Question

I am trying to create a Pattern that returns me results as shows below
given list :

Help # 7256
Help # 83930
ph  # 7222
this is a test example
Help # 029299
New # 92929

output :

Help # 7256 
Help # 83930 
Help # 029299

Anything that starts with Help following by # sign then followed by 3 , 4 , 5 digit value

I tried something like this

Regex pattern = new Regex(@"(Help #) (^|\D)(\d{3, 4,5})($|\D)");

Can someone please help me with creating this patten ? (in C#)

Answer 1

For C#, try this:

var list = new string[] { 
    "Help", "Help # 7256", "Help # 83930", 
    "ph # 7222", "this is a test example", 
    "Help # 029299", "New # 92929",
    "Help # 7256 8945", "Help # 83930 8998 787989"
};

// bear in mind that the $ at the end matches only these strings
// if you want it to match something like Help # 1284 12841 0933 SUBJECT HERE"
// then remove the $ from the end of this pattern
const string pattern = @"^(Help)\s#\s(\d{3,6})\s?(\d{3,6})?\s?(\d{3,6})?$";

var regex = new Regex(pattern);
foreach (string s in list)
{
    if (regex.Match(s).Success)
        Console.WriteLine(s);
}
Console.WriteLine("Done.");
Console.ReadKey();

Outputs:

Help # 7256
Help # 83930
Help # 029299
Help # 7256 8945
Help # 83930 8998 787989