Extracting Text Between Brackets with Regex

Question

In sentences like:

\"[x] Alpha

[33] Beta\"

I extract an array of bracketed data as ([x], [33])

using VBA regex Pattern:

\"(\\         


        

Answer 1

Try this:

\[(x)\]|\[(\d*)\]

What you don't want to be captured, don't put them inside (). this is used for grouping

Explanation

You will get x and 33 in $1 and $2

Dot Net Sample

Alright, I prepared it for you , although far away from vb for long. Lots of it might be not needed, yet it might help you to understand it better

Imports System.Text.RegularExpressions

Module Example
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim text As String = "[x] Alpha      [33] Beta]"
      Dim pattern As String = "\[(x)\]|\[(\d*)\]"

      ' Instantiate the regular expression object.
      Dim r As Regex = new Regex(pattern, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase)

      ' Match the regular expression pattern against a text string.
      Dim m As Match = r.Match(text)
      Dim matchcount as Integer = 0
      Do While m.Success
         matchCount += 1
         Console.WriteLine("Match" & (matchCount))
         Dim i As Integer
         For i = 1 to 2
            Dim g as Group = m.Groups(i)
            Console.WriteLine("Group" & i & "='" & g.ToString() & "'")
            Dim cc As CaptureCollection = g.Captures
            Dim j As Integer 
            For j = 0 to cc.Count - 1
              Dim c As Capture = cc(j)
               Console.WriteLine("Capture" & j & "='" & c.ToString() _
                  & "', Position=" & c.Index)
            Next 
         Next 
         m = m.NextMatch()
      Loop
   End Sub
End Module