12:35Z

2

// Change of the text for better test results
var subject = "hjavsdghvwh jgya 16162vjgahg451514vjgejd5555v fhgv f 262641hvgf 665115bs cj15551whfhwj511";
var regex = /\d+/g;
let number = subject.match( regex )
console.log(number)

It Will return array for now, and if no match found, it will return null. For most of the time, when i used this regex i get perfect result unless if string contains decimal values.

edited Feb 16, 2018 at 18:12

answered Feb 16, 2018 at 17:59

Satyam Pathak

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4 Comments

zfrisch Over a year ago

true but if they have numbers inside of the message it kind of ruins it.

MindGame Over a year ago

Thank you for the quick response. This works but as zfrisch said above if I have another number in the string it gets that first.

Satyam Pathak Over a year ago

actually not getting the issue, i have changed the string now and it contains more number values and it is returning array of numbers. Put some example so i could check it for now

MindGame Over a year ago

@satyampathak What you said is true. I get an array of numbers but I only want the number between [REF: 23232]. I don't want the other numbers.

Srdjan M. · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-16 18:04:50Z

1

var str = 'This is a test message [REF: 2323232]'

var res = str.match(/\[REF:\s?(\d+)\]/, str)

console.log(res[1])

answered Feb 16, 2018 at 18:04

Srdjan M.

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1 Comment

MindGame Over a year ago

This works handles the case when I have additional numbers in the string. So if I have 'This is a test 34444 message [REF: 22222]' this returns 22222. Thanks!

th3n3wguy · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-16 18:15:44Z

1

If you don't want to use a regular expression (I tend to stay away from them, even though I know they are powerful), here is another way to do it:

// Your code:
/*var subject = "This is a test message [REF: 2323232]";

if(subject.indexOf("[REF: ") > -1){
  var startIndex = subject.indexOf("[REF: ");
  var result = subject.substring(startIndex);
  var indexOfLastBrace = result.indexOf("]");
  var IndexOfRef = result.indexOf("[REF: ");
  var ticketNumber = result.substring(IndexOfRef + 6, indexOfLastBrace);

  if(!isNaN(ticketNumber)){
    console.log("The ticket number is " + ticketNumber)
    console.log("Valid ticket number");
  }
  else{
    console.log("Invalid ticket number");
  }
}*/

// New code:
const subject = "This is a test message [REF: 2323232]";
const codeAsString = subject.split('[REF: ')[1]
  .split(']')
  .join('');

if (!isNaN(parseInt(codeAsString))) {
  console.log('Valid ticket number: ', parseInt(codeAsString));
}
else {
  console.log('Invalid ticket number: ', codeAsString);
}

answered Feb 16, 2018 at 18:15

th3n3wguy

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1 Comment

MindGame Over a year ago

Interesting take on the solution. Just need to put in some checks if the [REF: 454545 ] is not there. Other than that its a valid solution. Thanks.

Richard · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-16 18:24:34Z

1

This will extract number

var subject = "This is a test message [REF: 2323232]";
var onlyNum = subject.replace(/.*(:\s)(\d*)\]$/,'$2');
console.log(onlyNum)

Here, same but the number is now a real int

var subject = "This is a test message [REF: 2323232]";
var onlyNum = parseInt(subject.replace(/.*(:\s)(\d*)\]$/,'$2'));
console.log(onlyNum)

edited Feb 16, 2018 at 18:24

answered Feb 16, 2018 at 18:05

Richard

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1 Comment

MindGame Over a year ago

Thank you for the quick response. If I have "This is a test 3333 message [REF: 2323232]" it will return 33332323232 where I only want 2323232.

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