how to use regular expressions NSRegularExpression for an NSMutableArray - objective-c

Question

I have the following code which works:
NSRegularExpression *regex = [NSRegularExpression regularExpressionWithPattern:#"[a-cA-C2][m-oM-O][a-cA-C2]" options:0 error:NULL];
NSString *str = #"Ana";
NSTextCheckingResult *match1 = [regex firstMatchInString:str options:0 range:NSMakeRange(0, [str length])];
NSLog(#"check is exist: %#", [str substringWithRange:[match1 rangeAtIndex:0]]);
Here are my questions:
1.Is there a way I can change the NSString with an NSMutableArray and save the NSTextCheckingResult in a NSMutableArray called filterArray?
2.How to highlight the matching values when displaying then in a TextField?

Answer 1

If I correctly understand your question,
you want to use NSArray of strings, and receive NSArray of matching results for each string.
So, 1:
NSArray *arrayOfStrings = /* Your array */;
NSRegularExpression *regex = [NSRegularExpression regularExpressionWithPattern:#"[a-cA-C2][m-oM-O][a-cA-C2]" options:0 error:NULL];
NSMutableArray *filterArray = [NSMutableArray array];
[arrayOfStrings enumerateObjectsUsingBlock:^(NSString * str, NSUInteger idx, BOOL * stop) {
NSTextCheckingResult *match = [regex firstMatchInString:str options:0 range:NSMakeRange(0, [str length])];
if (match) {
[filterArray addObject:match];
}
else {
[filterArray addObject:[NSNull null]];
}
NSLog(#"String #%i. check is exist: %#",idx, [str substringWithRange:[match rangeAtIndex:0]]);
}];
2: For highlighting ranges of the string you need to use NSAttributedString. Please, see this question for the answer how:) How do you use NSAttributedString?
After you formed attributed string, set it to textfield:
NSAttributedString * attributedString;
UITextField *textField;
[ttextField setAttributedText:attributedString];