# Complex GSUB query

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-gsub-query/177589>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [October 20, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-gsub-query/177589 "2009-10-20T17:27:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/2acd7d/32.png) [@nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nescripter)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-gsub-query/177589/1 "2009-10-20T17:27:46Z")

</div>

Hello all,

I am struggling with something and I have yet been able to find anything  
that may help me.

I have a string like follows:

string = ““bloggs, Joe (JBloggs, INFO)” joebloggs, “bloggs, Bill  
(BBloggs, INFO)” billbloggs”

I want to break this string up into two entries using a \_ seperator, one  
for Joe and the other for Bill. I could do this with a simple

string.gsub(",", “\_”)

However the problem with doing this is that there are commas elsewhere  
in the string. So what I need to say is, if the comma is outside of “”  
(quotes) replace it with the \_

Could anyone possibly help me with this?

Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/2acd7d/32.png) [@nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nescripter)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-gsub-query/177589/2 "2009-10-20T17:35:17Z")

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Ne Scripter wrote:

> string = ““bloggs, Joe (JBloggs, INFO)” joebloggs, “bloggs, Bill  
> (BBloggs, INFO)” billbloggs”
> 
> I want to break this string up into two entries using a \_ seperator, one  
> for Joe and the other for Bill. I could do this with a simple
> 
> string.gsub(",", “\_”)
> 
> However the problem with doing this is that there are commas elsewhere  
> in the string. So what I need to say is, if the comma is outside of “”  
> (quotes) replace it with the \_
> 
> Could anyone possibly help me with this?
> 
> Thanks

I’d do:  
string.gsub!(", “”, "\_ “”)

# If the comma is followed by a space and double quotes, replace that

with an undersore, a space and a double quote.  
But that’s because I’m really lazy.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/2acd7d/32.png) [@nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nescripter)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-gsub-query/177589/3 "2009-10-20T17:37:53Z")

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Hi –

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009, Ne Scripter wrote:

> I want to break this string up into two entries using a \_ seperator, one  
> for Joe and the other for Bill. I could do this with a simple
> 
> string.gsub(“,”, “\_”)
> 
> However the problem with doing this is that there are commas elsewhere  
> in the string. So what I need to say is, if the comma is outside of “”  
> (quotes) replace it with the \_
> 
> Could anyone possibly help me with this?

It looks like the pattern /, "/ occurs at the end of one record into  
the beginning of the next one, and nowhere else. Assuming that’s  
correct, it suggests something like:

string.gsub(/,(?=\s+")/, ‘\_’)

i.e., for any comma which is followed by some whitespace and a double  
quote character, replace the comma with an underscore.

David

–  
The Ruby training with D. Black, G. Brown, J.McAnally  
Compleat Jan 22-23, 2010, Tampa, FL  
Rubyist [http://www.thecompleatrubyist.com](http://www.thecompleatrubyist.com)

David A. Black/Ruby Power and Light, LLC ([http://www.rubypal.com](http://www.rubypal.com))

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**Author:** ![nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/2acd7d/32.png) [@nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nescripter)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-gsub-query/177589/4 "2009-10-20T17:43:44Z")

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On Oct 20, 2009, at 11:37 AM, David A. Black wrote:

> > I have a string like follows:  
> > However the problem with doing this is that there are commas
> 
> Compleat Jan 22-23, 2010, Tampa, FL  
> Rubyist [http://www.thecompleatrubyist.com](http://www.thecompleatrubyist.com)
> 
> David A. Black/Ruby Power and Light, LLC ([http://www.rubypal.com](http://www.rubypal.com))

Or perhaps scan is a better hammer for this nail:

irb\> string = “"bloggs, Joe (JBloggs, INFO)" joebloggs, "bloggs,  
Bill (BBloggs, INFO)" billbloggs”  
=\> “"bloggs, Joe (JBloggs, INFO)" joebloggs, "bloggs, Bill  
(BBloggs, INFO)" billbloggs”  
irb\> re = %r{“\w+, \w+ (\w+, \w+)” \w+}  
=\> /“\w+, \w+ (\w+, \w+)” \w+/  
irb\> string.scan(re)  
=\> [“"bloggs, Joe (JBloggs, INFO)" joebloggs”, “"bloggs, Bill  
(BBloggs, INFO)" billbloggs”]

You could paste them back together with a .join(‘\_’), but I suspect  
that you want the pieces later anyway.

-Rob

Rob B. [http://agileconsultingllc.com](http://agileconsultingllc.com)  
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid

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**Author:** ![nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/2acd7d/32.png) [@nescripter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nescripter)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 9:52am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/complex-gsub-query/177589/5 "2009-10-21T09:52:56Z")

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Thanks all. I went the suggestion given by David because although the  
structure is consistent I can never be sure on the number of elements in  
the string.

Many thanks

Rob B. wrote:

> On Oct 20, 2009, at 11:37 AM, David A. Black wrote:
> 
> > > I have a string like follows:  
> > > However the problem with doing this is that there are commas
> > 
> > Compleat Jan 22-23, 2010, Tampa, FL  
> > Rubyist [http://www.thecompleatrubyist.com](http://www.thecompleatrubyist.com)
> > 
> > David A. Black/Ruby Power and Light, LLC ([http://www.rubypal.com](http://www.rubypal.com))
> 
> Or perhaps scan is a better hammer for this nail:
> 
> irb\> string = “"bloggs, Joe (JBloggs, INFO)" joebloggs, "bloggs,  
> Bill (BBloggs, INFO)" billbloggs”  
> =\> “"bloggs, Joe (JBloggs, INFO)" joebloggs, "bloggs, Bill  
> (BBloggs, INFO)" billbloggs”  
> irb\> re = %r{“\w+, \w+ (\w+, \w+)” \w+}  
> =\> /“\w+, \w+ (\w+, \w+)” \w+/  
> irb\> string.scan(re)  
> =\> [“"bloggs, Joe (JBloggs, INFO)" joebloggs”, “"bloggs, Bill  
> (BBloggs, INFO)" billbloggs”]
> 
> You could paste them back together with a .join(‘\_’), but I suspect  
> that you want the pieces later anyway.
> 
> -Rob
> 
> Rob B. [http://agileconsultingllc.com](http://agileconsultingllc.com)  
> removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid