c# string delimiter - c#-4.0

Question

I have string value like this:
string strRole = "ab=Admin,ca=system,ou=application,role=branduk|ab=Manager,ca=system,ou=application,role=brankdusa|ab=sale,ca=system,ou=application,role=brandAu";
I just need to retrieve role to string array. I wonder if there is the best way to split the string in C# 4.0
string[] arrStrRole = strRole.Split('|').Select .. ??
Basically, I need brandUK, brandUsa, brandAu to string[] arrStrRole.
Thanks.

Answer 1

string[] arrStrRole = strRole.Split('|').Select(r => r.Split(new []{"role="}, StringSplitOptions.None)[1]).ToArray()
results in an string array with three strings:
branduk
brankdusa
brandAu

Answer 2

you can use string[] arrStrRole = strRole.Split('|',','); and this will split according to | and , characters

Answer 3

You can use String.Split in this LINQ query:
var roles = from token in strRole.Split('|')
from part in token.Split(',')
where part.Split('=')[0] == "role"
select part.Split('=')[1];
Note that this is yet prone to error and requires the data always to have this format. I mention it because you've started with Split('|').Select.... You can also use nested loops.
If you need it as String[] you just need to call ToArray:
String[] result = roles.ToArray();

Answer 4

I would go with Regex rather than splitting string. In combination with your intended Select solution, it could look like this:
var roles = Regex.Matches(strRole, #"role=(\w+)")
.Cast<Match>()
.Select(x => x.Groups[1].Value).ToArray();

Answer 5

You could use an extension like this which would allow you to test it easily.
public static string[] ParseRolesIntoList(this string csvGiven)
{
var list = new List<string>();
if (csvGiven == null) return null;
var csv = csvGiven.Split(',');
foreach (var s in csv)
{
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(s)) continue;
if(!s.StartsWith("role")) continue;
var upperBound = s.IndexOf("|");
if (upperBound <= 0) upperBound = s.Length;
var role = s.Substring(s.IndexOf("=") + 1,
upperBound - s.IndexOf("=") - 1);
list.Add(role);
}
return list.ToArray();
}
Test below found brankdusa typo in your example. Some of the other answers would not deal with brandAu as it matches slightly differently. Try running this test against them if you like
[Test]
public void Should_parse_into_roles()
{
//GIVEN
const string strRole = "ab=Admin,ca=system,ou=application,role=branduk|ab=Manager,ca=system,ou=application,role=brankdusa|ab=sale,ca=system,ou=application,role=brandAu";
//WHEN
var roles = strRole.ParseRolesIntoList();
//THEN
Assert.That(roles.Length, Is.EqualTo(3));
Assert.That(roles[0], Is.EqualTo("branduk"));
Assert.That(roles[1], Is.EqualTo("brankdusa"));
Assert.That(roles[2], Is.EqualTo("brandAu"));
}

Answer 6

This gives an array of the 3 values.
void Main()
{
string strRole = "ab=Admin,ca=system,ou=application,role=branduk|ab=Manager,ca=system,ou=application,role=brankdusa|ab=sale,ca=system,ou=application,role=brandAu";
var arrStrRole = strRole.Split('|',',')
.Where(a => a.Split('=')[0] == "role")
.Select(b => b.Split('=')[1]);
arrStrRole.Dump();
}