How to parse a string format like [***]***? - objective-c

Question

I need to parse a string like [abc]000, and what I want to get is an array containing abc and 000. Is there an easy way to do it?
I'm using code like this:
NSString *sampleString = #"[abc]000";
NSArray *sampleParts = [sampleString componentsSeparatedByString:#"]"];
NSString *firstPart = [[[sampleParts objectAtIndex:0] componentsSeparatedByString:#"["] lastObject];
NSString *lastPart = [sampleParts lastObject];
But it's inefficient and didn't check whether the string is in a format like [**]**.

Answer 1

For this simple pattern, can just parse yourself like:
NSString *s = #"[abc]000";
NSString *firstPart = nil;
NSString *lastPart = nil;
if ([s characterAtIndex: 0] == '[') {
NSUInteger i = [s rangeOfString:#"]"].location;
if (i != NSNotFound) {
firstPart = [s substringWithRange:NSMakeRange(1, i - 1)];
lastPart = [s substringFromIndex:i + 1];
}
}
Or you could learn to use the NSScanner class.

Answer 2

As always, there are lots of ways to do this.
OPTION 1
If these are fixed length strings (each part is always three characters) then you can simply get the substrings directly:
NSString *sampleString = #"[abc]000";
NSString *left = [sampleString substringWithRange:NSMakeRange(1, 3)];
NSString *right = [sampleString substringWithRange:NSMakeRange(5, 3)];
NSArray *parts = #[ left, right ];
NSLog(#"%#", parts);
OPTION 1 (shortened)
NSArray *parts = #[ [sampleString substringWithRange:NSMakeRange(1, 3)],
[sampleString substringWithRange:NSMakeRange(5, 3)] ];
NSLog(#"%#", parts);
OPTION 2
If they aren't always three characters, then you can use NSScanner:
NSString *sampleString = #"[abc]000";
NSScanner *scanner = [NSScanner scannerWithString:sampleString];
// Skip the first character if we know that it will always start with the '['.
// If we can not make this assumption, then we would scan for the bracket instead.
scanner.scanLocation = 1;
NSString *left, *right;
// Save the characters until the right bracket into a string which we store in left.
[scanner scanUpToString:#"]" intoString:&left];
// Skip the right bracket
scanner.scanLocation++;
// Scan to the end (You can use any string for the scanUpToString that doesn't actually exist...
[scanner scanUpToString:#"\0" intoString:&right];
NSArray *parts = #[ left, right ];
NSLog(#"%#", parts);
RESULTS (for all options)
2013-05-10 00:25:02.031 Testing App[41906:11f03] (
abc,
000
)
NOTE
All of these assume well-formed strings, so you should include your own error checking.

Answer 3

try like this ,
NSString *sampleString = #"[abc]000";
NSString *pNRegex = #"\\[[a-z]{3}\\][0-9]{3}";
NSPredicate *PNTest = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:#"SELF MATCHES %#", pNRegex];
BOOL check=[PNTest evaluateWithObject:sampleString ];
NSLog(#"success:%i",check);
if success comes as 1 then you can perform the action for separating string into array.