extract string within a string php

Question

So I have this script that extracts a given string within a bigger string:

function get_string($string, $start, $end){
 $string = " ".$string;
 $pos = strpos($string,$start);
 if ($pos == 0) return "";
 $pos += strlen($start);
 $len = strpos($string,$end,$pos) - $pos;
 return substr($string,$pos,$len);
}

So this is the string:

$string= '<b>Sample Sample</b> <b>Sample2 Sample2</b>';

$output = get_string($string, '<b>','</b>');

echo $output;

I really want some help on this because I'm out of ideas. Now when i echo $output I get

Sample Sample

I want to make a change that would display both:

Sample Sample 

Sample2 Sample2

Does any of you guys have any ideas how to modify the function and make it output sort of an array of results $output[0], $output[1]?

Thank you in advance, Wish you a good day.

I suggest looking at preg_match_all() php.net/manual/en/function.preg-match-all.php — John Carter
– John Carter, Commented Sep 16, 2012 at 0:40

Krycke · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-16 10:58:42Z

2

Modify your function so that as long as while, that function gives you a string, add it to an array, and run the function again with the end of the string.

EDIT:

Didn't want to spell out a correct solution if you happened to want to try it your self. Here's one way to do it, resulting in what you want. I tried to make as few changes to your original post as possible:

function get_string($string, $start, $end){
    $found = array();
    $pos = 0;
    while( true )
    {
        $pos = strpos($string, $start, $pos);
        if ($pos === false) { // Zero is not exactly equal to false...
            return $found;
        }
        $pos += strlen($start);
        $len = strpos($string, $end, $pos) - $pos;
        $found[] = substr($string, $pos, $len);
    }
}

$string = '<b>Sample Sample</b> <b>Sample2 Sample2</b>';

$output = get_string($string, '<b>','</b>');

var_dump( $output );

outputs:

array(2) {
  [0]=>
  string(13) "Sample Sample"
  [1]=>
  string(15) "Sample2 Sample2"
}

edited Sep 16, 2012 at 10:58

answered Sep 16, 2012 at 0:41

Krycke

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5 Comments

inrob Over a year ago

Well i have the concept. But that's what I cannot do :(

Krycke Over a year ago

Edits above. This might help :)

inrob Over a year ago

you helped me alot with this function. Can I buy you a coffe?

Krycke Over a year ago

Thank you, you can always send me a coffee though PayPal if you'd like, [email protected]

Krycke Over a year ago

Thank you, i got the donation, just couldn't work out if it was from you :) glad i could help you!

Ross Smith II · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-16 00:50:16Z

2

You might find this much simpler, and easier to understand:

function get_string($string, $start, $end) {
    $start = preg_quote($start, '|');
    $end = preg_quote($end, '|');
    $matches = preg_match_all('|'.$start.'([^<]*)'.$end.'|i', $string, $output);
    return $matches > 0
        ? $output[1]
        : array();
}        

$string= '<b>Sample Sample</b> <b>Sample2 Sample2</b>';
$output = get_string($string, '<b>', '</b>');    
print_r($output);

which outputs:

Array
(
    [0] => Sample Sample
    [1] => Sample2 Sample2
)

edited Sep 16, 2012 at 0:50

answered Sep 16, 2012 at 0:40

Ross Smith II

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4 Comments

Krycke Over a year ago

As an addition: off course <b> and </b> could be changed to your variables $start and $end.

inrob Over a year ago

Isn't it supposed to display only the two values, can we avoid that sort of dublication? :) Thanks.

Ross Smith II Over a year ago

Sorry, but I'm not sure what duplication you are trying to avoid. My answer gives you the result you requested.

inrob Over a year ago

Sorry a mistake of mine. Thank you for your efforts.

Rubin Porwal · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-16 00:50:55Z

0

Looking at your above example the string contains b tags which are HTML tags.

PHP library has a function defined having name strip_tags which will strip HTML tags from string.

So your output string will result into string with plain text and with all HTML tags stripped from the string.

answered Sep 16, 2012 at 0:50

Rubin Porwal

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1 Comment

inrob Over a year ago

That's not the point. I want to be able to fetch some part of a wegpages content <b> is there only for illustrative purposes.

Gung Foo · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-16 00:54:18Z

I hate having to use regex, so here a non-bloatware version:

function get_string($string, $start, $end){
 $results = array();
 $pos = 0;
 do {
   $pos = strpos($string,$start,$pos);
   if($pos === FALSE) break;
   $pos += strlen($start);
   $len = strpos($string,$end,$pos) - $pos;
   $results[] = substr($string,$pos,$len);
   $pos = $pos + $len;
 } while(1);
 return $results;
}

$string= '<b>Sample Sample</b> <b>Sample2 Sample2</b>';

$output = get_string($string, '<b>','</b>');

var_dump($output);

Output:

array(2) { [0]=> string(13) "Sample Sample" [1]=> string(15) "Sample2 Sample2" }

Rasheed · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-17 14:11:24Z

0

This could help....

function get_string($string, $start, $end = null) {
     $str = "";
     if ($end == null) {
         $end = strlen($string);
     }
     if ($end < $start) {
         return $string;
     }
     while ($start < $end) {
          $str .=$string[$start];
          $start++;
     }
     return $str;
 }

answered Jun 17, 2015 at 14:11

Rasheed

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