split camelcase string into array of words words

[pantagruel]

Hi,

I'm looking for an optimal javascript function to split a camelcase
string and return an array.

I suppose one could loop through the string, check if character is
uppercase and start building a new word to add to the array but that
seems incredibly wasteful. must be some easy way to do it.
Thanks.

[Jim Davis]

"pantagruel " <ra************ *@gmail.comwrot e in message
news:11******** **************@ i3g2000cwc.goog legroups.com...

Hi,

I'm looking for an optimal javascript function to split a camelcase
string and return an array.

I suppose one could loop through the string, check if character is
uppercase and start building a new word to add to the array but that
seems incredibly wasteful. must be some easy way to do it.

This was a fun little morning brain warmer. ;^)

I've created a function that, I think, will do what you want. It's not that
pretty but it seem to work. In my example I've added it to String prototype
(making it available to all strings) but you can put it anyplace you like...
you could also condense it down to one line of code and append it to any
string but don't do that: functions should be used to abstract ugly code
like this. ;^)

Here it is:

String.prototyp e.CamelCaseToAr ray = function() {
// Preceed Uppercase (or sets of) with commas then remove any
leading comma
var Delimed = this.replace(/([A-Z]+)/g, ",$1").repl ace(/^,/, "");
// Split the string on commas and return the array
return Delimed.split(" ,");
};

Basically this does a regular expression search for uppercase letters (or
sets of uppercase letters) and preceeds them with commas. Since the string
may now have a comma as it's first character another replace is done to
remove it (if it exists). Then the whole mess is split on the commas and
returned.

Here's an example of how you might use it:

TestString = "MyCamelCASEStr ing";

alert(TestStrin g.CamelCaseToAr ray());

This function will (I hope obviously) have problems if there are commas in
the string to begin with. I've tested it on a handful of strings but you
should vette it more before trusting it.

I think (since I'm only caring to look for uppercase characters) that it
should be blissfully unfazed by numbers and punctuation (other than the
comma).

Hope this helps,

Jim Davis

[Jeremy]

pantagruel wrote:

Hi,

I'm looking for an optimal javascript function to split a camelcase
string and return an array.

I suppose one could loop through the string, check if character is
uppercase and start building a new word to add to the array but that
seems incredibly wasteful. must be some easy way to do it.
Thanks.

"CamelCaseStrin g".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

returns array:

("Camel", "Case", "String").

Seems like what you want :-)

Jeremy

[Jim Davis]

"Jeremy" <je****@pinacol .comwrote in message
news:%F7wg.1463 2$Nv.7608@fed1r ead10...

pantagruel wrote:

>Hi,

I'm looking for an optimal javascript function to split a camelcase
string and return an array.

I suppose one could loop through the string, check if character is
uppercase and start building a new word to add to the array but that
seems incredibly wasteful. must be some easy way to do it.

"CamelCaseStrin g".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

returns array:

("Camel", "Case", "String").

Seems like what you want :-)

But this:

"camelCaseStrin g".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

Returns: ["Case", "String"].

And this:

"camelCaseSTRIN G".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

Returns: ["Case", "S", "T", "R", "I", "N", "G"]

So... well... neener neener neener. ;^)

(Yeah... I'm a big jackass.)

Jim Davis

[pantagruel]

>
Here's an example of how you might use it:

TestString = "MyCamelCASEStr ing";

alert(TestStrin g.CamelCaseToAr ray());

Haven't tested yet but on appearance looks like it will work with the
strings I have to deal with, upper and lower camel cased strings that
need to be split into words. Since there is no punctuation allowed in
the strings I can't see this as being a problem.

Thanks for the help, will credit you in the comments of the script.

Cheers,
Bryan Rasmussen

[Jeremy]

Jim Davis wrote:

>
But this:

"camelCaseStrin g".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

Returns: ["Case", "String"].

And this:

"camelCaseSTRIN G".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

Returns: ["Case", "S", "T", "R", "I", "N", "G"]

So... well... neener neener neener. ;^)

(Yeah... I'm a big jackass.)

Jim Davis

Those aren't camel case strings, now are they? :-) You can't expect any
algorithm that targets camel case strings to work on non-camel-case strings.

Jeremy

[Jeremy]

Jeremy wrote:

Jim Davis wrote:

>>
But this:

"camelCaseStri ng".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

Returns: ["Case", "String"].

And this:

"camelCaseSTRI NG".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

Returns: ["Case", "S", "T", "R", "I", "N", "G"]

So... well... neener neener neener. ;^)

(Yeah... I'm a big jackass.)

Jim Davis

Those aren't camel case strings, now are they? :-) You can't expect any
algorithm that targets camel case strings to work on non-camel-case
strings.

Jeremy

Besides, by tweaking the regex a little you can account for
lower-camel-case:

"lowerCamelCase ".match(/[A-Z]?[a-z]+/g)

returns {"lower", "Camel", "Case"}

Anything else (i.e. "camelCaseSTRIN G") is not a camel case string. I
would argue that in this case STRING must be an acronym and there's no
reason it should come back in all one string in the result array.

So, strictly speaking... neener neener :-)

Jeremy

[Dr John Stockton]

JRS: In article <ks************ *************** ***@giganews.co m>, dated
Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:35:43 remote, seen in news:comp.lang. javascript, Jim
Davis <ne********@vbo ston.composted :

>"Jeremy" <je****@pinacol .comwrote in message
news:%F7wg.146 32$Nv.7608@fed1 read10...

>pantagruel wrote:

>>I'm looking for an optimal javascript function to split a camelcase
string and return an array.

>"CamelCaseStri ng".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

returns array:

("Camel", "Case", "String").

Seems like what you want :-)

But this:

"camelCaseStri ng".match(/[A-Z][a-z]*/g)

Returns: ["Case", "String"].

But this : "camelCaseStrin g".match(/(\b|[A-Z])[a-z]*/g)
returns ['camel','Case', 'String']

And this : "camelCaseSTRin g".match(/(\b|[A-Z]+)[a-z]*/g)
returns ['camel','Case', 'STRing']

--
© John Stockton, Surrey, UK. ?@merlyn.demon. co.uk Turnpike v4.00 IE 4 ©
<URL:http://www.jibbering.c om/faq/>? JL/RC: FAQ of news:comp.lang. javascript
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<URL:http://www.merlyn.demo n.co.uk/TP/BP/Delphi/jscr/&c, FAQ items, links.

[Jeremy]

Dr John Stockton wrote:

>
But this : "camelCaseStrin g".match(/(\b|[A-Z])[a-z]*/g)
returns ['camel','Case', 'String']

And this : "camelCaseSTRin g".match(/(\b|[A-Z]+)[a-z]*/g)
returns ['camel','Case', 'STRing']

What does \b do? Never seen that before.

Jeremy

[Jim Davis]

"Dr John Stockton" <jr*@merlyn.dem on.co.ukwrote in message
news:Ar******** ******@merlyn.d emon.co.uk...

JRS: In article <ks************ *************** ***@giganews.co m>, dated
Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:35:43 remote, seen in news:comp.lang. javascript, Jim
Davis <ne********@vbo ston.composted :

>>"Jeremy" <je****@pinacol .comwrote in message
news:%F7wg.14 632$Nv.7608@fed 1read10...

>>pantagruel wrote:

>snip<

But this : "camelCaseStrin g".match(/(\b|[A-Z])[a-z]*/g)
returns ['camel','Case', 'String']

And this : "camelCaseSTRin g".match(/(\b|[A-Z]+)[a-z]*/g)
returns ['camel','Case', 'STRing']

No - that doesn't count. You didn't say "neener neener". ;^)

Jim Davis